Starting in May 2025, 28 Advanced Placement (AP) Exams will transition to Bluebook’s digital testing platform. Of these, 16 will be fully digital, while the other 12 adopt a hybrid format, combining both paper and online components. According to the College Board’s official website, the primary reasons for this change are to enhance the testing environment’s security and increase accessibility and convenience for test-takers. This shift has sparked a range of opinions from students and teachers regarding its benefits.

AP Physics teacher Joseph Estevez, said he was skeptical about the hybrid-digital exams having much of an impact.
“I don’t think hybrid-digital exams will influence student performance,” he said. “However, digital exams could affect students who like to annotate questions and write, because they’ve been trained to do that with pencils. For multiple-choice sections, there may be a slight change in performance, but that’s something we’ll just have to watch closely.”
Estevez, who has already incorporated digital practice exams into his teaching, noted that the switch wouldn’t change his approach drastically.
“For the most part, it won’t affect my course that much. Previously, I’ve done my practice AP exams on the computer anyway, so my students are already kind of used to it.”
AP Language teacher Jeanie Griffin, expressed mixed feelings about the upcoming change. While recognizing the potential benefits for some students, she voiced concerns about others who may struggle with the new format.
“I think it will help some students who are efficient with technology and are very comfortable with a keyboard,” she said. “However for other students, it may harm them if they are unfamiliar with computers or typing. I now have to let the kids use technology and have them type their essays instead of handwriting them.”
Griffin also raised the issue of potential technical difficulties, which could impact classroom instruction and testing.
“Sometimes the AP Classroom is down, impacting an entire lesson for the day,” she said. “I am sometimes concerned that they won’t be able to finish writing an essay in a class period due to these tech issues.”
Among students, opinions varied on whether digital testing would be a positive change. Senior Aiden Dabbs, a student enrolled in AP courses, acknowledged the efficiency of digital exams but highlighted some challenges.
“I think that when exams are online, it’s more efficient because you don’t have to worry about picking up all the testing materials, and it’s easier to grade since a system does it,” Dabbs said. “But some kids struggle with the online version, even if they’re given instructions. They may not know how to navigate it well enough.”
Dabbs also expressed a strong view about fairness, especially regarding students who took previous AP exams on paper.
“I think it’s kind of unfair for students who had to take AP exams like Language or Literature on paper,” he said. “Typing it out is definitely easier and faster than handwriting it. So students this year have an advantage in that respect.”
Junior William Salyers highlights potential economic challenges that schools may face.
“If the testing transitions into the digital world, that means most high schools will now need to provide laptops for all students—something that wasn’t a requirement in the past,” he said. “Online testing could disadvantage impoverished schools who may need more state funding for these resources.”
While teachers and students prepare for hybrid and digital AP exams, some see the shift as an opportunity. Assistant Principal Glenn Webb highlighted the flexibility the hybrid format offers.
“The advantage to hybrid exams is that students who do better on written or computer tests have an opportunity to shine either way,” Webb said. “I like the move to digital testing because the turnaround on test results can be quicker and more efficient.”
Webb also said there will be challenges along the way, particularly regarding technological access.
“There’s also an infrastructure issue for every school it’s being implemented in, like the quality of the computers, whether they have a mouse, or if they’re working on laptops or desktops,” he said. “It’s different across the board, and I don’t know if there’s an equity issue across the nation. There’s always going to be some hiccups. But as long as students practice and get used to the platform, they’ll know how to perform when the time comes. It’s about making the experience work for everyone, and that’s what matters most.”