2022 AP Exam Dates and Schedule

You’ve spent the entire year working hard to master your Advanced Placement (AP) course. You knew it would be difficult, but you’re always up for an academic challenge. Now that your class is coming to an end, attention shifts from studying the material to practicing for the exam. It’s something your teacher has prepared you all year for, but now it’s time to double down on your efforts and put your best foot forward. A great score could help bolster your college application even more! You probably already feel confident about the tests, but do you know the exact 2022 AP exam dates and schedule?

Maybe you’ve looked up the dates once and forgot or you haven’t given it a thought yet. No worries! Either way, we’ve got you covered. Here, we’re going to take a closer look at the 2022 AP exam dates and schedule for each exam.

This way, you’ll know exactly when your AP exam is coming up so you can make plans accordingly. It’s important to mark these dates down in your calendar so you don’t miss them. You wouldn’t want months of hard work to go to waste because you forgot the day of the exam!

What Are AP Exams?

The Advanced Placement exams, more commonly as the AP exams, are tests administered by the College Board – a well-established not-for-profit behind the SAT and a host of other college-related items. These AP exams are the final test high schoolers take after completing an AP course. Each AP course has a corresponding exam.

For example, students who took the AP History course will take the AP History exam at the completion of the class. The whole idea behind the exams is to test a student’s knowledge in a particular subject. It’s common for AP classes to build-up to the exam throughout the year, meaning most students are well-prepared to ace the AP exams by the time they roll around.

There are a few AP courses that don’t culminate in an exam. For example, students taking AP Studio Art have to turn in a portfolio for examinations. AP Computer Science Principles have to do a project known as the Create Task.

How are the AP Exams structured?

There are 38 AP exams in total. Although each exam covers its own subject, the structure and time of all AP exams are similar. Here are some of the commonalities among all AP tests:

• Most of the exams last for 2 to 3 hours.
• Generally, the first portion of the exam is multiple-choice questions.
• Answers for the multiple-choice section will require participants to fill out a bubble with a pencil on a separate AP answer sheet.
  • The AP Japanese and AP Chinese Language and Culture Exams have an exam application instead of an answer sheet.
• The total score on an AP exam for the multiple-choice section only counts the questions that were answered correctly. No points are lost or received for incorrect or blank questions.
• The second portion of an AP exam generally includes free-response questions where participants are required to provide their own answers.
• The type of free-response answer required depends on the type of AP exam and could be an essay, an equation, or a verbal response.
• The AP exams are officially administered by the College Board, but they’re hosted at a variety of locations including schools, rec centers, and other large, spacious areas.
• The exams are usually graded by a group of volunteers which usually includes many AP teachers.

What are the 2022 AP Exam Dates and Schedule?

With a better understanding of the AP exams and their purpose, it’s time to take a look at when they’re actually administered. The 2022 AP exams are held over a two-week period from May 2-6 and May 9-13.

2022 AP Exam Start Times

AP exams are administered at thousands of locations throughout the country. All tests start times corresponding with the local time. The start time can begin only an hour after the AP exam official start time. For example, exams can start anywhere between 8 and 9 a.m. at the local time for morning exams, between 12 and 1 p.m. for afternoon tests, and between 2 and 3 p.m. for Physics.

2022 AP Exam Dates and Schedule

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the 2022 AP exam dates and schedule:

	8 a.m. (Local Time)	12 p.m. (Local Time)
Monday, May 2, 2022	Japanese Language and Culture United States Government and Politics	Chemistry Spanish Literature and Culture
Tuesday, May 3, 2022	Environmental Science	Psychology
Wednesday, May 4, 2022	English Literature and Composition	Comparative Government and Politics Computer Science A
Thursday, May 5, 2022	Human Geography Macroeconomics	Seminar Statistics
Friday, May 6, 2022	European History United States History	Art History Microeconomics

	8 a.m. (Local Time)	12 p.m. (Local Time)	2 p.m. (Local Time)
Monday May 9, 2022	Calculus AB Calculus BC	Computer Science Principles Italian Language and Culture	NA
Tuesday May 10, 2022	English Language and Composition	Physics C: Mechanics	Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Wednesday May 11, 2022	Chinese Language and Culture Spanish Language and Culture	Biology	NA
Thursday May 12, 2022	French Language and Culture World History: Modern	Physics 1: Algebra-Based	NA
Friday May 13, 2022	German Language and Culture Music Theory	Latin Physics 2: Algebra-Based	NA

AP Exams with Digital Portfolios

As discussed earlier, not all AP classes culminate in an exam. There are some that require students to submit alternative projects or complete other requirements to receive their final grade. Here are the deadlines for each with the corresponding AP class:

• AP Art and Design: Every AP teacher is allowed to set their own submission deadline for the AP Art and Design portfolio required for students. After you submit your portfolio, it’s your instructor’s responsibility to submit it to the AP Program before the first week in May.
• AP Seminar and AP Research: May 2, 2022, @ 11:59 p.m. – This is the deadline to turn in your performance tasks and for student, presentations to be scored by the AP Research or AP Seminar teacher
• AP Computer Science Principles: May 2, 2022, @ 11:59 p.m. – This is the deadline for students to submit their Create Performance Task.

How to prepare for the AP Exams

Now that you know the 2022 AP exam dates and schedule, you might be wondering how you can earn the highest score. Well, you’re in the right place! At AdmissionSight, we’ve been helping high schoolers just like you successfully prepare for the AP exams. Here are just a few tips to help get you started in the right direction.

Participate in your AP class

One of the most effective ways to prepare for your AP exam is to engage in your AP course. Many AP teachers cater their entire curriculum to help students prepare for the AP exam. The material you cover in class is the same material you’ll find when you take the test.

Make sure you’re listening to lectures, participating in group projects, asking questions when you’re confused, and staying on top of your homework. You need to do well in the class anyway, so you might as well reap the rewards of preparing for the exam at the same time!

Ask about AP exam practice resources

Your AP teacher is well-versed in the format, structure, and contents of the AP exam. As a result, they’re an indispensable resource when preparing for the exam. In fact, your teacher has access to what’s known as AP Classroom which is an entire suite of digital resources and tools AP teachers can access to better prepare their students for the exam.

Some of these handy tools include free-response and multiple-choice questions, AP exam practice questions, and helpful video tutorials. If you haven’t already seen these in class, make sure to ask your teacher about these helpful resources.

Practice a lot

Taking a 3-hour AP exam is like running a marathon – building stamina for the exam is just as important as knowing the core content. Doing sample questions and taking sample tests during the course throughout the year will not only expose you to question patterns and allow you to predict topics but also build the endurance necessary for success on the AP exam.

There is no single format when it comes to AP exams and each test is different. Knowing the specific format will allow you to properly manage your time once you are sitting for the exam.

Study strategically

Every student understands how essential studying is when preparing for an exam. The real question is how you’re studying. In other words, what strategies are you using to optimize the time you spend studying?

After all, you have a limited amount of time to invest in preparation, so you might as well make the most of it. We generally advise students to start actively preparing for the AP exam two months beforehand. Start by reviewing all of the material you’ve covered in class to gain a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.

As you get closer to the exam, focus more on your weak points to improve these knowledge gaps. Don’t be afraid to get creative when studying. Making flashcards, using mnemonic devices, creating acronyms, and using other helpful memory tools can make it easier to remember questions, operations, dates, definitions, and more.

Plan accordingly

The AP exam is an important part of your transition from high school into college. Admissions officers take these results seriously and factor it into your ultimate admissions decision. It’s important for high schoolers to set sufficient time aside to study for the exam while still leaving enough time to successfully tend to other academic and non-academic responsibilities.

It’s a balancing act like all things in high school. Creating a test prep schedule is a great way to keep yourself from cramming the week before the exam.

Tips for taking the AP Exam

Knowing the 2022 AP exam dates and schedule and preparing for the AP exam is only half the battle. In order to reach your full potential, you’ll also need to take the test successfully.

What do we mean exactly? Well, there’s a whole additional set of skills and attributes used when actually taking an exam that aren’t associated with studying. Here are some crucial tips to follow during the AP exam to drastically improve your score.

Preview the exam

Since AP exams are timed, many students feel pressured to start answering questions right away. However, taking just a few seconds beforehand to review the exam in its entirety can work wonders. Browsing through the test helps you know what to expect while giving you a clearer idea of how long it is.

You’ll see the length of the passages, how many multiple-choice and free-response questions there are, and much, much more. It might seem like a pointless step at first, but you’ll feel much more confident when you do begin answering questions.

Guess when needed

Unlike many exams you take in high school, the AP exams don’t penalize you for wrong answers on multiple-choice questions. As a result, you have nothing to lose when making a guess.

Skipping the questions guarantees you no points while taking a guess gives you at least a 25% chance or even higher if you’re able to eliminate one or two answers. When it comes to the free-response questions, it’s more difficult to guess entirely.

Instead, you should do your absolute best and show your work to demonstrate what you remember. Just like for the multiple-choice questions, every blank answer guarantees you zero points. On the other hand, if you give a partially correct answer, you could be rewarded with partial credit. And that’s better than nothing!

Set a good pace

As mentioned before (several times), the AP exams are timed. This is a stressful factor for many high schoolers who don’t appreciate the added pressure. To make sure you don’t get stuck with a limited amount of time left and a decent amount of tests to complete, it’s important to set a good pace for yourself.

On multiple-choice questions, finish the ones you know right away but skip the ones you’re unsure about. You can visit these later when you have more time. Time management is even more critical because you need to finish a number of tasks in a specific amount of time.

To make matters worse, there are no warnings or prompts that it’s time to move onto the next question. Make a time target for all of the free responses based on the amount of time allotted and do your best to stick to it.

Outline your free-response answers

You’ll be happy to know there’s no word length requirement for short-answer or essay questions on the AP exams. You only have to write as much as it takes you to answer the question. Instead of looking at length, test graders are looking to see whether you’ve provided a solid argument in a clear and organized manner.

A great way to keep yourself organized and within a reasonable word limit is by outlining what you want to say before writing your essay. It might seem like a waste of time at first, but you’ll find this step actually helps you write your essays quicker because you have a clear guide to follow with fleshed-out ideas.

Bring a calculator (and a backup)

A calculator is allowed on some portions of some of the AP exams. It’s important to know which exams allow calculators and even more crucial to remember to bring yours on the day of the exam!

The computation AP tests such as Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, and Statistics generally allow the use of calculators but not on all sections. You’re allowed to bring a backup calculator and backup batteries just in case, and we highly recommend it! You never know what might go wrong.

Secure a Spot in the School of Your Choice

Preparing for college is an equally exciting and nerve-wracking experience. Unfortunately, many students don’t have the guidance they need to make the most of this important transition in their life.

Working with an experienced admissions expert is a great way to clear up any confusion, get yourself on track, and improve your chances of getting into the school of your choice.

AdmissionSight is a leading college admissions consultant with over a decade of experience helping students better prepare for college through a range of services. Whether you need a hand choosing the best high school courses and extracurriculars or want some assistance preparing your college essays or prepping for the college interview, we’ve got you covered!

Our services are specifically designed to help high schoolers better understand the college admissions process while improving their college application overall.

These factors help increase their chances of getting into the universities or colleges of their choice. We have a proven track record of success with over 75% of our students getting accepted into a Top 10 or Ivy League school. That could be you!

Feel free to contact us to learn more about what we offer and how you can benefit! We can set up a free consultation to answer all of your questions.