As some sophomores, juniors, and seniors know, AP exams are quickly approaching and students are preparing to hunker down and spend long hours studying and cramming.

In early to mid may, AP classes take their annual AP exam. The tests, which are designed like a final exam, are standardized tests that measure each student’s grasp on the topic. They indicate whether or not a student understands the topic on a college level, as the AP classes themselves model the pace and difficulty of a college class.

Teachers have prepared students for the exam by covering the necessary material, explaining test taking strategies, and informing students on what to expect from the exam. With many AP resources available, teachers have a multitude of ways to prepare their students for the test.

While there are many different motivations for taking an AP class, there is always one goal in common: to get a high score on the exam. Scored 1-5, with 5 being the highest, AP exams are often a critical part in a college application process. Not only does a high score look great on a resume, but depending on the college and major, students may be able to skip certain college classes. This allows students to advance to major-specific classes faster, and saves them thousands of dollars; an AP exam costs $90 to register, but a college class can cost nearly $4,000.

A lot of stress certainly comes with studying and preparing because of the sheer amount of information. Ashley Ellias, a junior at Wayne Hills, said “Studying is really challenging because there is just so much information to know, its basically impossible to know everything I need.” Because of the stress now, students are certainly looking forward to after the exams, when their AP classes generally become a lot more relaxed.