How much does an AP exam cost?
In 2027, each exam costs $99 in the U.S., U.S. territories and Canada, and $129 elsewhere. If your family has significant financial need, College Board takes $37 off each exam, and your state or school may cover more. You pay through your school, not online, so ask your AP coordinator.
How do I sign up for an AP exam?
Your teacher gives you a join code. Sign in to My AP with your College Board account, choose "Join a Course or Exam" and enter the code. Your school then orders the exam for you. College Board's ordering deadline for full-year courses is November 13, 2026, but many schools set an earlier one, and exams ordered late cost $40 more.
Can I take an AP exam without taking the class?
Yes. Ask the AP coordinator at the school where you want to test. They'll give you a join code for an exam-only section, and you sign up the same way as everyone else.
What's a passing score on an AP exam?
Exams are scored from 1 to 5. There's no official pass mark, but College Board calls a 3 "qualified", and many U.S. colleges give credit or placement for a 3 or higher. Each college decides which scores it accepts.
Do wrong answers count against you?
No. Your multiple choice score is just the number of questions you get right, and you get nothing for a blank answer. So answer every question, even if you have to guess.
Are AP exams on paper or on a computer?
Starting in 2027, every AP exam with an end-of-year test is taken in Bluebook, College Board's testing app. On most exams you type every answer. On hybrid exams, like Biology, Chemistry, Precalculus and Calculus, you answer the multiple choice in Bluebook and handwrite your free response answers in a paper booklet.
Can I use a calculator?
Only on some exams, including Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Precalculus, Calculus, Physics, Statistics and Economics, and each one has rules about the kind. On those exams, Bluebook also has a built-in calculator. Calculators aren't allowed on any other exam.
When are the 2027 AP exams?
The 2027 exams run May 3–7, 2027 and May 10–14, 2027, with late testing May 17–21, 2027.
What if two of my exams are at the same time?
Sign up for both, and ask your AP coordinator about taking one of them during late testing.
When do scores come out, and who sees them?
Scores come out in July. You see them by signing in to your College Board account. Your school and AP teachers get them too, and so does the college you pick for your free score send by June 20, 2027. Your parents don't get them automatically.
Can I retake an AP exam?
Yes. You can take an exam each time it's offered, which is once a year in May. Your score report shows all your scores unless you ask for one to be withheld or canceled.
What if I change my mind about taking an exam?
Tell your AP coordinator as soon as you can. If an exam was ordered for you and you don't take it, there's a $40 fee instead of the full price.
Is Aim for Five part of College Board?
No. Aim for Five is an independent, free review site. It isn't connected to or endorsed by College Board, which writes and runs the AP exams. For anything official, like dates, rules and scores, College Board's own site has the final word.
Do I need an account to use Aim for Five?
No. Everything is free, and you can start studying any course without signing up.