Historically, high school students across the United States taking an Advanced Placement (AP) class have chosen or are mandated to take the associated AP test in the spring. Passing test scores can sometimes earn students credit in college and allow them to place out of certain classes, a large driver for students to take the exam 

The AP exam also serves, at least in theory, to spur academic intensity in classes, and prevent the onslaught of lackadaisical students as the school year comes to a close.  While the AP testing system offers opportunities for those seeking to pursue higher education, as well as offers a practical endpoint for the course, mandating the exam for students has often been a controversial policy in many school districts. Opponents of the mandate cite increased costs, as well as workload, for students when they are required to take the exam. 

In light of this recent push to make AP exams optional, Mount Greylock Regional School implemented a new exam policy during the 2022-2023 school year for seniors taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Seniors were allowed to opt out of taking the AP exam, but all other grades were still required to take the exam. This policy is set to continue for the 2023-2024 academic school year, allowing seniors at Mount Greylock to not take AP exams this spring. 

Math teacher Lucas Polidoro said he supported the optional AP exam policy, but encouraged seniors to choose to take the exam. 

“I think most of the AP exams are good tests that are designed…collaboratively between high school students and college professors. The test is assessing the knowledge you need going into college,” he said.

Polidoro also noted the effect that not requiring AP exams might have on student motivation. “Those seniors may get ‘senioritis’ and not focus…it makes it almost like teaching two classes,” he said.

With this policy in place, the status of final exams at Mount Greylock remains unclear. In the past, students in AP classes had no final exams. This year, however, because seniors in the AP classes might not be taking the AP exam, the school could return to requiring final exams in all classes. 

School Counselor Courtney Hatch-Blauvelt said she remained unsure about final exams for students in AP classes, acknowledging the existing uncertainty surrounding the topic. She said the counseling office was still “trying to figure out how to better get this information to students.”