AP test organizers make changes after some students couldn’t submit their tests

The College Board says it’s taking steps to avoid a repeat of the problems that are forcing thousands of high school students to retake their Advanced Placement exams if they want to get college credit.

Students are taking the AP tests online this year because the coronavirus pandemic has closed schools and made it unsafe to gather at in-person testing sites.

“AP students took nearly 2.2 million AP Exams last week, and we’re so proud of every student who tested. We also share the deep disappointment of those who couldn’t complete their AP Exams. We’re providing a new safeguard for students moving forward,” The College Board said in a Tweet on Sunday.

The AP testing began on May 11 and runs through Friday.

Some students who took the tests last week reported not being able to upload their exams, a problem the College Board blamed on users’ outdated browsers and other technical issues.

They’re going to have to retake their tests during the makeup days that run June 1-5.

The organization set up an alternate email submission process for students who have browser problems, according to The College Board website. That system went into effect on Monday.

If students get the message “We Did Not Receive Your Response,” they will get instructions to email their submissions to a unique email address.

Students taking world language exams will not be able to use the alternate method.

The College Board urged students to make sure that their browsers and camera settings are updated and compatible with their system before they take the test.

The organization said that less than one percent of students weren’t able to submit their results in the early days of testing.