AP Biology

This is a hybrid digital exam. Students complete multiple-choice questions and view free-response questions in the Bluebook testing app. They handwrite their free-response answers in paper exam booklets that are returned for scoring. Download a sample free-response booklet for AP Biology (.pdf). Use this sample booklet for reference only to become familiar with the format.

Exam questions assess the course concepts and skills outlined in the course framework. For more information, download the AP Biology Course and Exam Description (.pdf) (CED).

Encourage your students to visit the AP Biology student page for exam information.

The AP Biology Exam has question types and point values that remain stable and consistent from year to year, so you and your students know what to expect on exam day. The following information describes each section of the exam. 

Section I: Multiple Choice

60 Questions | 1 hour 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score

• Discrete questions
• Sets of questions tied to a shared stimulus typically with 4–5 questions per set

Section II: Free Response

6 Questions | 1 hour 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score

• There are 2 long questions and 4 short questions. Long questions are worth 9 points each; short questions are worth 4 points each.
• The long questions ask students to:
  • Interpret and evaluate experimental results
  • Interpret and evaluate experimental results with graphing
• The short-answer questions assess students’ understanding of the following:
  • Scientific investigation
  • Conceptual analysis
  • Analysis of a model or visual representation
  • Data analysis

A sample free-response booklet is available for this hybrid digital exam. Prior to exam day, share it with students to build familiarity with how they will answer the free-response questions on the exam.

Calculators are permitted for this course’s exam. Review the calculator policy information for exam day.

Reference materials are available for this course and will be printed and mailed to schools, in addition to being available in Bluebook in the test preview and on exam day.