By Kristen Shepard
Staff Writer

Graphing calculator and Barron’s review book in hand, students are gearing up for the Advanced Placement tests in May. Anyone enrolled in an AP level class has the opportunity  to pass the AP exam at the end of the year and obtain college credit. Unlike Dual Credit, AP credits transfer to almost every college in the nation, a huge benefit for students who are unsure of where they want to attend college.

All students who intend to obtain college credit must register for the test. This is not automatically completed upon signing up for the class. CISD is making strides towards a simpler registration process, as the current process has been known to cause problems. Instead of paper registration, Coppell has switched to an online system. This system, available at www.totalregistraton.net allows you to pay online and receive instant confirmation for the registration.

Though sign-ups are open until March 22, it is best not to wait until the last minute to register. If you forget to register in time, there is no chance of still taking the exam. Each individual exam costs $90, the test materials and scoring included. However, some exams are paid for, so make sure you talk to your teacher to try and save money.

Exams start in early May. If you’re involved in an elective AP class such as Art History you aren’t required to take the test, but not testing is synonymous with no college credit.