What You Need to Know About the
AP Chemistry Exam
IN THIS CHAPTER
Summary: Learn what topics are on the test, how the ETS scores the test, and basic
test-taking information.Key Ideas
✪ Most colleges will award credit for a score of 4 or 5.
✪ Multiple-choice questions account for half of your final score.
✪ Points are not deducted for incorrect answers to multiple-choice questions. You
should try to eliminate incorrect answer choices and then guess; there is no pen-
alty for guessing.
✪ Free-response questions account for half of your final score.
✪ There is a conversion of your composite score on the two test sections to a score
on the 1-to-5 scale.Background of the Advanced Placement Program
The College Board began the Advanced Placement program in 1955 to construct standard
achievement exams that would allow highly motivated high school students the opportu-
nity to receive advanced placement as first-year students in colleges and universities in the
United States. Today, there are 34 courses and exams with more than 2 million students
from every state in the nation and from foreign countries taking the annual exams in May.
The AP programs are for high school students who wish to take college-level courses. In
our case, the AP Chemistry course and exam involve high school students in college-level
chemistry studies.CHAPTER
KEY IDEA‹^3
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