How To Study Ap Biology

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How To Study Ap Biology

AP® Biology

The Ultimate List of AP® Biology Tips

The Ultimate List of AP® Biology Tips

Are you shooting for a score of 4 or 5 on the AP® Biology exam? If you’re taking the class, you’re probably nodding your head right now or shouting “yes!” Having a comprehensive list of AP® Biology study tips can help.

The first thing you need to know is that the AP® Bio exam will be a challenge for you, no matter what experience you have. In fact, it’s one of the hardest AP® exams out there. Sure, you need to memorize facts and concepts, but you also have to be able to think scientifically and analytically, which is much easier said than done.

Luckily, this list of AP® Biology tips is here to give you the best chance of getting that 5. Whether you’re taking this class in school or self-studying with an AP® Biology review book, these AP® Bio tips will tell you everything you need to know, from how to study, what to study, what the exam consists of, and everything in between.

What We Review

  • How to Study for AP® Biology: 9 Tips for 4s and 5s
  • AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review: 6 Tips
  • AP® Biology Free Response Review: 11 Tips
  • Tips by AP® Biology Teachers and Students
  • Wrapping Things Up: The Ultimate List of AP® Biology Tips

How to Study for AP® Biology: 9 Tips for 4s and 5s

How to Study for AP® Biology Tips - Familiarize yourself with the format of the exam

1. Familiarize yourself with the format of the exam.

The first step in getting ready to study for the AP® Biology exam is knowing what the exam will look like. The exam is 3 hours long and consists of two sections, each of which comprise 50% of your overall score. The first 90-minute section has 60 multiple-choice questions. Starting with the 2021 exam, the AP® Bio exam will no longer have grid-in questions. 

Section II consists of 6 free-response questions. You’ll have 90 minutes to answer two long free-response questions, one of which will be lab or data-based, and four short free-response questions, which each require a paragraph-length argument or response.

Why is this important? Because you need to know for the sake of pacing. If you aren’t pacing to finish both sections in full, then you’ll need to practice more to ensure you have sufficient time to attempt every problem on the exam. You don’t lose points for getting questions wrong, but you do lose opportunities to score points if you don’t answer every question. 

2. Get your vocabulary down first!

Vocabulary is extremely important in AP® Biology, but understanding concepts and making connections is even more important. Why, then, do you have to focus on vocab first? You don’t stand a chance understanding concepts if you don’t understand key terms. “This thing does this to that and this process works by doing that.” It just doesn’t work. 

Make and use flashcards regularly, learn the Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and roots, and take great notes. When you know vocabulary terms inside and out, it is much easier to think analytically, apply terms to different situations, and make important connections.

3. Make flashcards and study sheets with diagrams.

Diagrams are important in AP® Bio. You’ll have to interpret many of them on the exam. That’s why it’s really beneficial to draw your own diagrams on your flashcards and study sheets. Use different colors, label the important parts, and list the steps. 

Whether it’s the photosynthesis or the nitrogen cycle, find a way to make it stick in your brain. If you’re crunched for time, look for pre-made flashcards, like these from Quizlet. Consider when to use flash cards vs. study sheets because making study sheets requires more active work than flashcards, which helps the information stick in your head. It also refreshes your memory on the definitions in context, which is important for AP® Biology.

4. Don’t lose track of the big picture when studying AP® Biology.

As you’re studying for the exam, you’ll probably find yourself getting hung up on little details. AP® Bio has a way of throwing a lot of facts, specific names, dates, and functions at you. It would be impossible to memorize everything! That’s why it’s essential to remember why you’re reading a certain chapter, what it contributes to the bigger picture, and how all these concepts connect together. Don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to know everything about everything.

5. Keep on top of your AP® Biology readings.

Did you know that AP® Bio is one of the most reading-intensive AP® classes that the College Board offers? Your teacher will likely assign one or two chapters per night, which means 30 to 60 pages of material each evening. AP® Biology material is dense! 

If you miss even one night of reading, you’ll fall behind very quickly. Don’t just passively read the information, either. You have to actively read and make sure you’re actually absorbing the material as you go. Try reading the chapter summary first, highlight important info, take meaningful notes, and explain a concept to yourself out loud if you seem to be struggling with it.

6. Know the 4 Big Ideas.

The College Board divides the AP® Biology curriculum into 4 Big Ideas. This means that all the key concepts and content you need to know for the exam are organized around four main principles:

  • Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.
  • Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.
  • Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes.
  • Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.

As you learn and review new concepts, connect them back to these four big ideas. Use them to structure FRQ responses. To find out more about the 4 Big Ideas and the information you need to know for each, check out the AP® Biology Course and Exam Description.

7. Invest in an AP® Biology review book.

AP® Biology textbooks are heavy, thick, and full of details that are sometimes beyond the scope of the exam. How do you know, then, which information you actually need to know? Buy an AP® Biology review book! Many of these AP® Bio review books come with practice exams, chapter reviews, and helpful hints. It’s important to only buy a review book that has been published in 2013 or later, since the exam was completely redesigned in 2013.

We recommend you complement any review book with online practice resources like Albert’s AP® Biology practice problems.

8. Watch the Crash Course Biology series on YouTube.

Sometimes, reading to review can get tiring. When you find yourself bored and unmotivated, try watching biology videos. The Biology Crash Course on YouTube has 40 videos dedicated to teaching you all the most important biology concepts. Injected with humor, fast-paced, and entertaining, these videos make it feel like you’re not actually studying at all. Still, make sure to actively watch, take notes, pause if you don’t understand something, or make a flashcard for a new term you hear about. 

There are other great YouTubers, such as Mr. Anderson, the teacher behind Bozeman Biology, who focus on AP® Biology content.

9. Participate in the “Dirty Dozen” labs.

Odds are, you’ll be able to participate in these 12 important labs in class. If not, you should research them for yourself. Check them out on the AP® Central website or review them with Albert’s help.

AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review: 6 Tips

1. Know what the multiple-choice questions look like.

The multiple-choice questions on the AP® Bio exam are probably different from those on other AP® exams you’ve taken. They involve a lot of reading and analyzing diagrams, data, and images. They aren’t simple “What do plants release during photosynthesis?” fact-recall type questions. For each question, you will have to read a paragraph or interpret a graph or diagram, then use your knowledge of biological concepts to choose the best answer. Note that some questions may even have you read a paragraph and interpret a graph or diagram. Let’s look at a few examples:

Example #1.

AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review - Sample MCQ1

Answer: B.

Example #2.

AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review - Sample MCQ2 part1
AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review - Sample MCQ2 part2

Image Source: College Board

Answer: D.

As you can see from these two example questions, there is more to think about than just simply recalling facts. Often, several questions will be based on the same data sets and diagrams. For more questions like these, check out Albert’s AP® Biology practice.

2. Use standard multiple-choice strategies.

Using multiple-choice techniques, such as the process of elimination, making educated guesses, highlighting important information, and budgeting your time are important for any multiple-choice test. Let’s look at how these apply to the AP® Bio exam. On the multiple-choice section, you will have four options, rather than five. This means that if you can eliminate two choices, you have a 50% chance of getting the answer correct. 

When it comes to budgeting your time, it’s important to remember that you have an average of 90 seconds for each multiple-choice question. Try and stick to that time limit for each question, otherwise you may run out of time and have to leave some questions unanswered. Even better, if you pace so that each question takes less than a minute, you will have time to go back to any questions you skipped or guessed on.

3. Answer every question, and keep track of the ones you want to go back to.

You won’t lose any points for incorrect answers, but you potentially miss out on points if you leave a question blank, so as you work through the multiple choice section of the AP® Bio exam, mark an answer for every question. Keep track of the questions that you are uncertain about, guessed on, or need to double check. If you have time at the end, you can go back to these, but even if you run out of time, there is an answer down that might earn you points.

4. Learn to recognize patterns as well as their exceptions.

Multiple-choice questions often require you to choose the “best” answer or the one “false” answer. Strive to know about concepts and to make connections to other concepts. For example, know which enzymes are similar and different in both DNA replication and transcription. 

5. Eliminate extraneous information.

Lab-set and diagram questions can be tedious since you’ll have to do so much reading and analyzing. Find the question they’re asking you, and then go back to the data to find the answer to that question. It’s a simple technique, but when you have 60 multiple-choice questions to read, analyze, and answer in such a short time, pinpointing the actual question first can be helpful. Consider underlining important terms in the question and crossing out sentences or phrases that are not helpful.

6. Practice!

The only way to get better at answering complicated AP® Bio multiple-choice questions is to practice as much as possible. Practicing helps you become familiar with the format of the questions and gain some much-needed confidence. You will also learn which topics are frequently tested. You can find practice questions online, in review books, and in the College Board’s AP® Biology Course and Exam Description. Make sure you’re practicing questions from 2013 and later because older exams use the old, fact-recalling multiple-choice format and won’t help you for future AP® Bio exams. Consider making a plan to ensure that you are working on practice problems regularly.  For example, maybe you want to set time aside each day to work on practice problems.  Start with twenty minutes and build up by ten minute increments.  Eventually you will be able to focus and efficiently answer practice problems for the full 90 minutes.  Check out Albert’s biology resources for an extensive bank of practice questions.

AP® Biology Free Response Review: 11 Tips

We wrote a comprehensive guide complete with videos on how to answer AP® Biology free response questions here.

1. Know the FRQ format.

At the start of the AP® Bio free-response section of the exam, you will be given a 10-minute reading and planning period. After that, you’ll have 80 minutes to answer 6 essay questions, broken down like this:

 Long Free-ResponseShort Free-Response
How many?24
How much time?20 minutes for each10 minutes for each
How much value?8 to 10 points each4 points each 

For more information, see the exam Information section in the AP® Biology Course and Exam Description.

2. Use the entire 10-minute reading period.

Don’t underestimate the importance of the planning period! It’s given to you for a reason. Read through each of the questions, re-read them, and use the “planning space” to start putting your thoughts on paper. Draw diagrams, underline keywords, make notes, outline your responses, or whatever else you need to do to start formulating your answers. Ten minutes will feel like a long time, but use the entire time. Make sure you really know what the question is asking you; take the time to fully digest the question.

3. Explicitly define your terms.

Never write down a biological term without defining it. For example, you probably won’t get the point if you just write osmosis without mentioning “movement of water down a gradient across a semipermeable membrane.” Always incorporate a definition of some shape or form to show the AP® readers that you know what you’re talking about. In other words, don’t just inject fancy vocab words into your essays if you don’t know what they mean; the AP® readers will know.

If you don’t make this clear, your AP® grader will not reward you with full points. Reread your AP® Biology practice responses to make sure that you are defining terms as you use them.

4. Connect biological concepts to larger big ideas.

Your main focus in studying for the AP® Biology exam should be making connections. Knowing your vocabulary and labs is not useful if you can’t connect them to larger big ideas. On the FRQs, you’ll have to make claims and defend them, providing evidence to support your reasoning. How can you do this, while still making insightful connections across big ideas? The College Board has a few suggestions:

StrategyExample Question
Relate a proposed cause to a particular biological effect.What is the evidence that a single mutation caused the phenotypic change seen in an organism?
Identify assumptions and limitations of a conclusionIf a nutrient has a positive effect on one plant, can you appropriately conclude that it is effective on all plants?
Connect technique/strategy with its stated purpose/function in an investigationIdentify the control from a list of experimental treatments.
Identify patterns or relationships (and anomalies) from observations or a data setIs the behavior of an organism the same in different environments?
Rationalize one choice over another, including selection and exclusionWhich question from this list of questions can best be investigated scientifically?

5. Know the types of questions.

The table below outlines some of the most common free-response question types, how to answer them, and real example questions from past AP® Bio exams.

You can click on the links included in the example questions column to see sample responses we were able to find..

Question TypeWhat To DoExample Question
CalculatePerform mathematical steps to arrive at a final answer, including algebraic expressions, properly substituted numbers, and correct labeling of units and significant figures.Calculate the probability that the male offspring will have PDC deficiency. (2019 AP® Bio Exam Q3)
Construct/DrawCreate a diagram, graph, representation, or model that illustrates or explains relationships or phenomena.  Labels may or may not be required.Construct a cladogram on the template to represent a model of the evolutionary relatedness among the bear species based on the differences in LYST protein sequences.  (2018 AP® Bio Exam Q1)
DescribeProvide relevant characteristics of a specified topic.Describe how the mutation in the lyst gene became common in the polar bear population.  (2018 AP® Bio Exam Q1)
DetermineDecide or conclude after reasoning, observation, or applying mathematical routines/calculations. 
EvaluateJudge or determine the significance or importance of information or the quality or accuracy of a claim. 
ExplainProvide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning to support or qualify a claim.  Explain “how” typically requires analyzing a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas explain “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.Explain how gasdermin pore formation AND interleukin release contribute to an organism’s defense against a bacterial pathogen. (2018 AP® Bio Exam Q2)
IdentifyIndicate or provide information about a specified topic without elaboration or explanation.Identify the population of brown bears to which polar bears are most closely related based on the mitochondrial DNA sequence comparison. (2018 AP® Bio Exam Q1)
JustifyProvide evidence to support, qualify, or defend a claim, and/or provide reasoning to explain how that evidence supports or qualifies the claim.Use the means and confidence intervals in Figure 1 to justify the claim that Abc8 is effective at providing resistance to beta-cyfluthrin.  (2018 AP® Bio Exam Q4)
Make a claimMake an assertion that is based on evidence or knowledge.Make a claim about how clearing inactive caspase-1 results in activation of caspase-1. (2018 AP® Bio Exam Q2)
Predict/Make a predictionPredict the causes or effect of a change in, or disruption to, one or more components in a relationship, pattern, process, or system.Predict the percent of phenotypic males among the F1 offspring of the cross shown in the Punnett square if the offspring are raised at 22oC. (2018 AP® Bio Exam Q7)
RepresentUse appropriate graphs, symbols, words, illustrations, and/or tables of numerical values to describe biological concepts, characteristics, and/or relationships. 
State (the null/alternative hypothesis)Indicate or provide a hypothesis to support or defend a claim about a scientifically testable question. 
Support a claimProvide reasoning to explain how evidence supports or qualifies a claim. 

Source: AP® Biology Course and Exam Description

Many times, a single free-response question on the AP® Bio exam will include several of these key terms, while some only include one key term. Pay attention to exactly what the question is asking you to do and be sure to answer every part. An example of a question that asks you to do several things in one would look like this:

“Based on the data in the table below, draw a phylogenetic tree that reflects the evolutionary relationships of the organisms based on the differences in their cytochrome c amino-acid sequences and explain the relationships of the organisms. Based on the data, identify which organism is most closely related to the chicken and explain your choice.”

6. Claim + Evidence + Reasoning.

This model of scientific argumentation can be helpful to keep in mind when writing your AP® Biology FRQs. Essentially, you have to read and understand the question asked, directly answer with a claim statement, back up your claim with detailed examples of evidence, then use reasoning to explain how this evidence justifies your claim. Just remember claim, evidence, reasoning when you’re writing your essays.  See how the use of this structure affected the scores in these sample responses on question 3 part b from the 2019 AP® Biology exam.

AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review - CER part 1
AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review - CER part 2

Full credit response: “A PDC deficiency does not change the amount of NADH produced by glycolysis, but it decreases the amount of NADH produced in the Krebs cycle.  This occurs because the PDC-catalyzed reaction to make acetyl-CoA occurs after glycolysis, leading to no impact, and before the Krebs cycle.  Without acetyl-CoA, the Krebs cycle cannot occur, so a PDC deficiency would halt all NADH production in this step.”

7. Answer the parts of the question in the order called for.

Try not to skip around too much when answering your FRQs. If you do, you might accidentally miss a part of a question. Instead, use the question’s labels (a, b, c, d, etc.) to stay organized and clear. Make it as easy as possible for the AP® readers to follow your answer. Consider having a friend or parent read over one of your AP® Biology practice responses to see if they can clearly identify where each piece of your response is.  If they cannot, assume that the AP® scorer will not either.

8. Know how to answer “Design an Experiment” questions.

Sometimes, you’ll be asked to design an experiment as part of your FRQ. This is where your knowledge of the “Dirty Dozen” labs comes in. You need to be familiar with lab procedures and terms. In your response, make sure to include:

  • Hypothesis (using the “if…then” structure)
  • Independent and dependent variables
  • Control, stating directly, “Controls are…”
  • Explanation of the data you will collect and how you will measure it
  • Materials list
  • Procedure list (what you will actually do)
  • Description of how the data will be graphed and analyzed
  • Conclusion (what you expect to happen and why, compare your results to your hypothesis)

Remember that your experiment should be at least theoretically possible and that your conclusions should stay consistent with the way you set up your experiment.

9. Know how to answer “Draw a Graph” questions.

If you’re asked to draw a graph based on data, be sure to include the following in your response:

  • Labeled x-axis (independent variable) and y-axis (dependent variable)
  • Equal and proportional increments
  • Name and units
  • Smooth curve
  • Appropriate title
  • If more than one curve is plotted, label on each curve instead of using a legend

Hint: Most of the points for a graphing question come from proper setup!  Check out this example from the 2017 AP® Biology Exam:

AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review
AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review
AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review

The scoring rubric specifies that this graph is worth 3 points:

AP® Biology Multiple-Choice Review

10. Be specific and thorough.

Avoid flowery and vague language in your AP® Bio FRQs. You don’t want to say something like: “Many parts of a cell are important in cell respiration.” This sentence is way too general and doesn’t really say anything at all. Whenever you use a biology term in your essay, offer specific examples of that term, such as “The electron transport chain (ETC), located in the inner membrane of the mitochondria, powers cellular respiration.” Remember that your goal is to convince an AP® bio exam reader that you know what you’re talking about.

11. Manage your time.

It can be easy to get carried away when writing your FRQs. Remember that you have to write 6 essays in only 80 minutes. You need to spend more time on the two long free-response questions than on the six short free-response questions. You should be spending approximately 20 minutes on each long FRQ and 10 minutes for each short FRQ. Time yourself  taking a practice exam. Consider how long it takes you to answer the FRQs fully, and where you spend the most time. 

Reflect on what strategies you can use to streamline your writing process, and use this information to adjust how you approach the exam: for example, it’s ok to spend more time on the outline if it helps you write out your final answers more quickly. Be aware of where you might lose track of time, and wear a watch during the exam. 

You can check the time when you feel that you might be falling behind your pacing and adjust how much time you can spend on the remaining questions. You don’t want to end up with no time to answer a question and miss out on 10 points.

Tips by AP® Biology Teachers and Students

General AP® Biology Tips from Teachers: 

1. Look for “real life” examples of what you’re learning.

Go to websites like Biology NewsScience Daily, and The Chemical Heritage Foundation. Search for articles in the subject you’re learning. The more ways you learn something the better!

2. Know the “how” and “why” of a topic.

If you can’t explain how something works, knowing it is pointless. Stop and quiz yourself about something you just learned. How does that process work? If you can’t explain it in your own words, you need a better understanding of it.

3. It helps to memorize things.

AP® Bio is less memorization than it used to be, but it still helps to memorize things. You should still be able to recall things at the drop of a hat, but you don’t need to know all 12 of the reactions involved in glycolysis.

4. Do lots of genetics practice problems.

Practice working with Hardy-Weinberg formulas, Punnett Squares, and Chi-Square tests. Also, memorize the common crosses, like dihybrid monocross.

5. For test prep, use the released exams!

Work through all the available multiple choice and FRQs on the College Board website and practice the questions your teacher provides you with. This can go a long way in helping you figure out the type of questions the exam asks, the common material on the exam, and how to manage your time. Also, check out the student answers to released FRQs, as well as the FRQ answer keys to get an idea of what kind and how much information is needed to get full credit.

AP® Biology Free Response Tips

1. Know how to set up your essays.

When you’re planning your essays, follow this structure:

  • Introductory sentence
  • Several broad points
  • Examples to prove your points
  • Closing sentence to summarize

Fill in this general structure with details and specifics. Write in short, declarative sentences. Thanks to Mr. C. from Alliance Cindy & Bill Simon Technology Academy High School for the tip!

2. Apply the language of science.

FRQs require that you show depth, elaboration, and give examples. You need to loop together your ideas and show how they connect. Don’t just rely on factual regurgitation. Thanks to Mr. Jeremy M. from Blue Valley Northwest High School for the tips!

3. Remember that the AP® graders are looking for certain statements to award points.

If an FRQ asks you to describe mutualism, for example, you need to both define it and elaborate on it to receive full points. As a general rule, always support your definitions with at least one example. Thanks to Dr. L. from Framingham High School for the tip!

4. Answer the question as concisely as possible.

Avoid writing down everything you know about a certain topic. If you do, you might contradict yourself or write down something which is wrong. You can be penalized for this. Thanks to Mr. F. from Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School for the tip!

5. Answer something for every question.

If you don’t know how to answer a free-response question, don’t panic. Begin with defining some terms related to the topic. Elaborate with an example or more detailed explanation of the things you can remember about the core biology topic. Some of the most common topics on the AP® bio exam are:

  • Evolution (as a whole)
  • Genetics/genetic regulation (transcription, translation, etc.)
  • Population ecology
  • Animal function/physiology
  • Muscular System
  • Nervous System
  • Endocrine System
  • Immune System

Don’t just memorize the parts, but understand the processes and relationships. For example, know how an antibody attacking postsynaptic receptors leads to certain responses. If you have a great detailed and conceptual understanding of these topics, you will be able to get some points! Thanks to Mrs. S. from North High School and Ms. Kelly O. from Colleyville Heritage High School for the tips!

6. No detail is too small as long as it is to the point and on topic.

For example, if a question asks about the structure of DNA, talk about the helix, the bases, the hydrogen bonds, introns, exons, etc. Do not waste time talking about RNA, expression, Mendelian genetics, etc. Thanks to Ms. Louise H. from Friedrich Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center for the tip!

how to get an a in ap biology

How To Take AP Courses Over the Summer

Students interested in summer AP (Advanced Placement) courses may appreciate the opportunity to take more of these than they otherwise would have time for during the academic year. The more AP courses that students complete, the greater chance they have to earn additional college credit. Below are the steps they can follow in order to complete AP classes in the summer.

Step #1: Find AP Courses Offered in the Summer

Students first will need to find a school that offers AP courses during the summer. Depending on the size and the resources of their local high school or others in the area, students may be able to find schools that offer AP courses during the summer months, possibly with the assistance of their guidance counselors. Summer school programs are often designed to help students either catch up if they have fallen behind or to accelerate their high school career by allowing them to earn more credits in a shorter period of time. Sometimes, area colleges or universities may offer programs designed for high school students that include AP courses.

Some students may live in an area in which the high schools either don’t have AP courses at all or don’t offer them over the summer. In that case, students can look for relevant classes online, as there are a number of online high schools that allow students to enroll in single courses or to complete a designated summer program.

Step #2: Enroll in and Complete the Course

Once students have found an AP course that is offered during the summer, they can then take the necessary steps to enroll in the course. If the class is offered at their local high school, they are likely already enrolled as a student so this process would not be complicated. Students who sign up for an online AP course will likely need to first apply to the online school and be accepted before enrolling.

Then, students can begin the course. Summer courses are often offered at a more accelerated rate than traditional semester courses given the shorter time frame. Students will need to remain diligent while enrolled in order to complete all of the necessary homework and any exams. This is especially true for students who enroll in online courses, as they will typically not have a teacher directly overseeing their work.

Step #3: Transfer the Course Credit if Necessary

Students who are taking a summer AP course somewhere other than their regular high school will need to make sure they receive credit for having taken the course and that the credit is properly transferred. Students can contact their high schools in order to see how to complete this process, though it typically entails having the other school send a transcript and course description to the student’s high school.

Step #4: Prepare for the AP Test

In addition to providing a challenge for students, the main purpose of taking an AP course is to prepare for the related AP exam. Earning a high score on these exams can make students eligible to earn college credit, depending on the university they decide to attend after high school. Students who enroll in summer AP courses should keep in mind that they may not be able to take the AP exam related to their course directly after completion. As of 2019, the AP exams are generally offered by the College Board over a two-week time period in May. Because of that, students may want to keep track of their course materials in order to continue reviewing to help ensure success when they do take the test.

Students may also be interested in enrolling in an AP test preparation course. Study.com offers a number of these courses, including:

  • AP Physics
  • AP European History
  • AP English Literature

Step #5: Take the AP Test

Finally, at an assigned testing center, students will take the College Board AP test that corresponds to the AP course they took during the summer. These tests are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with a score of 3 often being the minimum score required in order to be eligible for college credit. Universities and colleges have different policies regarding what scores are sufficient to earn credit, as well as whether or not AP credits are accepted at all. If students are taking summer AP courses with the express purpose of earning college credit, they will likely want to make sure that the school they are interested in attending accepts this type of credit.

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