May is here, and with it so are AP Exams and days of turmoil for students. Starting when teachers started to intensify their reviews of course material, stress levels have been on the rise, and now the tests are here. 

Some students begin preparing for the tests on their own, weeks or months in advance, but others wait for their teachers to start reviewing, which ends up falling on the last few days before the exam. 

If cramming a year’s worth of content weeks before the exam wasn’t enough, students also have to do work for all of their other classes on top of it. Assignments, projects, and tests for all classes can add up and become hitches during cram time. 

It is even harder for students who have multiple AP classes, extracurriculars, and jobs to manage their time and take breaks. 

While they are excited for the end of the school year, these students have to push through when it comes to the AP exams. It seems as if no matter how many hours are spent studying a topic, revising important material, or taking practice exams, stress about the tests is still very real up till the moment that they are finished. 

The stress students feel from AP Exams are unique in a sense. While creating a sense of bonding for everyone who is preparing to take them, they also can have negative effects on students if they are not prepared for them, like heightened stress and pressure. 

 This year, the AP tests run through Friday, May 12. But the stress to do well on these tests starts on the first day of school and only intensifies as the year passes.

Even though AP scores do not come out until July, many students feel pressure because of the promise of college credit. Since most colleges and universities accept certain AP test scores as college credit, the assurance of a cheaper college tuition is enticing to many students. 

The main issue though is success on these exams mostly depends on how well of a test taker you are, while also measuring whether or not you know the material. 

With each exam costing about $100, and passing scores for credit being 3, 4, or 5. Stakes are very high leading students to be extremely stressed about the exams.

The pressure that is placed on students during AP season is another example of how the American Education System is stressing out its students and not living up to its expectations. 

Some people argue that since students choose to take these classes, the stress that is caused by them is the student’s own fault. 

However, the reason students even take these classes is because of the ever increasing demands of college applications. 

In order to meet these high demands and stand out amongst their peers, students feel obligations to take as many AP classes as they can if they want to have a chance to be accepted into a university.

While there are many benefits to taking challenging classes, for many students the negatives often take a toll on their mental health. 

On average students in AP classes feel more overwhelmed and overworked than their peers, but lack the time and resources to build healthy support mechanisms. 

There are times when students feel very frustrated, because they are having a hard time coming to terms with the idea that a singular test determines essentially their self worth. 

During these times, students need to be reminded by their teachers to take breaks, maintain healthy sleep schedules, fuel their bodies with nutrition foods, avoid taking too many all-nighters, and most importantly how to recognize stress and when to reach out for some help. 

Whether it is taking some time to talk to your friends, family, or even writing down your thoughts, it is essential to take breaks and not overwork yourself. 

A mindset is what makes or breaks you on test day, if students are feeling confident and strong, they are more likely to do better. 

While AP Exams are important, it is more important to recognize the fact that a score does not define who you are. Students should aim to do the best they can and know that they have learned a lot along the way. 

There is a light at the end of the AP tunnel for stressed out students, as after the tests classes are normally very easy going at least until finals hit.