Senior Thomas Wiengartner signed up for eight Advanced Placement exams in March. He paid a total of $688 just before the school announced that they were administering more than 80 additional AP exams to students free of charge.

"It would have been nice to know about the reduced price beforehand," Weingartner said.

The problem is that the school offered the free AP tests as soon as they knew the budget had room for it. H-F’s decision to allow students to take more AP exams free of cost was a great idea, even though it was too late for some students.

Weingartner thinks the school should help students out with the cost if they sign up for multiple exams. He said it would encourage more students to take more exams.

Weingartner said that although he was able to pay for all of his exams without a problem, he knows that paying for exams can be difficult for many students.

According to the survey given to AP students, money was one of the main reasons students chose not to take an AP exam.

There are several AP students who are truly deserving of the opportunity because the work they have put into the class. Students should not be limited to opportunities because their pockets do not have room to pay for it.

Although some students felt this policy was unfair, it helped many students out. The school did not try to blind students until the last minute. Timing just happened to play out the way it did.

"It was not the school’s intent to slide [the free tests] in at the last minute. We were at a last minute juncture when we made the decision and as soon as we made the decision we informed the students," Dean Scott McAlister said.

McAlister and other staff members took part in surveying AP students to figure out why they were not taking AP exams. He said money was an issue for many students, and H-F wanted to subsidize the cost.

Students who paid full price for AP exams paid $86 per test this year, a hefty price especially for students taking more than one exam.

McAlister said that students may not be informed about the opportunities that the College Board offers to in regards to the costs of the exams. The College Board allows students who are entitled to reduced or free lunch to pay a reduced fee for every exam.

H-F has also done its part to make AP exams more affordable for students this year.

"For kids where money is a barrier, students would be able to take full advantage of the total AP experience by actually taking the exam," McAlister said.

Next year students should not hesitate to sign up for AP exams before the traditional deadline. Students will be informed about easier options to pay.

McAlister said if money is available in the future, students will be informed well ahead of time. Along with other staff members, McAlister is coming up with other ideas to make AP exams more affordable from the beginning.

Signing up for an exam next year should be a little more affordable. As long as money is available, the school should continue to do what they can to relieve students of the stress that comes along with paying for AP exams.