From the start of the school year up until mid-May, AP students not only at Woodland, but all across the nation work tediously to learn as much information about one or more subjects as they possibly can.

As May approached these students become increasing more anxious to take their AP exams. Students could not and still cannot wait for all their exams to be over. The relief felt after completing one exam is wonderful, but after completing all AP exams a burden is lifted of the shoulders of students enrolled in these courses.

The reason that students take AP classes is in order to expand their knowledge and hopefully acquire enough information to obtain a passing score on their AP exam(s).

For the students taking these exams the stress they bring is a common feeling and for most AP students it is higher than at any other point in the school year. As the exams approach stories of mental breakdowns, and all nighters seem to float around the halls.

The students who are not taking the AP exams seem more frustrated than ever with the students who are in AP classes. These students who do not have to take the exams are annoyed by any mention of the test and some even feel that AP students do not have a right to complain as they knew what they were signing up for.

For AP students however, the pressure to do well on the AP exams seems to be no comparison to the pressure of doing well on a final. While finals are free, AP exams are not and students are required to pay a fee in order to even take the exam. If a student happens to receive a failing grade on the AP exam it is similar to having just thrown their money in the garbage.

Not everyone who takes the AP exams stresses about them though. Some students are confident in the fact that throughout the year they have learned as much as possible and others have already given up. Many students taking the exams spend numerous hours studying in preparation, but there are the select few who choose not to study at all.

As the second week of AP exams begins many students are relieved to know that the endless hours put into these classes will soon be over and will hopefully pay off. There will be no more nights of study guides and smart cards and no more cumulative tests in these courses.

And for now it is just the waiting period, until July when the AP scores are released.