How Long Does AP Test Take? List of all Exam Timing

AP tests are two to three hours long. Test time varies from course to course and I will cover that in detail here.

So, sit tight to know how long the AP test takes.

It is a challenging journey, from choosing to enroll in AP programs to finishing them and taking your test. But, don’t worry, I will walk you through every step of the AP exam process here. From test schedules and formats to preparation tips, we will talk about everything here.

How Long Does AP Test Take?

Before you decide which AP tests to take you must do some research and get answers to a few basic questions, like:

1. How long does the AP exam last?
2. What type of questions are there?
3. How many questions in each exam?
4. How much time is allocated to different question types?
5. What’s the weightage that each question format carries?

Few AP exams, like AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, and AP English Language and Composition, exceed more than 3 hours.

Here, refer to this list to know how long each AP exam lasts:

Exam	Total Time
AP Art History	3 hours
AP Biology	3 hours
AP Calculus AB	3 hours and 15 minutes
AP Calculus BC	3 hours and 15 minutes
AP Chemistry	3 hours and 15 minutes
AP Chinese Language and Culture	2 hours and 15 minutes
AP Comparative Government and Politics	2 hours and 25 minutes
AP Computer Science A	3 hours
AP Computer Science Principles	2 hours
AP English Language and Composition	3 hours and 15 minutes
AP English Literature and Composition	3 hours
AP Environmental Science	3 hours
AP European History	3 hours and 15 minutes
AP French Language and Culture	3 hours
AP German Language and Culture	3 hours
AP Human Geography	2 hours and 15 minutes
AP Italian Language and Culture	3 hours
AP Japanese Language and Culture	2 hours and 15 minutes
AP Latin	3 hours
AP Macroeconomics	2 hours and 10 minutes
AP Microeconomics	2 hours and 10 minutes
AP Music Theory	2 hours and 40 minutes
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism	1 hour and 30 minutes
AP Physics C: Mechanics	1 hour and 30 minutes
AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based	3 hours
AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based	3 hours
AP Psychology	2 hours
AP Spanish Language and Culture	3 hours
AP Spanish Literature and Culture	3 hours
AP Statistics	3 hours
AP US Government and Politics	2 hours and 25 minutes
AP US History	3 hours and 15 minutes
AP World History	3 hours and 15 minutes

Exam Format

AP exams are divided into two parts:

1. Multiple choice questions
2. Free-response questions

Read: How Many AP Classes Should I Take?

1. Multiple-Choice Questions

Multiple-choice sections are straightforward. They can include more than one correct response. Simply put, there will be three to five options for you to choose from when answering multiple-choice questions.

You either respond correctly or incorrectly because the questions are objective. You won’t receive any step marks as a consequence.

2. Free-Response Questions

The free-response answer questions are the other question format you will encounter on your AP tests. Many kinds of free-response questions exist, but short or essay questions are the most prevalent.

They are highly different from multiple-choice tests in that they are subjective. You need to apply your analytical skills to respond to them.

Make sure to keep your answers brief, concise, and direct.

Exceptions

The number of questions varies per subject. For example, multiple-choice and free-response questions come in two varieties on most language tests, such as AP Chinese Language and Culture and AP Spanish Language and Culture, to name a few.

While free-response questions are split into written and spoken categories, listening and reading categories are used for multiple-choice questions. These areas assess the different levels of language ability you have attained.

The table below is an exhaustive list of every detail you need about your AP subject. I recommend you bookmark this post to never lose sight of this important information.

Exam	Type	No. of Questions	Time Given	Weightage
AP Art History	Multiple-choice Free-response	80 6	1 hour 2 hours	50% 50%
AP Biology	Multiple-choice Free-response	60 6	1 hour and 30 minutes 1 hour and 30 minutes	50% 50%
AP Calculus AB	Multiple-choice Free-response	45 6	1 hour and 45 minutes 1 hour and 30 minutes	50% 50%
AP Calculus BC	Multiple-choice Free-response	45 6	1 hour and 45 minutes 1 hour and 30 minutes	50% 50%
AP Chemistry	Multiple-choice Free-response	60 7	1 hour and 30 minutes 1 hour and 45 minutes	60% 40%
AP Chinese Language and Culture	Multiple-choice listening Multiple-choice reading Free-response written Free-response spoken	20 to 35 35 to 40 2 2	20 minutes 1 hour 30 minutes 11 minutes	25% 25% 25% 25%
AP Comparative Government and Politics	Multiple-choice Free-response	55 4	1 hour 2 hours and 30 minutes	50% 50%
AP Computer Science A	Multiple-choice Free-response	40 4	1 hour and 30 minutes 1 hour and 30 minutes	50% 50%
AP Computer Science Principles	Performance task 1 Performance task 2 End-of-the-course exam	Differs Differs 74	12 hours 8 hours 2 hours	24% 16% 60%
AP English Language and Composition	Multiple-choice Free-response	45 3	1 hour 2 hours and 15 minutes	45% 55%
AP English Literature and Composition	Multiple-choice Free-response	55 3	1 hour 2 hours	45% 55%
AP Environmental Science	Multiple-choice Free-response	80 3	1 hour and 30 minutes 1 hour and 10 minutes	60% 40%
AP European History	Multiple-choice Short Answer Free-response	55 2 3	55 minutes 40 minutes 1 hour and 40 minutes	40% 20% 40%
AP French Language and Culture	Multiple-choice listening Multiple-choice reading Free-response written Free-response spoken	30 35 2 2	40 minutes 55 minutes 1 hour and 10 minutes 18 minutes	23% 27% 25% 25%
AP German Language and Culture	Multiple-choice listening Multiple-choice reading Free-response written Free-response spoken	30 35 2 2	40 minutes 55 minutes 1 hour and 10 minutes 18 minutes	23% 27% 25% 25%
AP Human Geography	Multiple-choice Free-response	60 3	1 hour 1 hour and 15 minutes	50% 50%
AP Italian Language and Culture	Multiple-choice listening Multiple-choice reading Free-response written Free-response spoken	30 35 2 2	40 minutes 55 minutes 1 hour and 10 minutes 18 minutes	23% 27% 25% 25%
AP Japanese Language and Literature	Multiple-choice listening Multiple-choice reading Free-response written Free-response spoken	30 to 35 35 to 40 2 2	20 minutes 1 hour 30 minutes 11 minutes	25% 25% 25% 25%
AP Latin	Multiple-choice Free-response	50 5	1 hour 2 hours	50% 50%
AP Macroeconomics	Multiple-choice Free-response	60 3	1 hour and 10 minutes 1 hour	67% 33%
AP Microeconomics	Multiple-choice Free-response	60 3	1 hour and 10 minutes 1 hour	67% 33%
AP Music Theory	Multiple-choice Free-response written Free-response sight singing	75 7 2	1 hour and 20 minutes 1 hour and 10 minutes 10 minutes	45% 45% 10%
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism	Multiple-choice Free-response	50 5	1 hour and 30 minutes 1 hour and 30 minutes	50% 50%
AP Physics C: Magnetism	Multiple-choice Free-response	50 4	1 hour and 30 minutes 1 hour and 30 minutes	50% 50%
AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based	Multiple-choice Free-response	35 3	45 minutes 45 minutes	50% 50%
AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based	Multiple-choice Free-response	35 3	45 minutes 45 minutes	50% 50%
AP Psychology	Multiple-choice Free-response	100 2	1 hour and 10 minutes 50 minutes	67% 33%
AP Spanish Language and Culture	Multiple-choice listening Multiple-choice reading Free-response written Free-response spoken	30 35 2 2	40 minutes 55 minutes 1 hour and 10 minutes 18 minutes	23% 27% 25% 25%
AP Spanish Literature and Culture	Multiple-choice interpretive listening Free-response reading analysis Free-response	15 2 4	20 minutes 11 minutes 1 hour and 40 minutes	10% 40% 50%
AP Statistics	Multiple-choice Free-response	40 6	1 hour and 30 minutes 1 hour and 30 minutes	50% 50%
AP US Government and Politics	Multiple-choice Free-response	55 4	1 hour and 20 minutes 1 hour and 40 minutes	50% 50%
AP US History	Multiple-choice Short Answer Free-response	55 3 2	55 minutes 40 minutes 1 hour and 40 minutes	40% 20% 40%
AP World History	Multiple-choice Short Answer Free-response	55 3 2	55 minutes 40 minutes 1 hour and 40 minutes	40% 20% 40%

Tips To Ace Your AP Exam

The AP test preparation process might seem like a “Sisyphean task”.

You have to study for a three-hour, multi-part test, in addition to other challenging schoolwork. Right?

It is no bed full of roses. But what matters is whether you have the determination to do it. Follow these steps to make it in your AP exam.

1. Prepare Yourself

Start preparing from the middle of school year because this is the best time to review course work. You will have a lot of time to prepare.

Before you start, get your hands on:

• your AP course’s syllabus
• previous years’ exam papers

Keep everything handy to refer to anytime you need it.

2. Create a Study Plan

Next step is to create a timetable. Make your weekly goals. If it helps, break them down further into daily goals.

Have a clarity of the subjects you’ll be studying. Week by week you will be prepared for the exam.

3. AP Practice Exams

Attempt as many mock tests as you can. They are identical to the real AP test. They train you on the type of questions that come in real exam and the time needed for them.

Utilize practice exams to get comfortable with the test, identify your understanding and ability gaps, and monitor your development while studying for the test.

FAQs

When do AP exam scores come out?

AP exam scores are scheduled to be released between early June and early July. The AP scores are slated to begin at 7 am EST.

What is a 70 on an AP test?

A score of 70% to 75% is a 5. However, several tests differ from this pattern.

What happens if you get a 1 in an AP Exam?

A 1 in an AP exam, the lowest possible score, denotes students do not have enough knowledge of the subject.

Is a 3 in an AP Exam good?

A 3 or higher is often regarded as a strong AP score. By comparing your AP score to the mean for that test that year, you can get an even better idea of how impressive your score is.

Keeping It Simple

The high school life and AP exam preparation process can be highly taxing. But do you realize what is beneficial? Understanding the AP exam’s scheduling and format.

It will be easier to organize your activities if you know what you are stepping into.

I hope this blog post can ease your concerns about how long AP examinations are. If you have any additional questions, please post them in the comments, and I’ll answer them.