by Laura Schmidt-Hong
Tiger Question: How do you feel about AP testing and standardized testing in general?
 
“I don’t think it’s a good measure of student’s intelligence. Everyone responds differently in different situations; some people perform better under pressure than others. But it is stressful, and in terms of APs, there are definitely pros and cons. I’m nervous, but at the same time, I’m glad I have the opportunity to take the AP class now so I don’t have to take it in college.”
– Junior Adela Miller
 
“It’s kind of tough because it’s become a necessity for college admissions nowadays. But it is really stressful; I’ve taken four APs in the past four days. It would be cool if there were an alternative to it.”
– Senior Alex Weylman
 
“I think there are lots of people who are smart but can’t sit for four hours at a time. It’s a measure of how people can focus for a long period of time.”
– Senior Rachel Cook
 
“I feel like if students want to, they can, and it’s a good way to see where they stand.”
– Junior Adam Ferreira
 
“I actually don’t take any APs, so I can’t attest to those specifically. But I think standardized tests don’t completely measure students’ intelligence. The stress that goes along with the test and the importance it’s given can put too much pressure on students, which can affect their performance on the test.”
– Junior Noah Shechtman
 
“I think it’s too stressful. I’m not a big fan; I don’t like testing against a standard. I know what I know, and I’m satisfied with what I know I have in my own brain.”
– Freshman Anna Solomon
 
“I don’t believe they accurately measure students’ intelligence. A collection of all the work from the school year is a good example of how intelligent a student is, but one test doesn’t define who you are. But if AP helps get you into college, good for you.”
– Junior Jordyn Weiner
 
“I think the tests are unnecessary and that school takes them too seriously. They also waste class time.”
– Freshman Miles Stern
 
“I think tests only test students from a biased point of view. There’s no even ground when answering some questions; you either know it or you don’t.”
– Senior Erika Virgil
 
“I feel that it’s very stressful and, as a freshman, I dread junior year because of it.”
– Freshman Alina Zheng
 
“I think APs are definitely too stressful, and the PARCC test is just as stressful.”
– Freshman Jason Alpert-Wisnia
 
“In the middle. It stresses people out a lot. I see why people need it—to see how much students know—but it’s just a one-time measure.”
– Sophomore Rebecca Aro