Updated Information About 2020 AP Exams
Students have been anxiously waiting for the CollegeBoard to provide new information related to exam rescheduling. Read below the email sent by the CollegeBoard answering all the questions about the 2020 AP exams.
“We recently shared information about our commitment to provide free, remote learning resources and a new at-home testing option for this year’s AP Exams. As promised, additional details are now available, and we’ll continue to provide updates in the weeks leading up to the exams.
Exam Dates
Most AP students we surveyed prefer to test earlier, while the content is still fresh.
- Exams will be given from May 11–22.
- You can take exams at home or in school, if they reopen.
- Each subject’s exam will be taken on the same day at the same time, worldwide.
- Makeup test dates will be available for each subject from June 1–5.
- View the full testing schedule.
Exam Format
Most exams will have one or two free-response questions, and each question will be timed separately. You’ll need to write and submit your responses within the allotted time for each question.
- You’ll be able to take exams on any device you have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. You’ll be able to type and upload your responses or write responses by hand and submit a photo via your cell phone.
- For most subjects, the exams will be 45 minutes long, plus an additional 5 minutes for uploading. You’ll need to access the online testing system 30 minutes early to get set up.
- Certain courses—Art and Design: 2D; Art and Design: 3D; Computer Science Principles; Drawing; Research; and Seminar — will use portfolio submissions and will not have a separate online exam. All deadlines for these submissions have been extended to May 26, 2020, 11:59 p.m. ET. Students taking one of these courses may receive separate course-specific communications.
- Students taking world languages and culture exams will complete two spoken tasks consistent with free-response questions 3 and 4 on the current AP Exam. Written responses will not be required. We’ll provide additional details in the coming weeks to help students prepare.
Tips for testing on specific devices will be available in late April.
Confronting the Digital Divide
We recognize that the digital divide could prevent some students from participating. Working with partners, we’re investing so these students have the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam. If you, or someone you know, needs mobile tools or connectivity, you can contact us directly to let us know by April 24.
Exam Scores and College Credit
As usual, your work will be scored by our network of college faculty and AP teachers, and will be reported on a 1–5 scale. We anticipate releasing scores as close to the usual July timeframe as possible.
We’re confident that the vast majority of higher ed institutions will award college credit as they have in the past. We’ve spoken with hundreds of institutions across the country that support our solution for this year’s AP Exams.
Exam Security
Like many college-level exams, this year’s AP Exams will be open book/open note. The exam format and questions are being designed specifically for an at-home administration, so points will not be earned from content that can be found in textbooks or online. However, you may not consult with any other individuals during the testing period. We’ll take the necessary steps to protect the integrity of each exam administration, as we do every year.
We’re confident that the vast majority of AP students will follow the rules for taking the exams. For the small number of students who may try to gain an unfair advantage, we have a comprehensive and strict set of protocols in place to prevent and detect cheating. While some of these practices are confidential to maximize their effectiveness, you can learn more about our security measures.
Students should understand that those attempting to gain an unfair advantage will either be blocked from testing or their AP scores will be canceled, and their high school will be notified as will colleges or other organizations to which the student has already sent any College Board scores (including SAT® scores). And they may be prohibited from taking a future Advanced Placement® Exam as well as the SAT, SAT Subject Tests™, or CLEP® assessments.
Remote Instruction and Practice
On March 25, we began offering free live AP review courses, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. The courses have been viewed more than 3.2 million times since they became available. On-demand lessons are now available for Art and Design, AP Capstone™, and Computer Science Principles.
You can also take advantage of free, optional student practice on AP Classroom for most courses. Starting April 13, you’ll see a new Optional Student Practice section that includes free-response questions to help you practice the concepts and skills that will be tested in May 2020. You can answer these in any order, and you’ll have an opportunity to review how each question will be scored before you submit so you can review and revise your answer.
Additional Information
We’ve also added a frequently asked questions section to the site so you can find answers to important topics including information for students with accommodations, details about exam fees and cancellations, credit and placement, calculator policies, and more.
We’ll continue to make updates on the site and share them with you through email and social media.
Sincerely,
Advanced Placement Program
Note: There may be some differences for world languages and courses that require portfolio submissions. Check our website for more information.”
Take Action
Go through the online study material and start preparing for the AP May 2020 accordingly. Check the CollegeBoard website and your email inbox regularly to get timely information about the next developments.