The dates are approaching. The information beckons and pleads to be studied for hours on end. One might ask what I am referring to, it is the infamous burden of AP testing in May. Students endure the difficulty of AP classes for a semester or two only to be pulled down by the weight of the college board.

Students already need to face arrays of homework and readings from these classes. Why does there need to be more? For colleges to deem us worthy? For our own self-gain? Perhaps all of the above.

Despite the difficulties of these tests and the onerous task of preparing for them, they are relatively uniform across the United States.

Most exams are around 2-3 hours long and have limited breaks, according to The College Board. It is recommended that students eat a protein-filled breakfast and get a sufficient amount of sleep the night prior to the test.

“They’re not that bad because you just took an entire class preparing you for the test, they’re just super long and draining,” said junior Maxwell Eness.

In each exam, there is a multiple choice section as well as several free response and essay questions. While the multiple choice section is graded by computer, the free response and essay questions are scored by qualified professors and AP teachers during the first two weeks of June.

For most AP tests, students are ranked on a scale of 1-5 based on the proficient the student us in the topic and how qualified students are to take similar courses in college.

On this scale, 1 is no recommendation, 2 is possibly qualified, 3 is qualified, 4 is well-qualified, and 5 is extremely well-qualified.

Depending on the scores received, students can substitute their AP classes for college credit.

“Many colleges and universities grant credit and placement for scores of 3, 4 or 5; however, each college decides which scores it will accept,” according to The College Board.

AP tests come in many varieties depending on the subject being taken. The typical cost for these exams is $92.

It is with great strength that we, as highschool students, step into these AP exams with heart and try our best despite the difficulty and many odds in these challenging tests.