The AP Computer Science Principles Exam assesses student understanding of the computational thinking practices and learning objectives outlined in the course framework. The exam consists of the Create performance task and an end-of-course AP Exam. The Create performance task requires at least 12 hours of dedicated class time for students to complete. The end-of course exam is 2 hours long and includes 70 multiple-choice questions.
The multiple-choice section will include three different types of questions (in the following order on the exam): single-select questions, single-select questions with a reading passage about a computing innovation, and multi-select questions. As part of the exam, students will be given the Exam Reference Sheet, which contains both block-based and text-based programming constructs and establishes a common way to communicate programming concepts for the purpose of the exam. The details of the exam, including weighting and timing, can be found below:
Section I. Multiple Choice, 70 questions, 70% of score, 120 minutes
Single-select (57 questions)
Single-select with reading passage about a computing innovation (5 questions)
Multi-select (8 questions)
Section II. Create Performance Task (1 question, 30% of score, at least 12 hours of class)
The AP Exam assesses each of the five big ideas of the course with the following weighting on the multiple choice section:
Section 1: Creative Development (10-13% of exam)
Section 2: Data (17-22% of exam)
Section 3: Algorithms and Programming (30-35% of exam)
Section 4: Computer Systems and Networks (11-15% of exam)
Section 5: Impact of Computing (21-26% of exam)
Questions in Sections 1, 2, and 3 can be represented as algorithms (with no program code) or as program code using the Exam Reference Sheet. The program code questions will contain some graphical representations, some of which use robots in a grid.