Last Thursday, the College Board released updated guidelines regarding Advanced Placement testing for the 2020–21 school year in the form of three phases of administration. Prompted by the pandemic’s effects on instruction, the College Board stated that the changes were meant to “prioritize the health and safety of educators and students.”

Administration 1 will be held on-campus only with pencil and paper exams for all subjects, while Administrations 2 and 3 will accommodate both on-campus and at-home testing. Administration 2 will offer a combination of traditional and digital tests and Administration 3 will offer only digital exams. They will also serve as makeup dates for students who were unable to attend earlier sessions.

The digital exams, available only on desktops or laptops, will be full-length and test the same knowledge as their traditional counterparts, unlike the exams used in the spring semester of 2020. Schools will be able to choose how to mix at-home and in-person exams as well as testing dates, if needed.

Because the College Board will be unable to fully monitor tests for all subjects, AP Music Theory and all AP world language and culture exams can only be held in person under Administration 1 or 2, if offered. Digital submission deadlines for classes such as AP Studio Art and Design, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Seminar and AP Research have also been extended to Thursday, May 20.

As an alternative to AP testing, the College Board referred graduating seniors to the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or specific colleges’ subject placement counterparts. They will also be waiving all cancellation fees for students to ensure the “utmost flexibility.”

Administration 1 test dates: 

• Monday, May 3, to Thursday, May 7
•  Monday, May 10, to Wednesday, May 12 
• Friday, May 14, to Monday, May 17

Administration 2 test dates: 

• Tuesday, May 18, to Friday, May 21
• Monday, May 24, to Friday, May 28. 

Administration 3 test dates: 

• Tuesday, June 1, to Friday June 4 
• Monday June 7, to Friday June 11

The College Board will be releasing additional details regarding digital testing on Tuesday, March 2.