Technology Overview for Digital AP Exams

Bluebook™ and Test Day Toolkit work together to make digital testing possible. They’re user-friendly and designed to keep testing smooth and secure. 

Bluebook is the testing app for digital AP Exams. It must be installed on student devices before exam day. Students can access AP preview questions and try out the tools. 

Test Day Toolkit is the web application AP coordinators and staff use to prepare for exam day, take attendance, read the script, and provide students with the codes they enter into Bluebook. The toolkit doesn’t need to be installed and can be used on any device that connects to the internet. Staff sign in with a College Board professional account. AP coordinators will receive an email in the spring to access Test Day Toolkit. 

Technical Readiness To-Do List 

AP coordinators need to complete these tasks: 

• Reach out to school or district technology staff for help.
• Recruit one or more technology monitors who can use our troubleshooting tips to help students with technical issues on exam day.  
• Direct students to download Bluebook at bluebook.app.collegeboard.org if they’re testing on personal devices. 

 Ask technology staff at your school or district to complete these tasks: 

• Help choose testing rooms with enough network speed and strength to support the expected number of students. 
• Assess school-managed devices and help decide which devices students should test on. 
• Install Bluebook on school-managed testing devices if your students are using them. 
• Shortly before exam day, confirm that testing devices have the latest version of Bluebook. 
• Make sure all necessary content filters, firewalls, and proxy servers are open on exam day. 

Devices

Bluebook can be installed on these devices:  

• Personal and school-managed Windows and Mac laptops and desktops 
• School-managed Chromebooks 
• Personal and school-managed iPads with external keyboards 

Managed devices can be assigned to students 1-to-1 or shared (from a laptop cart or in a computer lab, for example).  

For Bluebook device specifications and installation instructions, go to Device Readiness.

Networks

Students need an internet connection at the start and end of the exam, but they can keep testing if their connection drops momentarily.  

Keep in mind: 

• Assigning too many students to a room can delay testing and prevent answer submission. It is critical to check your room selections with technology staff. 
• Depending on school or district policy, students and testing staff may need to access your network using personal devices.  
• Answers are saved to the testing device and submitted automatically if students are connected when the exam ends. 
• If students are not connected when the exam ends, schools must ensure that they can get back online and submit their answers. 

For minimum bandwidth recommendations, network requirements, and readiness guidance, go to Network Readiness.