Performing well on AP exams has numerous benefits for college-bound applicants—good scores help students create attention-grabbing academic profiles and may allow them to test out of introductory college courses. Keep reading to learn the 2024 AP exam schedule and how to best prepare for test day.
8 am (local time)
12 pm (local time)
2 pm (local time)
Monday, May 6
United States Government and Politics
Tuesday, May 7
Wednesday, May 8
English Literature and Composition
Comparative Government and Politics
Computer Science A
Thursday, May 9
Chinese Language and Culture
Friday, May 10
United States History
Spanish Literature and Culture
Monday, May 13
Italian Language and Culture
Tuesday, May 14
English Language and Composition
Physics C: Mechanics
African American Studies
Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Wednesday, May 15
French Language and Culture
World History: Modern
Computer Science and Principles
Thursday, May 16
Spanish Language and Culture
Japanese Language and Culture
Friday, May 17
German Language and Culture
Physics 1: Algebra-Based
Physics 2: Algebra-Based
The only exception to the AP Exam calendar is Alaska, where exams may start an hour earlier than everywhere else—beginning between 7 am and 8 am and 11 am and 12 pm local time. The AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Exam in Alaska must begin between 1 and 2 pm.
The deadline to submit for AP Art and Design digital portfolios is May 10th at 8 pm ET. Because digital portfolios need to be turned in by this time, it’s highly recommended that students submit their portfolios to their teachers well in advance of this date.
8 am (local time)
12 pm (local time)
Wednesday, May 22
Computer Science A
Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
United States History
English Literature and Composition
Japanese Language and Culture
Physics C: Mechanics
Thursday, May 23
Chinese Language and Culture
English Language and Composition
Computer Science Principles
Spanish Literature and Culture
French Language and Culture
Physics 1: Algebra-Based
Friday, May 24
Spanish Language and Culture
German Language and Culture
African American Studies
Comparative Government and Politics
Italian Language and Culture
Physics 2: Algebra-Based
United States Government and Politics
World History: Modern
Once again, the only exception to the AP Late Exam Schedule is Alaska, where the morning exam administration must begin between 7 am and 8 am local time and the afternoon administration between 11 am and 12 pm local time.
Top colleges are looking to admit students who are intellectually curious and who challenged themselves in high school with rigorous coursework. The more selective the school you’re applying to, the more beneficial AP classes are. At Ivy League schools and Top-30 colleges, it’s common for admitted students to have completed upwards of 12 AP classes.
Many high-ranking colleges use a tool known as the Academic Index to facilitate admissions decisions. Academic Index is a representation of your entire academic performance by a single numerical score, and failure to meet a school’s threshold can lead them to deem you unqualified for admission. AP classes will help boost your Academic Index and improve the odds that your application will receive serious consideration.
CollegeVine can help shed some light on how AP classes affect your odds of college admission. Our free chancing engine uses a variety of factors—like GPA, test scores, and extracurricular activities—to show how you stack up against other applicants and predict your odds of admission at hundreds of colleges across the country. It even provides tips to improve your profile (and your chances of getting into your dream school).
AP exams play a less significant role in college admissions than the AP classes themselves . However, they can make a difference, particularly at super-selective schools. For example, scoring a bunch of 5s could help you stand out from other academically talented applicants. Conversely, a handful of 1s or 2s could lead a top-flight school to question your academic acumen. Luckily, AP scores are self-reported, and you’re under no obligation to submit subpar scores.
Below is how students fared on 2023’s AP Exams. The percentage listed in each row indicates the percentage of students receiving the score in the corresponding column. For example, 12.6% of students got a 5 in AP Research.