College is a huge expense. Every class and every important test costs bank, but the Advanced Placement (AP) tests that students are taking this May could save you money if you complete it now before college.

For some students it’s a good opportunity to earn college credits in high school, as sophomore Alex Richardson said,“I want to get at those credits and I am interested in seeing if I could pass a challenging test like the AP Exam.”

Students get help in the media center and with teachers to prepare for the test. “To prepare for the test there is after school and before school help in the media center on certain days. I’ve gone for help twice after school. The night before the test I’m going to get some good sleep and eat good meals,” said sophomore Hugh Nelson.

Students who score 3-5 could get college credits and the test prepares you for later academic college courses. “Tests range from 2 to 3 hours long May 2 through 6 and May 9 through 13 and 1119 tests were given this year,” said Eric Loichle the AP Coordinator.

AP History teacher Emily Crook said, “students are engaged in APUSH more so than last year from my perspective, and so kids don’t feel as intimidated of the test.”

AP teachers encourage their students to try and take the test. “For the most part I want to show my students that they are able to interpret literature and earn college credit,” said AP English teacher Phylis Hayes, “I introduce them to literary terms they might encounter on the test.”

Some teachers remember never taking the test when they were in high school. “In high school I was not encouraged by my teacher to take the AP test, and I didn’t think I could have passed,” said Crook. She, like other teachers, took it in college instead.

Others feel its a waste of money and time if they happen to fail. “Everybody I’ve talked to is pretty freaked out, because I hear it’s hard. If I were to pay $60 to take a test then fail it I would be real upset,” said sophomore Josephine DeAngelo.