Etowah offers nearly 20 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are more academically rigorous than on-level or honors courses. These courses prepare students for an AP exam in May, which allows them to earn college credit if they pass.

Although AP exams do not start until May 6, registration began on January 8, and students who register from February 26 to March 1, Etowah’s final deadline, have to pay a late registration fee.

“A smaller window tends to get more results due to the fact that it is right there and in front of them [students],” Lara McDonald, science teacher, said.

Last year, registration began in late January, giving students a shorter time to sign up. This year, some schools began their late registration fee in November, forcing students to commit much earlier on. While Etowah’s deadline is not currently this early, they are moving towards a November registration for next year.

“I believe that the early opening for the AP registration is a good thing because it gives students more time to make a decision on if they’d like to take the AP exam,” Daniel Efunwa, junior, said.

The earlier sign-up opportunity allows students to use their last bit of time studying before the exams.

“I would rather be able to register now than later when I am busy studying for the exam,” Ava Prebit, sophomore, said.

AP exams this year are $94, and each student gets one free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) exam, such as AP Environmental Science, AP Chemistry, and AP Calculus.

AP exams take place from May 6 to May 17, beginning at either 8:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. Students must report to their testing location 30 minutes early. Useful items to bring are pencils, pens, and a non-smart watch that does not beep. To sign up, click here.