With AP Exam season approaching, so are deadlines for students to register for them. The national AP testing period begins on May 6 and wraps up on May 17. Each test is designated a specific day and time and is taken nationwide by students. Registration for all exams is due by March 4, so appropriate materials may be distributed on time to every school in the country.

There are makeup exams available for students to take who registered for an AP exam but were unable to take it on the scheduled testing day. The week of May 22-24 serves as a backup date with tests pre-scheduled each day for students who need this time.

Out of 34 AP courses offered nationwide, Orono offers its students a selection of 21 courses. They range from AP Calculus to AP Music Theory. The benefit of AP courses is that they offer a higher level of intensity for more advanced students, a rigor of which is similar to college classes. Students electing to take AP courses are also eligible to earn college credit for taking the exam, depending on the policy of individual colleges and the minimum score requirements.

“I’ve found that AP classes require a lot of free time in order to complete all the reading and homework. They look good on transcripts and a couple every year had worked well for me, but if you take too many it can be too much and a lot to balance,” said senior Emma Dalton.

While it is not mandatory for a student to take an AP exam following the selection of an AP course, it is highly recommended because of the possible reward of college credit. The exam fee is 68 dollars, which can be pricey for many families especially if their child is enrolled in multiple AP courses.

Many of these courses are going to begin the review and study period in the next few months leading up to the AP exam. Courses are designed to be slightly shorter than non-AP classes, due to the fact that the AP test is taken a month before the end of many schools. Teachers schedule in review time to ensure their students are maximally prepared for the exams.

AP classes are becoming more and more popular as more colleges give credit for them, as well as expect them to be on the transcripts of competitive applicants. Although AP classes require dedication and hard work, students are taking more and more of them in order to have a competitive edge when applying to schools, as the top schools in the country expect a course load heavy on rigorous classes. It is imperative for students looking to apply to selective universities to take AP courses, and in the next few years, numbers will be ever growing.