Editing Advanced Placement (section)

==Recent and upcoming exam changes==

=== 2016–2017 ===
* AP World History
** This exam will also undergo the same basic changes to the 2014–2015 United States History and 2015–2016 European History exams.<ref>{{Cite web|title = AP World History Revisions - Advances in AP - The College Board {{!}} Advances in AP|url = https://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/english-history-and-social-science/world-history|website = advancesinap.collegeboard.org|access-date = June 3, 2015|archive-date = September 7, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150907180301/https://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/english-history-and-social-science/world-history|url-status = live}}</ref>
*** Shortened multiple-choice section with 55 questions, accounting for 40% of the total exam score. These are reduced from 70 questions and 50% in previous years, respectively.
*** Four short-answer questions, however students are only required to answer one of the final two short-answer questions, in place of one of the long essays, accounting for 20% of the total exam score. These questions are given a 40-minute writing period. 
*** Document-based question (DBQ) and the remaining long essay now account for 25% and 15% of the exam score respectively. New writing periods of 60 minutes and 40 minutes respectively are given instead of the combined 120-minute writing period for all three essays in previous exams.
*AP Calculus AB
**Time format changed
**Addition of [[L'Hôpital's rule]]
*AP Calculus BC
**Addition of limit comparison tests, absolute and conditional convergence, and the alternating series.

=== 2018–2019 ===
* AP United States Government and Politics<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/english-history-and-social-science/us-government-politics|title=AP U.S. Government and Politics - Advances in AP - The College Board|website=advancesinap.collegeboard.org|date=July 10, 2006 |access-date=May 9, 2017|archive-date=May 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506191806/https://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/english-history-and-social-science/us-government-politics|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Section I (MCQ) will be extended from 60 questions in 45 minutes to 55 questions in 80 minutes. It will still count towards 50% of the total exam score.
*** The questions will feature greater use of scenarios and stimulus material.
*** The number of answer choices for each question will be reduced from five to four.
** Section II (FRQ) will include four questions in 100 minutes (the same amount of questions and time as the previous exams). The section as a whole will be worth 50% of the total exam score. All four questions are weighted equally (each is worth 12.5% of the total exam score). 
*** One will be a concept application question involving a political scenario.
*** One will be a quantitative analysis and interpretation question with a visual stimulus.
***One will be a [[Supreme Court of the United States|SCOTUS]] Comparison, a comparison between one case that is required knowledge outlined in the course and exam description, and the other not being of prior knowledge to the students.
*** One will be an argumentation essay requiring supporting evidence and reasoning.

=== 2019–2020 ===
* As a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the College Board announced that AP exams may be taken from home. The exams are modified to only cover approximately the first 75% of the course. For most exams, the exam is 45 minutes long and consists of one or two free-response questions that can be submitted typed or handwritten. The exams are open note, open book, and open Internet.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Watanabe|first=Teresa|date=2020-03-18|title=How will students take AP tests with schools closed? At home, College Board proposes|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-17/coronavirus-ap-tests-college-board|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=December 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203210345/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-17/coronavirus-ap-tests-college-board|url-status=live}}</ref>
* AP Computer Science A<ref>{{Cite web|title=AP Computer Science A: Updates for 2019-20|url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-computer-science-a-updates-2019-20.pdf|access-date=2020-10-14|website=AP Central|archive-date=October 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023022005/https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-computer-science-a-updates-2019-20.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Topics such as abstract classes and interfaces have been removed.
* AP World History<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-01-04|title=AP World History: Updates for 2019-20 {{!}} AP Central — The College Board|url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-world-history/course/updates-2019-20?course=ap-world-history|access-date=2019-05-10|website=AP Central|language=en|archive-date=May 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509172154/https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-world-history/course/updates-2019-20?course=ap-world-history|url-status=live}}</ref>
** The course will now be split up into two different exams:
*** AP World History: Modern - It will cover world history from the year 1200 CE to the present. 
*** AP World History: Ancient - This course will be released at a later, unspecified date. 
** The Exam format will remain the same.

=== 2020–2021 ===

* AP Comparative Government and Politics<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-01-04|title=AP Comparative Government and Politics: Updates for 2019-20 {{!}} AP Central — The College Board|url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-comparative-government-and-politics/course/updates-2019-20?course=ap-comparative-government-and-politics|access-date=2019-05-10|website=AP Central|language=en|archive-date=January 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129214255/https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-comparative-government-and-politics?course=ap-comparative-government-and-politics|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Section I (Multiple Choice): The number of questions will remain the same at 55 questions, but time for the section will increase from 45 minutes to 60 minutes. It will continue to be worth 50% of the total exam score.
*** Each question will now have 4 possible options instead of 5.
*** There will be 2 text-based sources followed by a few questions.
*** There will be 3 quantitative sources followed by a few questions.
** Section II (Free Response): The number of questions will decrease from 8 questions to 4 questions. The time will also decrease from 100 minutes to 90 minutes. It will continue to be worth 50% of the total exam score.
*** Question 1: Conceptual Analysis
*** Question 2: Quantitative Analysis
*** Question 3: Comparative Analysis
*** Question 4: Argument Essay
* AP Biology<ref>{{Cite web|date=2006-07-10|title=AP Biology Exam|url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-biology/exam?course=ap-biology|access-date=2020-10-14|website=AP Central|language=en|archive-date=April 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414100442/https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-biology/exam?course=ap-biology|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Section I (Multiple Choice): The number of questions will be reduced from 69 to 60 questions. Grid-in questions will no longer be on the exam.
** Section II (Free Response): The number of questions will be reduced from 8 to 6, but the time allocation for the section stays the same.
*** The two long questions will both focus on "interpreting and evaluating experimental results".
*** The section will have four short-answer questions. 
* AP English Language and Composition<ref>{{Cite web|date=2006-07-10|title=AP English Language|url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-english-language-and-composition/exam?course=ap-english-language-and-composition|access-date=2020-10-14|website=AP Central|language=en|archive-date=November 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120011400/https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-english-language-and-composition/exam?course=ap-english-language-and-composition|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Section I (Multiple Choice): The number of questions will be reduced from 52–55 to 45.
** Section II (Free Response): The questions will now be scored with analytic rubrics.
* AP Human Geography<ref>{{Cite web|date=2006-07-10|title=AP Human Geography Exam|url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-human-geography/exam?course=ap-human-geography|access-date=2020-10-14|website=AP Central|language=en|archive-date=April 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414103012/https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-human-geography/exam?course=ap-human-geography|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Section I (Multiple Choice): The number of questions will be reduced from 75 to 60, with increased emphasis on analyzing quantitative and qualitative sources. The time allocation for the section remains the same. 
** Section II (Free Response): Each question will now be worth 7 points.
* AP Computer Science Principles<ref>{{Cite web|title=AP Computer Science Principles Curriculum Framework 2020-2021|url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-computer-science-principles-conceptual-framework-2020-21.pdf|access-date=2020-10-14|website=AP Central|archive-date=October 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023054223/https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-computer-science-principles-conceptual-framework-2020-21.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
** The Explore Performance Task will be replaced with some multiple-choice questions, and the College Board will be releasing a new Create Task.
* AP Italian Language and Culture<ref>{{Cite web|date=2006-07-10|title=AP Italian Language and Culture Exam|url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-italian-language-and-culture/exam?course=ap-italian-language-and-culture|access-date=2020-10-14|website=AP Central|language=en|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204123445/https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-italian-language-and-culture/exam?course=ap-italian-language-and-culture|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Section I (Multiple Choice): The 65 questions will now be split into two parts with nine sets total:
*** Part A will have 30 questions and be 40 minutes long.
*** Part B will have 35 questions and be 55 minutes long.

=== 2021–2022 ===

*AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based
**Units 8-10 have been removed from the AP Physics 1 curriculum as they are covered in AP Physics 2.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-physics-1-algebra-based | title=AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based – AP Students &#124; College Board }}</ref>
*** The topics of electric charges and forces, DC circuits, and mechanical waves and sound have been removed. However, kinematics, dynamics, circular motion and gravitation, energy, momentum, simple harmonic motion, and torque and rotational motion are still covered with increased emphasis on each topic.

=== 2022–2023 ===
*AP Chemistry
**Section I (Multiple Choice): Questions will now permit the use of a calculator. The number and type of questions, as well as the section's time allocation remains the same.

=== 2023–2024 ===
*AP Precalculus
**New course added with first testing term being May 2024. The exam has two sections: 40 multiple-choice questions on the first and four free-response questions on the second.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AP Precalculus Exam – AP Central {{!}} College Board |url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-precalculus/exam |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=apcentral.collegeboard.org |language=en}}</ref>
*AP World History: Modern
**Scoring criteria for the DBQ and LEQ have changed, requiring the use of 4 or more sources for both analysis points.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AP World History: Modern Exam – AP Central {{!}} College Board |url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-world-history/exam |access-date=2023-12-17 |website=apcentral.collegeboard.org |language=en}}</ref>
*AP Computer Science Principles
**On the Create Task, the Written Responses will be replaced with a Personalized Project Reference. Then, on the end-of-course exam, after the MCQ section, there will be a new Written Response section, with 2 questions (4 prompts total) in 1 hour, worth 20% of one's score.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What are the changes to the AP CSP Create performance task for 2023-24? – AP Central {{!}} College Board |url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/help-center/what-are-changes-ap-csp-create-performance-task-2023-24 |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=apcentral.collegeboard.org |language=en}}</ref>

*AP United States Government and Politics
**College score verification year for the class, resulting in the exam being made easier and pass rate increasing by 23.8%.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Packer |first=Trevor |date=June 28, 2024 |title=Trevor Packer on X: "This year was a college score verification year for AP ... |url=https://x.com/AP_Trevor/status/1806753283727319301 |access-date=June 30, 2024 |website=X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 AP Score Distributions – AP Students {{!}} College Board |url=https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores/score-distributions |access-date=2024-06-30 |website=apstudents.collegeboard.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Student Score Distributions by Subject - May 2023 |url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-score-distributions-by-subject-2023.pdf |access-date=June 30, 2024 |website=apcentral.collegeboard.org}}</ref>

=== 2024–2025 ===
*AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based and AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=AP Physics Revisions for 2024-25 – AP Central {{!}} College Board |url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-physics/revisions-2024-25 |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=apcentral.collegeboard.org |language=en}}</ref>
**Fluids, which used to be Unit 1 in AP Physics 2, became Unit 8 in AP Physics 1.
**With Fluids no longer being in its curriculum, the section of AP Physics 2 that covered Waves and Optics was split into two units that covered the topic with more depth.
**The format of both exams changed in the same way:
***The number of MCQs decreased from 50 to 40, and the time for the section decreased from 90 minutes to 80 minutes. Multiselect questions were removed.
***The number of FRQs went down from 5 to 4, but the time for the section went up from 90 minutes to 100 minutes
*AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism<ref name=":0" />
**The format of both exams changed in the same way:
***The number of MCQs increased from 35 to 40, and the time for that section increased from 45 minutes to 80 minutes.
****Each MCQ was changed to only have 4 options, rather than 5.
***The number of FRQs increased from 3 to 4, and the time for that section increased from 45 minutes to 100 minutes.
***The exams were no longer in the same testing session.
*Several AP Exams went fully digital, including AP African American Studies, AP Art History, AP Comparative Government and Politics, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Environmental Science, AP European History, AP Human Geography, AP Latin, AP Psychology, AP Seminar, AP United States Government and Politics, AP United States History, and AP World History: Modern.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=28 AP Exams Go Digital in May 2025 – AP Central {{!}} College Board |url=https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/digital-ap-exams/28-exams-digital-2025 |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=apcentral.collegeboard.org |language=en}}</ref>
**Several other AP Exams went hybrid digital, with students completing the MCQ section and viewing the FRQ section digitally, but answering the FRQ section in paper booklets. This includes: AP Biology, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Chemistry, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Physics 1 and 2: Algebra-based, AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Precalculus, and AP Statistics. None of the remaining AP Exams experienced a change in administration.<ref name=":1" />