Education’s colossal monopoly, CollegeBoard, with an annual revenue surpassing $1 billion, exploits the college admissions process through exorbitant exam prices. 

CollegeBoard makes it challenging for students to escape paying high fees to take the AP and SAT exams, as these test scores are crucial for demonstrating academic rigor.

Despite claiming “not-for-profit” status, College Board’s actions raise questions about its commitment to its mission of connecting students to college success and expanding access to higher education. 

AP exam costs have steadily risen, with Palos Verdes High School students paying $103 per exam and $156 for AP Capstone Exams. Assuming a student isn’t in Capstone, the average AP student at PVHS takes 2.32 AP exams, spending about $206 per year.

The College Board monopolizes the college application process by controlling the distribution and administration of AP and SAT exams, crucial for competitive high school students demonstrating academic achievement.

While the SAT exam costs less than AP exams ($60 for registration), many families spend extra on test preparation. Countless tutoring companies and private tutors focus on helping students achieve a perfect score, leading to  many to pay for these services to score well. On average, students retake the SAT two to three times, accumulating testing fees of $120-$180, plus expensive prep classes, totaling around $1,000.

Officially recognized as a “not for profit” organization, CollegeBoard’s excess revenue is claimed to be used to support its mission. 

Nonprofit organizations don’t pay taxes, and some “not-for-profit organizations” may be tax-exempt. College Board, holding $1.66 billion in cash and investments, didn’t pay taxes and received government grants, including $6.07 million in 2019, to supplement revenue and aid operations.

Since the College Board earns a lot of profits and has their costs supplemented by the government, they should reduce their exam fees. This would reduce the socioeconomic barriers between students and earning high test scores.