Advanced Placement students typically spend three hours at OHS taking their AP tests in May. This year, however, they will take the test in a different location.

The annual Advanced Placement (AP) Testing that students are offered to take during the beginning of May will be moved to the St. Louis Community College (STLCC) South County Campus on Meramec Bottom Rd.

“The reason we are looking to do that is because with all of the distractions that are here in the building…there’s just a lot of confusion there,” said counselor Mr. Steve King. “And with trying to have an AP test, which is going to be stressful for students anyway, that’s just additional stress that we felt didn’t need to happen.”

King said that taking the AP tests at OHS brought several distractions, including bells, travelling, announcements, and teachers teaching their classes. All of these bring unnecessary stress, he said.

“There’s loud teachers…there’s still kids in the hallway…no one’s quiet,” said Gretchen Addis (12), “And it’s constantly going throughout the test because it’s like a three-hour test.”

However, not all students felt that there were too many distractions while taking the test at OHS.

“Personally, I know from my last AP Euro exam, I didn’t experience any distractions because I was in the English and business hallway,” Emma Wozniak (11) said. “But I’ve heard from other people that since they were in the foreign language hallway, they had a lot of distractions.”

By holding the tests at STLCC, King said, there will be a much better testing environment for students, which would include nicer classrooms, nicer seats, and will be much quieter so the students can focus on their tests and be more comfortable in their environment.

“We are trying to give our students the best possible chance at doing well and to put them in the best testing situation environment we can,” said King.

Those who are planning to take an AP test will have to provide their own transportation either before or after the exam. Students with a test in the morning session will have to find their own rides to the campus, and buses will shuttle them back to school once their test is finished. A bus shuttle will also be offered to transport students taking the afternoon tests to the campus, but those students will have to find their own transportation back home.

“I’m more concerned about the transportation aspect of it,” said Wozniak. “Not all of the juniors and especially sophomores can’t drive, so the school board would have to figure out some way to get those students to and from the Meramec Campus and the school.”

Since transportation could be an issue, faculty is making sure that students and parents are aware of the change now so they can begin making arrangements for transportation. When registering for AP tests, students will be able to mark if they need transportation for the day.

“The only issue is transportation in the morning for people who can’t get a ride there,” said King. The tests that are in the afternoon go till 3:30 anyway, so parents would have to make transportation arrangements to come to (OHS).”

AP testing will take place May 7-18.