At a glance
- 2027 exam
- Monday, May 3, 2027, afternoon session
- Length
- 3 hours
- Format
- 60 multiple choice + 6 free response
- Delivery
- Hybrid: Bluebook + handwritten free response
- Fee outside US/Canada
- $129 per exam (2026-27)
AP Biology exam format
| Section | Questions | Time | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I: multiple choice | 60 (single questions and sets of 4 to 5 on shared data) | 1 hour 30 minutes | 50% |
| Section II: long free response | 2 (9 points each): interpret and evaluate experimental results, one with graphing | 1 hour 30 minutes for all six | 50% for all six |
| Section II: short free response | 4 (4 points each): scientific investigation, conceptual analysis, analysis of a model or visual, analysis of data |
Source: AP Central exam page, checked 6 October 2026. A calculator is permitted and a formula sheet is provided.
The eight units and their multiple-choice weighting
| Unit | Multiple-choice weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Chemistry of Life | 8 to 11% |
| 2. Cells | 10 to 13% |
| 3. Cellular Energetics | 12 to 16% |
| 4. Cell Communication and Cell Cycle | 10 to 15% |
| 5. Heredity | 8 to 11% |
| 6. Gene Expression and Regulation | 12 to 16% |
| 7. Natural Selection | 13 to 20% |
| 8. Ecology | 10 to 15% |
Where students lose points
AP Biology is less about memorizing facts than students expect. Most questions give an unfamiliar experiment, graph or model and ask the student to apply a concept to it. A student who knows the steps of cellular respiration but cannot predict what happens to ATP production when a given inhibitor blocks the electron transport chain will struggle.
The long free-response questions reward experimental reasoning: identifying the independent and dependent variables, a control, a null hypothesis, and justifying a prediction. Graphing is scored strictly, including the correct graph type, labeled axes with units, appropriate scale and error bars when data include them. Statistics also appear: chi-square tests in genetics and the meaning of standard error and confidence intervals.
Command words matter. 'Describe', 'explain' and 'justify' each ask for something different, and an answer that describes when the question asks for an explanation (the why) scores nothing for that part.
How one-to-one AP Biology lessons help
A tutor who teaches AP Biology spends less time re-explaining content and more time on application: here is a new data set, what does it show, what would you change in the experiment, what is your claim and evidence? Your child writes short answers in lessons and the tutor marks them against released College Board scoring guidelines, so feedback is about the exact words that earn points.
Heavy units, especially cellular energetics, gene expression and natural selection, get extra time, and the tutor keeps a running list of the question types your child misses most so revision is targeted rather than a reread of the textbook.
When to start
Because the AP Biology exam falls on the first day of the AP window, schools often finish the course in a rush in April. Starting in the fall lets the tutor keep pace with the class and build data-analysis skills steadily. A January start still allows a full cycle of free-response practice. If your child took high school biology without much lab work, early lessons should focus on experimental design, which AP assumes.
Common questions
When is the AP Biology exam in 2027?
Monday, May 3, 2027, in the afternoon session. College Board has changed start times in some locations from 2027, so check the local time with your school's AP coordinator.
Is a calculator allowed on the AP Biology exam?
Yes, an approved calculator is permitted, and a formula sheet is provided, including the chi-square formula and critical values table.
Is AP Biology mostly memorization?
No. Content knowledge is needed, but most points come from applying it to unfamiliar experiments, data and models, and from writing clear explanations.
Should my child take high school biology before AP Biology?
College Board recommends high school biology and chemistry first. AP Biology starts with the chemistry of life, so students without basic chemistry find Unit 1 and Unit 3 harder.
How much do AP Biology lessons cost with LiveTutor?
$15 a lesson, the same rate for every subject, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons a week billed monthly. The first lesson is a free trial.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.