{"id":1178,"date":"2017-11-29T13:39:48","date_gmt":"2017-11-29T20:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/ap-prep-the-structure-of-ap-exams\/"},"modified":"2020-02-27T10:59:54","modified_gmt":"2020-02-27T17:59:54","slug":"ap-prep-the-structure-of-ap-exams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/ap-prep-the-structure-of-ap-exams\/","title":{"rendered":"AP Prep: The Structure of AP Exams"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each exam that follows an AP course contains a multiple-choice section and a free-response section (either essay writing or problem solving). The Studio Art AP is an exception; it consists of a portfolio assessment. Modern language exams include a speaking assessment and the AP Music Theory Exam includes sight-singing.<\/p>\n

Remember, it takes an AP score between 3 and 5 (the possible score ranges from 1 to 5) to get college credit.<\/p>\n

AP testing<\/a> is available in the following subjects:<\/p>\n

Art History<\/strong><\/p>\n

This 3-hour exam features 115 multiple-choice questions and seven short essays that cover painting and drawing, architecture, sculpture, and other media.<\/p>\n

Biology
\n<\/strong>100 multiple-choice questions and four free-response questions cover molecules and cells, heredity and evolution, and organisms and populations. The test is 3 hours long.<\/p>\n

Calculus AB
\n<\/strong>You have 3 hours, 15 minutes to complete 45 multiple-choice questions and a six-problem, free-response section covering Calculus AB concepts and problem solving.<\/p>\n

Calculus BC
\n<\/strong>Featuring slightly more advanced material than the AB test, this 3-hour, 15-minute exam includes 45 multiple-choice questions and a six-problem, free-response section.<\/p>\n

Chemistry
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour test covers material normally taught in a first-year college course. There are 75 multiple-choice questions and a free-response section including two quantitative problems, one question requiring you to write net-ionic equations, and three essay questions.<\/p>\n

Computer Science A
\n<\/strong>The Computer Science A test is 3 hours long and consists of 40 multiple-choice questions and four free-response questions. Test material focuses on programming, algorithms, and data structures.<\/p>\n

Computer Science AB
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour exam covers the same material as above, but at a more advanced level. There are 40 multiple-choice questions and four free-response questions.<\/p>\n

Macroeconomics
\n<\/strong>The Macroeconomics exam is 2 hours, 10 minutes long and includes multiple-choice and free-response questions. Test material focuses on basic economic concepts at the system-wide level.<\/p>\n

Microeconomics
\n<\/strong>This 2 hour, 10 minute exam tasks you with answering multiple-choice and free-response questions that test your knowledge of economics at the individual and business levels.<\/p>\n

English Language
\n<\/strong>Broken into a 1-hour, multiple-choice test and a 2-hour, free-response test, the English Language exam measures your ability to analyze passages and write effective prose.<\/p>\n

English Literature
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour exam features a 1-hour, multiple-choice section that tests reading skills and a 2-hour, free-response section that gauges your ability to analyze and interpret literary texts.<\/p>\n

Environmental Science
\n<\/strong>Your ability to find solutions to environmental problems, as well as your knowledge of basic concepts is measured in this 3-hour exam. There are 100 multiple-choice questions, a data-set question, a document-based question, and two synthesis and evaluation questions.<\/p>\n

European History
\n<\/strong>Covering European history from the High Renaissance to the present, this test is a little over 3 hours and features 80 multiple-choice questions and three free-response questions.<\/p>\n

French Language
\n<\/strong>This 2 hour, 30 minute test includes a multiple-choice section that tests reading and listening skills and a free-response section that tests your writing and speaking skills.<\/p>\n

French Literature
\n<\/strong>A 3-hour exam, the French test includes multiple-choice and free-response questions that require textual analysis and an essay, written in French.<\/p>\n

German Language
\n<\/strong>The German test is 2 hours, 30 minutes long. It features a multiple-choice section that tests your reading and listening skills, as well as a free-response section that measures your writing and speaking skills.<\/p>\n

Comparative Government & Politics
\n<\/strong>Including 60 multiple-choice questions and four free-response questions, this test is 2 hours, 25 minutes long. Questions cover Great Britain, France, Russia and the former Soviet Union, and China. Free-response questions also require knowledge of developing countries (India, Mexico, or Nigeria).<\/p>\n

U.S. Government & Politics
\n<\/strong>This 2-hour, 25-minute exam includes 60 multiple-choice questions and four free-response questions. Topics include the Constitution, politics, government, public policy, and civil rights and liberties.<\/p>\n

Human Geography
\n<\/strong>Human Geography is the study of the interrelationship between culture and geography. The exam is 2 hours, 15 minutes long and includes 75 multiple-choice questions and three free-response questions. You should be able to analyze and interpret maps, detect patterns, and understand the relationships between places.<\/p>\n

Latin Literature
\n<\/strong>The Latin Literature test is 3 hours long, with 50 multiple-choice questions and six free-response questions including short-answers, translations, and a long essay. The exam tests your knowledge of Latin passages, as well as your writing and translation skills.<\/p>\n

Latin: Virgil
\n<\/strong>On this 3-hour test, 50 multiple-choice questions measure your knowledge of Latin poetry and prose. There are also five free-response questions that include translation, passage analysis, and an essay based on parts of the Aeneid.<\/p>\n

Music Theory
\n<\/strong>Your skills with notation, terminology, composition, scoring, and listening are put to the test in 75 multiple-choice questions, including some based on listening. There is also a free-response section that includes both a written and sight-singing portion.<\/p>\n

Physics B
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour exam features 70 multiple-choice questions and six to eight free-response questions. Test material covers concepts taught in an intro course for non-majors, such as: Newtonian mechanics; fluid mechanics and physics; electricity and magnetism; waves and optics; and atomic and nuclear physics.<\/p>\n

Physics C
\n<\/strong>The Physics C test includes material taught in a beginning course for Physics or Engineering majors. There are two 90-minute exams, each consisting of 35 multiple-choice and three free-response questions. The first, Magnetism, is mandatory. The second, Electricity and Magnetism, is optional.<\/p>\n

Psychology
\n<\/strong>This 2-hour test includes 70-minutes of multiple-choice questions and a 50-minute, free-response section. Test material includes basic concepts taught at the introductory level.<\/p>\n

Spanish Language
\n<\/strong>This is a 3-hour exam featuring a multiple-choice section that tests reading and listening skills and a free-response section that tests speaking and writing skills.<\/p>\n

Spanish Literature
\n<\/strong>The Literature test includes a 65-question, multiple-choice section and a three-essay, free-response section. The test measures your ability to analyze passages in Spanish, as well as your writing skills.<\/p>\n

Statistics
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour exam includes a 90-minute, multiple-choice section and a 90-minute, free-response section including five questions and an investigative task. To do well, you should understand the basics of collecting and interpreting data.<\/p>\n

Studio Art
\n<\/strong>For the AP in Studio Art, you submit portfolios for examination. Portfolios can be in drawing, 2-D design, and\/or 3-D design.<\/p>\n

U.S. History
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour, 5-minute exam includes 80 multiple-choice questions, one document-based essay question, and two standard essay questions. Test material covers the period from settlement through the present. Topics include government, politics, culture, economics, and diplomacy.<\/p>\n

World History
\n<\/strong>Structured similarly to the U.S. History test, this 3-hour, 5-minute exam gauges your understanding of world events and developments from ancient times through the present.<\/p>\n

Italian Language and Culture
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour exam measures your proficiency in the language and your cultural knowledge. It includes a multiple-choice section that tests listening and reading skills and a free response section that tests writing and speaking skills.<\/p>\n

Chinese Language and Culture
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour exam measures your proficiency in the Mandarin language and your Chinese cultural knowledge. It includes a multiple-choice section that tests listening and reading skills and a free response section that tests writing and speaking skills.<\/p>\n

Japanese Language and Culture
\n<\/strong>This 3-hour exam measures your proficiency in the language and your cultural knowledge. It includes a multiple-choice section that tests listening and reading skills and a free response section that tests writing and speaking skills.<\/p>\n

AP prep can help increase your AP score<\/h2>\n

AP help comes in 2 main forms: AP courses and AP prep. AP prep can help you score high by letting you focus on your weaknesses and teaching you tips and strategies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Each exam that follows an AP course contains a multiple-choice section and a free-response section (either essay writing or problem solving). The Studio Art AP is an exception; it consists of a portfolio assessment. Modern language exams include a speaking assessment and the AP Music Theory Exam includes sight-singing. Remember, it takes an AP score<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1097,1516,42,491],"class_list":{"0":"post-1178","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-test-prep","7":"tag-ap-exams","8":"tag-calculus","9":"tag-chemistry","10":"tag-test-prep"},"better_featured_image":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAP Prep: The Structure of AP Exams - Peterson's<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The timing of the AP test can be tricky. Give yourself an upper hand by understanding the structure of the AP exams. 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