AP Biology Practice Tests

Here are some details about the AP Biology exam:

  1. Exam Format:
    • Multiple-Choice Section: This section consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, accounting for 50% of the exam score. Students have 90 minutes to complete this section.
    • Free-Response Section: This section includes both short-answer and long-answer questions. It consists of six questions, accounting for 50% of the exam score. Students have 90 minutes to complete this section.
  2. Content Topics:
    The AP Biology exam covers a wide range of biology topics, including but not limited to:

    • Cellular processes (cellular respiration, photosynthesis, cell cycle, etc.)
    • Genetics and heredity (Mendelian genetics, DNA replication, gene expression, etc.)
    • Evolutionary biology (natural selection, speciation, evidence for evolution, etc.)
    • Ecology (ecosystem dynamics, population ecology, biomes, etc.)
    • Biochemistry (macromolecules, enzymes, metabolic pathways, etc.)
    • Plant and animal structure and function (plant anatomy, animal physiology, etc.)
  3. Science Practices:
    The AP Biology exam focuses on developing and assessing students' understanding and application of scientific practices, including:

    • Designing and conducting experiments and investigations
    • Analyzing and evaluating scientific data and results
    • Applying mathematical and statistical analysis to biological concepts
    • Writing clear, concise, and well-structured scientific explanations and arguments
    • Applying biological knowledge to real-world scenarios and problems
  4. Laboratory Requirement:
    The AP Biology course includes a strong laboratory component, and the exam reflects this emphasis. Students are expected to have hands-on experience in conducting experiments, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions. The free-response section often includes questions that require students to design experiments, analyze data sets, or interpret experimental results.
  5. Scoring:
    The AP Biology exam is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. The multiple-choice section is scored by a computer, while the free-response section is scored by trained AP Biology teachers and college professors. The scores are then combined to determine the overall exam score.