SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Attention Silver Creek students: If you missed the Advanced Placement (AP) exam payment deadline of Oct. 18, you can still pay, but it will cost you an extra $40 per exam. You can pay at the student bank or online through the Silver Creek portal.

The student bank is near the school office is open during school hours, like break, lunch or after school. If you’d rather pay online, check the school’s website for instructions. 

Each AP exam costs $90 without a fee reduction. If you qualify for a fee reduction, you pay $5 per exam, but you’ll still be charged the $40 late fee if you pay after the Oct. 18 deadline. If you need help with payments, visit the Silver Creek High School counseling page for financial aid options.

Brooklee Tran, a student at Silver Creek High School, shared his thoughts on the cost of AP exams. “This year, I’m taking AP Language, AP Pre-Calculus, and AP Biology. The exam fees are hard to manage at $90 each. If you qualify for a fee reduction, it’s only $5 per exam, which is much better.”

Even though he doesn’t qualify for the reduction fee, he still finds it hard to afford AP exams being close to $100 per exam. 

Erica King, the Associate Principal at Silver Creek High School, explained the importance of deadlines. “We have to have a deadline so that students pay in time for the school to order the correct amount of exams. If there wasn’t a deadline we wouldn’t get payments on time to College Board who has a deadline for us,” King said.

The cancellation and refund policy states that the cost to cancel an AP exam is $40 per exam for all canceled or unused exams, and the school is financially penalized for unused exams. Students will receive a full refund if they cancel before Nov. 15. From Nov. 16 to March 14, students who paid full price will get a partial refund of $50, while those who paid the reduced fee will incur a $35 cancellation fee. After March 14, no refunds will be processed and reduced fee students will still be charged the $40 cancellation fee. If exam fees are not paid by the end of the school year, they will be entered as a fine on the student’s account.

AP exams provide a chance to earn college credit while in high school, which can help with college applications. Paying on time and knowing the policies can help avoid extra stress and costs. For more details on these policies, visit the Silver Creek High School document here. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to Ms. King or the school office.