About the Exams

Introduction

The AP economic exams are standardized tests that gauge your knowledge of economics. Performing well on the test shows your great grasp of economic concepts, making you, your teacher, your parents, and possibly your university admissions officer happy.

AP separates microeconomics and macroeconomics into two different tests with the same structure. In this article we will look into the structure, scores, and some advice for the test, hopefully helping you feel more ready for the real deal.

Let's Look at the Scores First

The AP tests are graded on a 1-5 scale. A 5 means you’re extremely well qualified, a 4 well qualified, a 3 qualified, a 2 possibly qualified, and 1 no recommendation.

Colleges often give credit for scores of 3s and higher. However, it is ideal for you to get a 4 or 5. This is especially due to the two courses being considered easier APs, so doing well is important.

On the side is an image containing the score distributions for some social science AP exams, you will find the two econ subjects near the bottom. The source for the info is here: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores/score-distributions.

The Structure of the Exam

For both tests, the test is broken down into the MCQ and FRQ portions.

MCQs come first and account for 66% of the exam score. You have 1 hour and 10 minutes to do 60 questions. That means you have approximately 1 minute and 10 seconds to complete each question.

FRQs come second, accounting for 33% of the exam score. You have 1 hour to complete 3 questions, with a 10-minute reading period (you can start answering questions through it). The first FRQ is longer and worth 50% of the FRQs, and the other two are shorter and worth 25% each.

What to Bring

Pencils for MCQs.
Erasers.
Pens are required for FRQs. It might be a good idea to avoid erasable variants and DO NOT bring whiteout, just cross errors out.
Water (only accessible during breaks).
Four-function calculators.

Notes and Tips

Don’t get stuck on questions. Put down an answer, remember the number, and move on. Come back later if there is time.
When reviewing, don’t ignore FRQs. MCQ practice is a lot more convenient and easier to find resources online, but don’t forget about FRQs!
For the MCQs, use the space on your packet to visualize your thoughts. Being able to cross things out, draw, and do manual calculations is helpful for getting your thoughts in order.
Put your final MCQ answers on the bubble sheet.

TL;DR

Microeconomics and macroeconomics are separated into two AP exams with the same structure.
MCQs come first and account for 66% of the exam score. You have 1 hour and 10 minutes to do 60 questions.
FRQs come second, accounting for 33% of the exam score. You have 1 hour to complete 3 questions.