For the 2021-2022 school year, the average AP exam costs $96. Millions of AP exams are taken every year, but this high price is still controversial, as many people will struggle to pay it.

This is because a lot of the money goes to paying the people who make the AP exams, as well as the people who have to manually grade each one.

AP exams can also save people a lot of money because they provide college credit. $96 isn’t really that bad compared to the thousands of dollars that classes at college cost. So if they are passed, they can actually save money in the long run.

AP classes are also valued by college admission officers, as they show that a student is capable of keeping up with the heavy course load of college.

Many schools, like Joliet West, do offer financial aid. Students who might struggle to pay it can pay anything from $15 to $60 instead of the usual $90.

However they are becoming a bit outdated, as things like dual credit are also now available for certain classes. There’s also a chance that certain classes, like AP Human Geography or AP European History, might prove unnecessary for college all together.

AP Human Geography teacher Mrs. Barrowman says, “Do I think the cost is worth it? YES!! This being said, I think the student has to be committed to wanting to take the exam for it to be WORTH it…It all depends what you WANT out of your academic career.”

“I think the original price is a bit much, but I do appreciate that West helps with financial aid, so people can still take the test even if they might not be able to afford it,” says freshmen Gianna Perez.

“I think that the price of AP exams is rather reasonable, as ninety-six dollars isn’t that much compared to what people would have to pay at a college or university. The school can also provide students with financial aid if they need it, so it’s a fair price in the end for everyone who wishes to take the test,” says freshmen Alih Rangel.

So while AP exams may prove beneficial to certain individuals, they might be unnecessary for others