Are you wondering how long your AP exams are?

Knowing how long your AP exams might be can help you mentally prepare for the big day! Each AP exam's length varies based on the subject, but you can expect them to fall within the 2-3 hour range. There’s one break in the middle of the exam that splits the exam into two sections: multiple-choice & free-response.

How Long is Each Exam?

Below is a table showing the total duration of AP exams:

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Time Management Strategy for AP Exams

Practicing is important for AP exams, but it’s equally vital to master time management during your study sessions before the exam day.

• When you have some time, simulate a testing environment by taking a practice exam with a watch nearby. Make sure to check on the time to pace yourself, so that you finish both sections in time.

Especially on the free response question section, you’ll need to determine how much time you should allot for each essay or question—during the exam, you won’t be prompted to move onto the next essay or question.

• For example, during the AP Language exam, you have to craft three essays (synthesis, rhetorical analysis, argumentative) in a 2 hour-and-15-minute window. This can be a challenge if time isn’t managed well.

Now, let’s talk through the multiple choice section.

• In this section, you have to answer questions in a fast-paced manner in order to get through all the questions in time.
• A general rule of thumb is that if you’re stuck on a question for more than 1 minute, move on and come back to the question after you’ve gone through the other questions first.

Remember, practicing while pacing your time is important. Here are some FRQs you can practice at Fiveable!

• AP Biology - FRQ
• AP Calculus - FRQ
• AP Chemistry - FRQ
• AP Comparative Government - FRQ
• AP English Language - FRQ
• AP English Literature - FRQ
• AP Environmental Science - FRQ
• AP European History - FRQ
• AP Human Geography - FRQ
• AP Physics 1 - FRQ
• AP Psychology - FRQ
• AP Stats - FRQ
• AP US Government- FRQ
• AP US History - FRQ
• AP World History: Modern - FRQ