Technical Meltdown During AP Psychology Exam Sparks Nationwide Concern: What Students And Educators Need To Know
On May 16, 2025, the College Board’s transition to digital Advanced Placement (AP) testing faced a major setback when technical issues with its Bluebook application disrupted the AP Psychology exam. Thousands of students nationwide were unable to log in at their scheduled start times, sparking frustration and raising questions about the reliability of high-stakes digital testing.
What Happened?
At 11:30 a.m. EDT, students attempting to access the AP Psychology exam encountered widespread login failures. The College Board resolved the issue by 1:45 p.m. EDT, extending the start time to 2:00 p.m. local time for schools with scheduling flexibility. Students unable to test were offered free make-up exams beginning May 19, with late testing scheduled as late as May 23. The College Board acknowledged the disruption, stating, “We know how hard students work to prepare for their AP Exams, and we regret that their testing period was disrupted.”
Nationwide Impact
The outage affected students across the U.S., including those at one high pressure NJ suburban high school. 51 of 90 students could not log in, according to a parent. The testing coordinator described the incident as a “nationwide Bluebook outage,” and rescheduling impacted students for May 23.
Student and Educator Fallout
The delay exacerbated stress for students already anxious about college credit. Junior Eve Berta noted, “With the delay… I wasn’t able to focus as well,” while Junior Tyler Kalnicky criticized the College Board’s preparedness: “It just didn’t seem like they were prepared.” Despite frustrations, Senior Reya Rivera highlighted the calm response: “Everyone had something to talk about… we all felt on the same page.”
Educators expressed helplessness: “We don’t have answers to what the College Board will say; there are so many unanswered questions.”
College Board’s Response
The College Board emphasized that over 5 million exams were successfully submitted during the digital transition but offered no specifics on the root cause. Affected students were directed to AP coordinators for make-up exams.
Professionals Weigh In
Testing coordinators and administrators criticized the lack of contingency planning. On a discussion board following the incident, one counselor called the situation “very disappointing,” while another stressed, “On the school’s end, we did everything possible.” Another suggested reverting to paper exams for critical tests, a sentiment echoed by peers.
Advice for Affected Students and Counselors
- Students: Opt for make-up exams to avoid forfeiting college credit. Contact AP coordinators for scheduling.
- Counselors: Proactively communicate updates from the College Board and provide emotional support to mitigate stress.
- All: Document issues encountered and advocate for accommodations if performance was impacted.
Conclusion: A Troubling Pattern?
This incident follows prior criticisms of the College Board’s digital rollout, including major issues with the March 8th SAT and issues with AP Classroom. AP Classroom, the primary resource for AP course materials and practice, became a focal point of crisis. For two weeks prior to exams, the platform repeatedly crashed, leaving tens of thousands of teachers and students unable to access critical instructional tools.
This was not an isolated incident: since its troubled 2019 launch, AP Classroom has been plagued by glitches, confusing user interfaces, and reliability issues. Despite tens of millions of dollars invested in its development, the platform has consistently disrupted classroom instruction. John Moscatiello, founder of Marco Learning, an AP test prep provider, gave a prescient quote in the Washington Times prior to this latest incident: “’AP teachers and students lost thousands of instructional hours due to these technical problems with AP Classroom. Even minor problems in Bluebook on this year’s exams could cause disruptions for thousands of students and raise even more doubts about the College Board’s ability to deliver on its ambitious tech agenda.’”
He commented to me today that “the system-wide meltdown on the day of the AP Psychology Exam is devastating for AP teachers and their students. It is also completely inexcusable on the part of the College Board. They have had years to get this system right, and they have failed once again to deliver on their ambitious agenda”
This indicates a pattern of technical instability. To rebuild trust, the College Board must:
- Invest in robust infrastructure to handle peak loads.
- Offer hybrid (digital/paper) testing options.
- Improve transparency and communication during crises.
As AP exams continue to shape college admissions, the College Board’s ability to ensure equitable, reliable testing is non-negotiable. For now, students and educators are left hoping that “next year will be different”—but systemic changes, not promises, are urgently needed.
Moscatiello concludes that “The College Board will need to seriously reconsider whether it can fulfill its basic obligations to AP teachers and students. If their technology platforms are failing at this scale, perhaps they will need to reconsider their leadership, budget, and goals before they inflict more harm on AP teachers and students.”