AP Exams

AP Exams at Madison and What You Need to Know

AP exams may seem like a long way away, but preparations are under way now. Read on for important information to help you and your student in planning for these very important exams.

Questions? Please contact:

Non-enrolled AP Registration Google Form

(Or how to register for an AP exam if you are not enrolled in the course.)

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

When do AP exams take place?

  • AP exams occur in May 2024 (May 6 – 17).  A complete AP exam schedule can be found at AP Exam Dates 2024.

What do I need to do at the start of the year?

  • All students are required to have a College Board account to access important classroom materials as well as register for exams. Students should create an account and sign up in AP Classroom no later than September 8. Students SHOULD use a personal email address and not their school email address, as the school email address will expire when they graduate.
  • Students will log in here: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/
  • Teachers, counselors, and AP Coordinators do not have access to students' College Board accounts. Issues with logging into your account must be directed to the College Board directly at 888.225.5427.

Once I have a College Board account, what will I do? 

  • Each class will have a unique class that you will need to sign up for through AP Classroom. You will receive a unique code from your teacher that will enable you to enroll. Information on how to enroll can be found on the College Board website. This needs to be done by September 8 so we can have a correct accounting of students in each class! 

What do I need to do to make sure that I am registered for my AP exams?

  • Students will register for their exams through their AP classes. Students who chose to take one or more AP tests beyond six FCPS-funded tests will be charged a fee of $98 per AP test. The fees for the first six AP tests taken for courses in which they are enrolled for high school credit will be paid by FCPS. AP tests taken in other school systems are not included in the cumulative count.
  • Students enrolled in FCPS online courses must register for an exam only section through their base school.
  • ALL students must be enrolled in MyAP sections or an exam only section no later than September 8. If you have not enrolled, please contact your AP teacher or school counselor.
  • Students taking AP tests without enrolling in the corresponding FCPS course are responsible for the test fee(s).
  • To assist in the decision-making process, students will be provided a report with their previous tests and current AP course enrollment. Students will have the opportunity to opt out of the test(s) by filling out the opt-out form. Families will be billed in December 2023.
  • You will receive a letter by October 6 that gives the option to opt out of AP exams. This form must be returned by October 16 to the Student Services office. Do not return the opt out form to teachers. If you do not opt out of exams prior to October 16, you will automatically be registered and billed, if applicable. No extensions will be granted to the October 16 deadline to opt out of a test. 

What do I do if I want to take an AP exam for a course I’m not taking? OR What do I do if I don’t attend Madison, but would like to take an AP exam there?

  • Please complete this Google form. The deadline to enroll is October 27, 2023. Test fees are $98 per exam and must be pay through MySchoolBucks.
  • Home Instruction students must provide a copy of the FCPS Home Instruction acknowledgement letter prior to registering their child for AP tests, fees apply. Please also complete this Google form. Test fees are $98 per exam and must be paid through MySchoolBucks. The deadline to enroll is October 27, 2023.
  • For both non-enrolled students and home instruction students, no join codes will be provided, and no exam will be ordered until payment and registration information are received.

How do I apply for College Board accommodations?

  • Unfortunately, students who have an IEP or 504 plans do not automatically have College Board accommodations. Please email Mr. Joseph Bartram at @email to find out more about the application process. The deadline to apply for accommodations for AP tests given in May 2024 is January 18, 2024. College Board Consent Form
  • Processing for accommodations can take up to 7-12 weeks, so we must have paperwork in by January 18, 2024, to process before AP testing in May.
  • Please note that if you are scheduled to take two AP exams on the same day, but not the same time, both exams must be taken on that day. The College Board will not approve any waivers for these circumstances. There will be a minimum of 15 minutes provided for students to eat lunch in-between the AP exams. Please remember that students may use the restroom and/or get a drink of water at any time during an AP exam – provided that they ask permission to do so and are escorted out of the room.

What do I need to do prior to my AP exam? 

  • Students will pre-register within their AP exams. Next, be sure to familiarize yourself with the expectations of taking an AP exam by clicking on the link titled Things Students Should Know Before Exam Day (coming soon). 

What should I bring on exam day?

  • At the very minimum, students should bring at least two No. 2 pencils (please avoid mechanical pencils) and a black ink pen on exam day. Students may want to dress in layers as the temperature has been known to vary throughout the building and during the month of May. We want students to feel comfortable during the exam time and this helps! Additionally, if the AP exam permits a calculator, this should be communicated by your AP teacher.

What time do AP exams start?

  • Morning AP exams begin at 8:00 a.m. and most end between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m.  Students should arrive no later than 7:30 a.m. More specific information is shared during the pre-registration process. However, arriving at least 20 minutes early to the exam site is strongly encouraged.
  • If the AP exam has already started, students will not be admitted into the exam site and will not be permitted to take the exam later. The College Board will not approve such circumstances as a reason for late testing. Please plan ahead.
  • Afternoon AP exams begin at 12/1 p.m.  However, students are expected to report no later than 11:45 am to their exam site. Afternoon exams can run as late as 4:00 p.m., so it is imperative that students have transportation home as FCPS only provides late buses on Wednesdays.  Students taking an afternoon exam will not be able to leave an exam early to catch the bus home.
  • A reminder that if a student has both a morning and afternoon exam, there will be a minimum of 15 minutes provided for lunch in-between the AP exams.  Please remember that students may use the restroom and/or get a drink of water at any time during an AP exam – provided that they ask permission to do so and are escorted out of the room.

Where do I report on exam day?

  • AP teachers will be notified in advance of the exam sites and share this information with their students. However, sometimes changes must be made. Signs will be posted on the doors and throughout the school building with this information on each exam day. It is important to read the signs and arrive early on exam day.

How long is my AP exam?  How do I prepare for it and what should I expect?

  • AP teachers are the best resource for these questions. Most exams are between 3 to 4 hours, not including breaks.

What lunch will I eat?

  • Students taking an afternoon (PM) exam should eat “A” lunch that day. 
  • Students taking a morning exam will attend their normally scheduled class lunch period unless it has been missed due to the AP exam.  If that happens, students will go to lunch first, then class unless excused for the remainder of the day.

What do I do if I’m sick on the exam day?

  • Students should make every effort to take the AP exam at its regularly scheduled time. If students are extremely ill and unable to make it to school, a parent/guardian must contact Ms. Ashley Anderson at @email or 703-319-2349 as soon as possible. A note is required to take a late AP exam and failure to provide documentation forfeits your right to take the exam. There are no exceptions to this policy.

What if I am late to my AP exam?

  • If the AP exam has already started, students will not be admitted into the exam site and will not be permitted to take the exam at a later time. The College Board will not approve such circumstances as a reason for late testing.  Please plan ahead.

Can I bring my cell phone with me to my AP exam?

  • No. The College Board does not permit electronic devices to be brought into the exam sites. Please secure any cell phones in a safe location on exam day. Cell phone use may result in an exam irregularity and therefore could cause a student’s AP score to be invalidated.

Is there anything else that I should leave at home, in my locker, or in my car on exam day?

  • Students should not have any of the following items with them on test day:
    • Electronic devices, including cell phones, Apple watches, iPods, MP3 players, digital cameras, laptops, and tablets.
    • Backpacks
    • Watches that beep or have an alarm
    • Portable listening or recording devices – even if you finish early and use earbuds
    • Books, compasses, mechanical pencils (the College Board does not guarantee that responses marked using a mechanical pencil will be scored properly by its machines), correction fluid, highlighters, colored pencils/pens, and pencil cases.
    • Tissue boxes
    • Rulers and straightedges (these will be supplied for the Physics exams)
    • Scratch paper
    • Review guides and/or notes
    • Calculators (except for parts of the AP Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Physics 1, Physics 2, Physics C Mechanics, Physics C Electricity and Magnetism, and Statistics exams) *Additionally, the AP Biology exam will permit students to use a simple 4-function (with square root) calculator only.
    • Clothing with subject-related information

When and how do I find out my AP exam scores?

  • Students must have an account to access their scores. (Some students may already have an account, and this may be confirmed by signing in.)
  • The score release schedule will be available on apscore.org in May, and students will receive an email in early July reminding them when they can access their scores.

Who do I contact if I still have questions?