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This year, Montgomery County Public Schools shared information that should be heard by anyone who’s taking an AP or IB class this school year: all AP and IB Exams have been made free for students. This is a part of a state plan called Maryland’s Blueprint, which aims to provide college preparatory education for all students. The plan allows children in Maryland to have access to several post-college and career readiness pathways at no cost.
Many students at Richard Montgomery take advantage of the large number of AP and IB courses offered at school, causing some to have to pay high fees in order to take the exams. Junior Adam Yachin and sophomore Grace Li both experience the benefits of not having to pay. Yachin is taking five AP courses and Li is taking six this year, with both planning on taking many more in the future.
“I’m really happy… since I’m taking a bunch of APs, it’s going to be less of a financial burden,” Li said. “Also, there’s less stress because if I ever have to retake an AP or I want to, then there’s no monetary cost.”
Taking the added financial stress off students’ shoulders could encourage them to try an even more challenging class they wouldn’t have taken before. This could lead to students having more chances to explore and find things that interest them before deciding what to study in college.
“I will definitely be more willing to take a harder AP test knowing that it was free and not have to worry if I pass or not,” Yachin said.
Ms. Amanda Trivers is the IB Diploma Program Coordinator and has seen countless students sign up to take AP and IB exams. Fee waivers have been offered in past years for students who couldn’t afford the exams, but this year, she’s hoping that the plan for prepaid exams will encourage more students to take AP and IB classes.
There are some exceptions and worries to this new plan. For example, students do not qualify for free exams if they are self-studying for it. In order to receive a free exam, the student must be enrolled in the class through Richard Montgomery.
Although having the exams paid for is a great opportunity for many students, it can also be cause for concern, as some students might take the AP course and not put in effort into the class.
“I do worry a little that possibly some students will sign up for an exam and then not adequately prepare because it’s free,” Ms. Trivers said.
