AP exam prep, one unit at a time.
Turn your class notes into flashcards unit by unit, review them all year with spaced repetition, and walk into May already knowing the material.
AP at a glance
- Run by
- College Board
- When
- Every May, over two weeks
- Courses
- About 40 AP subjects
- Score
- 1 to 5
- College credit
- Many colleges give credit for a 3 or higher; policies vary
- Format
- Many exams are digital in the Bluebook app
| Exam | Sections | Length |
|---|---|---|
| AP Biology | 60 multiple choice + 6 free response | 3 hours |
| AP Calculus AB | 45 multiple choice + 6 free response | 3 hours 15 minutes |
| AP US History | 55 multiple choice, 3 short answer, 1 DBQ, 1 long essay | 3 hours 15 minutes |
Your AP syllabus map
Use this topic overview to plan revision. Check the official syllabus for complete coverage and current requirements.
AP Biology
- Chemistry of life
- Cell structure and function
- Cellular energetics
- Cell communication and cell cycle
- Heredity
- Gene expression and regulation
- Natural selection
- Ecology
AP Calculus AB
- Limits and continuity
- Differentiation: definition and properties
- Differentiation: composite, implicit and inverse functions
- Contextual applications of differentiation
- Analytical applications of differentiation
- Integration and accumulation of change
- Differential equations
- Applications of integration
AP US History
- Period 1: 1491–1607
- Period 2: 1607–1754
- Period 3: 1754–1800
- Period 4: 1800–1848
- Period 5: 1844–1877
- Period 6: 1865–1898
- Period 7: 1890–1945
- Period 8: 1945–1980
- Period 9: 1980–present
Your AP study plan
Choose the course before the revision plan
AP Biology, Calculus and US History require different skills. Open the official course page and match each revision block to a unit and task type.
Practice explanations as well as recall
For Biology, connect a claim to evidence. For Calculus, justify the method. For history, connect a source to its context and explain how it supports an argument.
Official AP resources
Papyrus is an independent study tool. Use the exam authority for current notices and complete requirements.
AP sample questions
Original practice questions, not official exam papers.
Cellular energetics
Where do the light reactions of photosynthesis take place?
- Stroma
- Thylakoid membranes
- Mitochondrial matrix
- Cytoplasm
Check answer
Right. The thylakoid membranes. The Calvin cycle runs in the stroma.
Differentiation
What is the derivative of x·sin x?
- cos x
- sin x + x cos x
- x cos x
- sin x − x cos x
Check answer
Right. d/dx (x sin x) = sin x + x cos x.
Period 7
Which amendment gave women the right to vote?
- 13th
- 15th
- 19th
- 21st
Check answer
Right. The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920.
How Papyrus helps with AP
Flashcards from your own material
Upload class notes, textbook chapters or review books. Papyrus writes flashcards and schedules each one to come back just before you would forget it.
An AI tutor for doubts
Select any line in your notes and ask Papyrus AI to explain it. Answers show the page they came from.
A plan for today
Due cards, goals with hours left and focus blocks sit on one path. Finish it and your streak grows.
AP questions students ask
- When are AP exams held?
- Every May, over two weeks. Your school or an authorized test center registers you.
- How are AP exams scored?
- On a scale of 1 to 5. Many colleges give credit or placement for a 3 or higher, but each college sets its own policy.
- Are AP exams digital?
- Many AP exams are now taken in the Bluebook app, and some are still on paper or hybrid. Check the College Board page for your subject.
- How does Papyrus help with AP prep?
- Upload class notes as you go, and Papyrus writes flashcards for each unit and reviews them with spaced repetition until May. Ask Papyrus AI to check a free-response answer.
- Is Papyrus free for AP students?
- Yes. The Free plan includes goals, the focus timer and streaks. Flashcards from your own PDFs and the AI tutor are part of Pro, at $3.99 a month.