Key Takeaways
- AP exams take place every school year, over a two-week period in May.
- Each AP exam is offered only once a year; if you take an exam and want to improve your score, you can retake it the following year.
- Each AP exam costs $98. College Board and individual state boards of education offer grants and reduced fees for low-income students.
- Many students register for the AP exam through their schools, but you can also register at another testing location as an external student.
- Taking the corresponding AP class is the best way to prepare for an AP exam, but if your school does not offer the classes you want, you can study the course material on your own.
If you’re excited about college and can’t wait to start handling college-level work, you might want to get your feet wet by taking an Advanced Placement® (AP) exam. AP courses and exams give you an edge as you transition from high school into college. They help you develop time management, research and scholarly writing skills at the college level.
AP courses can also boost your high school GPA, and a high score on an AP exam can earn you college credits, lightening your course load once you’ve started college.
The AP system can get confusing, so you might have questions. When are the AP exams? How much do they cost? What will they look like? Read on to learn everything you need to know about taking AP exams.
What Is an AP Exam?
High school students typically take AP tests after completing their corresponding AP courses. AP curricula cover various disciplines including math, arts, computer science, English, social science and natural sciences.
AP coursework is more challenging than regular high school subjects, preparing students for the rigors of college study. Taking AP courses also allows students to earn college credit and start off taking more advanced courses in college.
Entering college with AP credits under your belt can lighten your overall course load since the credits count toward your degree. This allows you some extra time for internships, a second major, a minor, or even early graduation.
You can take as many AP exams as you want. According to College Board, almost 1.2 million U.S. high school students took at least one AP exam in 2023. With 4.1 million exams administered in total, that’s an average of 3.47 exams per student.
When Do AP Exams Take Place?
The AP exams take place over a two-week period every school year in May. Each testing day includes morning and afternoon sessions for various subjects. This testing structure allows candidates taking multiple AP tests to rest and refuel.
After taking the AP exams in May, students can expect their results in July.
How Much Does an AP Exam Cost?
It costs $98 to register for each AP exam in Canada and the United States. Candidates in other locations pay up to $128 per exam, depending on whether they register with College Board-authorized centers. Late registration adds a $40 fee per test.
AP Capstone Diploma™ exams cost more. The AP Capstone program—which develops students’ research, analysis and argumentation skills, rather than subject-specific knowledge—incurs exam fees of $146 per test.
Can I Take an AP Exam if I Haven’t Taken an AP Course?
College Board recommends that AP candidates complete each exam’s corresponding AP coursework as it can improve their chances of passing the tests. But this is not required.
If your high school doesn’t offer the AP class you need, or you’re a homeschooled student, other ways to prepare for the exam include studying the subject independently and reviewing free practice questions. College Board provides coursework outlines for each AP subject on its website.
How Do I Register for the AP Exam?
Registering for the AP exam can be simple if your school offers AP classes. Your school’s AP coordinator handles the exam ordering process, from collecting fees to providing procedural details. All you have to do is join your class section online via the My AP platform and click the “register” button.
If your school doesn’t administer AP exams, the first step is finding one that does.
Search the AP course ledger on College Board’s website to find approved AP testing centers near you. You can filter your search by country, state or province. Once you confirm which local schools administer the specific exams you intend to take, contact the schools’ AP coordinators to learn whether they’re accepting external students for testing.
College Board sets its deadline for schools to order AP exams for fall each year, usually in October or November. Stay on top of all necessary deadlines to ensure you can take your desired exams and avoid late registration fees.
What Is the AP Exam Structure?
Each AP exam is unique, but they all follow a similar structure. The test usually contains two parts: The first consists of multiple-choice questions, while the second is a free-response section. Each test lasts two to three hours.
AP scores are reported on a five-point scale, with five being the highest score and one being the lowest. College Board calculates scores based on a weighted combination of your scores on the free-response and multiple-choice sections. Your final AP score determines whether you’ll receive credit or advanced placement from your prospective college.
Can I Retake the AP Exam?
If your AP scores are lower than you’d like, you can retake the exam the following year.
The score report sent to your college will reflect scores for all of the AP exams you’ve taken, unless you request otherwise.
Even if your AP score doesn’t meet the minimum for college credit, it has no bearing on your high school GPA or your chances of admission to college. If anything, taking the AP courses and exams demonstrates your willingness to face the challenge of college coursework head-on.
Tips for Taking the AP Exam
AP exams are challenging, but you can succeed with adequate preparation. Below are a few tips to increase your chances of scoring a 3.0 or above on your AP tests.
- Enroll in AP classes. Anyone can register for AP exams without taking the relevant AP courses, but AP exams involve college-level questions, which you may not encounter in your regular high school classes. AP courses prepare you for the level of questions involved in the AP test.
- Create a study schedule. Between coursework and extracurricular activities, high school is a busy time. Creating and following a study schedule can help you reach your learning goals, lower your test anxiety and feel well-prepared on test day.
- Review past AP questions. Every year, College Board publishes free-response questions from previous AP exams. You can download them to practice on your own, with a tutor or with your AP classmates. Quizzing yourself on test questions helps you understand the structure of AP questions and the best approach to answering them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About AP Exams
How many times a year are AP exams?
AP exams are administered only once annually. You can repeat an AP exam in the subsequent year if you’re unsatisfied with your initial score.
When can I take an AP exam?
Exams take place during a two-week period every May, with exact test dates varying by year. Schools must register for AP exams by fall, however, so make sure to plan ahead.
Does the AP exam affect GPA?
No, AP exam scores do not affect your GPA. However, AP courses are often graded on a weighted scale and can boost your GPA if you perform well.
What is the average score for AP exams?
College Board reports a 2023 average score of 2.96 for all AP exams. The exam with the highest proportion of test takers scoring three or higher was Chinese language and culture at 88.4%, and the subject with the lowest percentage of scores of three or above was physics at 45.6%.
Is failing an AP exam a big deal?
Failing an AP exam can feel like a big disappointment, but the good news is that a low or failing score does not affect your high school GPA, and you can choose to withhold scores you don’t want colleges to receive.