From our Russian correspondent

AP Exam vs Russian ЕГЭ

March 2, 2018

AP Exam vs Russian ЕГЭ

By ALINA BURMISTROVA

The Mirror reporter

Passing exams is an important part of school and away to practice the skills you’ve studied. You may be really nervous because you are afraid of not getting the score you want but if you worked hard every day, you should not worry a lot. This is true across the world, even in my native Russia. Here’ how they compare.

The AP Exams, taken each May by SPASH students, show what you know and how you can put your knowledge into practice.

The first part of the exam usually consists of multiple-choice questions. You will choose one of four or five answer choices for each question. Your total exam score based on the number of questions answered correctly. You don’t lose points for incorrect answers or unanswered questions.

The second part of the exam usually consists of free-response questions where you write your own answer. Depending on the exam, your responses could be in the form of an essay, a solution to a problem, or even spoken response.

Morning AP exams begin at 8 a.m. and afternoon exams begin at noon though most students need to arrive earlier to be transported to the testing site.

The schedule is as follows (tests in italics are in the afternoon):

Monday, May 7                Chemistry; Spanish Literature & Culture; Psychology

Tuesday, May 8                Computer Science A; Spanish Language & Culture;  Art History; Physics 1 – Algebra-Based

Wednesday, May 9         English Literature & Comp; Physics 2 – Algebra-Based

Thursday, May 10            US Gov. & Politics; Environmental Science

Friday, May 11                  German Language and Culture; United States History; Computer Science Principles

Monday, May 14              Biology, Music Theory; Physics C

Tuesday, May 15              Calculus AB; Calculus BC; French Language & Culture; Computer Science A

Wednesday, May 16       English Language & Comp; Macroeconomics

Thursday, May 17            Gov. & Politics: Comparative World History; Statistics

Friday, May 18                  Human Geography; Microeconomics; European History

In Russia, the 11th grade is last so all students, after finishing the form, must pass Unified State Exams (USE) or Единый Государственный Экзамен (ЕГЭ), the Russian equivalent. These exams are really important because the students’ USE score is necessary for entering a prestigious university and score must be high to study for free. Graduates choose as many subjects as they need for entering higher education institution.

This is the procedure of main Russian examination:

First, students enter the special area where they pass through metal detectors. The staff check students’ passports and take their phones if pupils have them.
Each student then sits at the own desk. 
They get their own task sheet and a sheet for their answers. 
The graduates are informed about the exam by staff and then the exam starts.

 

 

 

The procedure is really long and it honestly makes each student nervous but almost all students get good results.

So, now you know about main exams which all Russian 11th graders take. I will do it as well next year. I also wish good luck to all SPASH Panthers as you prepare for upcoming AP Exams. Also, do not forget to eat a piece of chocolate before examination and I am sure it will really help you to think!