AP Psychology

Some Frequently Asked Questions about the

AP Psychology Exam

Why Take the AP Psychology Exam?

AP Psychology is an exciting course to take not only because it gives you an opportunityto

understand your own behavior and mental processes better, but also because it enables you

to learn more about other people and animals. Benefits of taking such a challenging course

can include strengthening your transcript, proving to yourself that you can do it, and start-

ing college with some credit. Admissions officers from Adelphi University to Yale University

have told me that their number one criterion for admissions decisions is the strength of an

applicant’s high school program.

Additional benefits are sometimes offered. Some high schools weight or scale AP course

grades. Because some colleges charge per credit, you can save money. Getting three or more

credits for the price of the exam is a good value.

The College Board reports, “Studies have shown that AP students are more likely

to maintain a high grade point average and graduate from college with honors than their

college classmates of similar ability ....”

What Is the Format of the Exam?

The following table summarizes the format of the AP Psychology exam.

Table 1 .1AP Psychology

Section Questions Time Limit

I. Multiple-Choice Questions 100 1 hour and 10 minutes ( 70 minutes)

II. Free-Response Questions 250 minutes

The exam is 2 hours long. During the first 70 minutes, you have 100 multiple-choice

questions to answer. At the end of the 70 minutes, your booklet and answer sheet will be

collected. However, no matter how early you finish this first part of the exam, you cannot

begin the free-response questions (essays) early. The multiple-choice section counts for

two-thirds of your score. If you have time remaining after you complete the questions,

you can go back to those you were uncertain about or want to reread. You are limited to

50 minutes to answer two required essay questions.

Who Writes the AP Psychology Exam?

Development of each AP exam is a multi-year effort that involves many education and testing

professionals and students. At the heart of the effort is the AP Psychology Development

Committee, a group of highly-regarded college and AP high school teachers from diverse

backgrounds who are typically asked to serve for 3 years. The committee and experienced

test-item writers create a large pool of multiple-choice questions. With the help of psycho-

metricians (measurement psychologists) at Educational Testing Service (ETS), these ques-

tions are then pre-tested with college students who are enrolled in introductory psychology

at selected colleges and universities. Questions are evaluated for accuracy, appropriateness,

clarity, and assurance that there is only one possible answer. Data from pre-tests allow each

question to be categorized by degree of difficulty.

In general, the easiest questions to answer are at the beginning of Section 1 , and the most

difficult questions at the end. After additional development and refinement, Section I of the

exam is ready to be administered.

Numerous free-response questions (essay questions) are written for possible inclusion

on the exams. After these questions are edited, discussed by committee members and

4 ❯ STEP 1. Set Up Your Study Plan

I’m glad I took
AP Psychology in
high school. It
eased my
transition to
college. I knew
the level of work
I needed to do to
succeed and what
studying for a
college final is
like before
enrolling.
–Kim,
college student

I knew that as a
pre-med I
wouldn’t be able
to fit psychology
into my college
program, so I
wanted to take it
in high school.
My knowledge of
psychology helps
me understand
my patients.
—Dr. Jerry C.,
former
AP student.

STRATEGY