AP Action Plan for the School Year

We’re here to help you stay on track in your AP courses. Follow this annual action plan to get the most out of your AP experience.

Fall

It’s Going to Be a Great Year—You've Got This!

Join Your Class Section Online

• Your AP teachers will provide you with a unique join code for each of your AP classes. To join your class section, sign in to My AP with your College Board login information, click the Join a Course or Exam button, and enter the unique code your teacher gave you. You’ll then have access to free AP resources and tools, including AP Classroom.

Explore AP Classroom

• Log in to My AP to access AP Classroom. There you’ll find course resources like AP Daily videos and assignments from your teacher.
• Use AP Daily videos to preview or review what you’re studying in class. These short, mobile-friendly videos provide targeted support to help you build the knowledge and skills you’ll need for your AP Exam.
• Ask your teachers how they’ll be using AP Classroom during the school year. If they assign Topic Questions and Progress Checks, you can track your learning in the Assignments and Reports section of AP Classroom.

Take Charge of Your Learning

• Follow along with your teachers’ lessons and assignments—it’s the best way to stay on track.
• Ask questions along the way. This will help you absorb and remember the material you’re learning and helps you to develop skills like critical thinking and problem-solving.
• Form study groups with your friends and classmates.
• Follow @APforStudents on Twitter for encouragement, tips, and reminders from the AP Program.

Register for Your AP Exams

• Ask your AP teacher or coordinator about your school’s AP Exam registration deadline and any exam fees, as well as if you’re eligible for a fee reduction.
• Review these reasons to commit to taking your AP Exams. Nearly all colleges offer credit for qualifying scores for the most popular AP courses.
• Remember: 2 out of 3 AP students earn some college credit in high school.

Winter

Keep Up the Great Work—Persistence Is Key!

Stay Engaged with Your Coursework

• Refresh your knowledge and skills by watching AP Daily videos and completing any practice assignments your teacher has created in AP Classroom.
• Check out the University Faculty Lectures in AP Classroom to get a sense of what it would feel like to take a college class in a subject you’re interested in.  Log in to one of your AP courses in AP Classroom, click on the Course Guide section in the left navigation pane, select the Overview tab, and then expand the Student Resources section to see a list of lectures available for that course.
• If this is your first time taking an AP Exam knowing what to expect on exam day can help you stay engaged with your coursework throughout the year. Create a study plan that works for you so that you can feel confident on test day.

Choose Your AP Courses for Next Year

• Now’s the time to start thinking about which AP courses you want to take next fall. These tools and resources will help you choose the course that’s best for you. Did you know that there are 39 AP courses ranging from social sciences to the arts, to STEM subjects and more? Meet with your school counselor to find out which classes are available at your school and check out this blog post on how to pick AP courses.
• Match college majors and careers with AP courses that can help you reach your future career goals.

Spring

You’re Almost There—Finish the Year Strong!

Review Course Content and Skills to Prepare for Your AP Exams

Use these free resources to get ready:

• Access the full AP Daily collection and watch a variety of review sessions led by experienced AP teachers
• Download FRQs (free-response questions) and review sample student responses and scoring guidelines from previous exams on the About the Exam tab of your course page on the AP Students site.

Take Your AP Exams

• AP Exams are administered every May—find yours on the schedule.
• No matter your score, taking an AP course and exam shows colleges you’ve persisted through challenging coursework. Learn all the ways you’ll benefit from taking an AP Exam.

Activate Your Free Score Send

• If you’re interested in a particular college, university, or scholarship organization select the school you want to receive your free AP score report. This is an important step to ensure you get the college credit you’ve earned.
• You have until mid-June to send your AP Exam scores to the college, university, or scholarship organization of your choice.
• Use this tool to look up all credit and placement policies for every college.

Summer

You Worked Hard—Relax and Enjoy Your Summer!

• Keep these 5 tips in mind as you prepare for the next school year.
• AP test scores are typically released in July. Make sure your account is up to date before finishing the school year and review how to send your scores.
• You must use your free score send by mid-June to send your AP Exam scores to the college, university, or scholarship organization of your choice.

 If you have any questions about AP along the way, check out AP Students.