Advanced Placement exams - Overview of AP Exams

Understanding Advanced Placement Examinations What Are AP Exams? Advanced Placement (AP) examinations are standardized tests administered annually in May by the College Board in the United States. These exams are designed to assess mastery of college-level material and allow high school students to earn college credit or advance placement in their first year of university. The AP program offers exams across many different subject areas, from sciences and mathematics to humanities and social sciences. Each exam is rigorously developed to maintain consistent standards across all testing sites nationwide. The Connection to AP Courses AP exams don't exist in isolation—they are the culminating assessment of year-long Advanced Placement courses, typically offered in high schools. This is an important relationship to understand: the AP exam material directly reflects what you've studied throughout the entire academic year in your AP course. Prepare by reviewing your coursework, notes, and practice materials from the entire year, not just recent content. How AP Exams Are Structured Most AP exams follow a consistent two-part structure: Multiple-Choice Section: This portion contains questions where you select the best answer from several options. This section tests your ability to recognize correct concepts and apply knowledge quickly. Free-Response Section: This portion requires you to write out your answers, work, and reasoning. You might be asked to solve problems, write essays, analyze documents, or provide extended explanations. This section evaluates your deeper understanding and ability to articulate complex ideas. The exact balance between these sections varies by subject. For example, an AP exam in one subject might be 50% multiple-choice and 50% free-response, while another might have a different split. The weighting of these sections also varies—sometimes they're equally weighted toward your final score, and sometimes one carries more weight than the other. Check the specific exam format for your subject on the College Board website. <extrainfo> Popular AP Exam Subjects The chart below shows which AP exams were most commonly taken in 2013. While this data is interesting to see which subjects are most popular among students, the specific percentages are not something you need to know for exam success. </extrainfo>