With the dreadful but decisive AP tests fast approaching, it’s important to keep in mind some reminders for testing in those precarious first two weeks of May.

Before the exam, the most important thing you can do to prepare is STUDY! Don’t waste your $93 by not preparing and not getting college credit—you’ll be grateful when you don’t have to pay for those classes in college. There are countless ways to study, such as review books, review sessions and practice tests offered in classes.

As the exam day approaches, make sure to check the location of your exam, which will be posted on boards by the counselor’s office. Check the calculator policy on College Board’s website as you are expected to bring your own. Graphing calculators are allowed for parts of the Calculus, Statistics, Physics and Chemistry exams, while a four-function calculator is allowed for Biology.

If you have an AM exam, you must arrive by 7:30 a.m. and will be attending third and fourth period that day. For any PM exams, you will be released from second period at 11:00 a.m. to eat lunch and report to testing by 11:30 a.m. It is recommended you bring your own lunch that day. Students who have both AM and PM exams on the same day (such as Spanish IV and Physics) will need to bring a lunch and (struggle, give up, cry) while eating on the way to the next exam.

Exam times will also override early release and late arrival.

Once in the testing room, sign in and receive your envelope containing your student pack and answer documents and find your seat number (random, not alphabetical). Countdown clocks will be available and visible, eliminating the need for a watch of your own, since all watches that beep or have an alarm (especially smartwatches) are prohibited.

In addition to watches, any kind of electronic equipment (cell phones, laptops) that can access the Internet or cameras/photographic equipment are also prohibited. Some more prohibited items include:

• Books, protractors, mechanical pencils, correction fluid, dictionaries, highlighters, notes, colored pencils, or scratch paper.
• Ear plugs
• Clothing with subject-related information (unless, of course, it professes your love for the almighty College Board)
• Food or drink

Items that can and should be brought inside the testing room include:

• Several sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers
• Pens with blue or black ink
• Up to two calculators if taking the aforementioned tests
• A ruler or straightedge only for the AP Physics exam
• Your AP student pack

Good luck on your AP tests, Titans! Make Centennial proud!