How long is the AP Computer Science A exam?
The AP Computer Science A exam is 3 hours long. Section I has 42 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes and counts for 55% of your score. Section II has 4 free-response questions in 90 minutes, where you write Java code, and counts for 45%. In 2027 the exam is on Wednesday, May 12, in Session 2, and it is fully digital in the Bluebook app.
In more detail
Section I gives you about 2 minutes 10 seconds per question (90 minutes for 42). It is mostly individual questions, with one or two sets of two questions that share code. It tests all five computational thinking practices, from reading code to analyzing it. Wrong answers are not penalized, so answer every question.
Section II gives you about 22 minutes per question (90 minutes for 4), and every question asks you to write code. Question 1 is methods and control structures (2 methods, or 1 constructor and 1 method, and one part uses String methods). Question 2 is class design: you write a class from a specification. Question 3 is data analysis with an ArrayList. Question 4 is a 2D array.
The exam is fully digital, so you read the questions and type your Java in Bluebook. The Java Quick Reference, the list of library methods that can appear on the exam, is built into Bluebook. In 2027 the exam is on Wednesday, May 12, in Session 2, usually the afternoon. Check-in and instructions come on top of the 3 hours, and approved accommodations such as extended time make the sitting longer.
AP Computer Science A exam timing (College Board, 2027)
| Section | Questions | Time | Share of score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I: multiple choice | 42 | 1 h 30 min | 55% |
| Section II: free response (write Java code) | 4 | 1 h 30 min | 45% |
| Total | 46 | 3 h | 100% |
Step by step
- 1
Install Bluebook and run a test preview on the device you will use before exam day.
- 2
Take one full practice exam in one sitting: 90 minutes of multiple choice, then 90 minutes of free response.
- 3
Pace multiple choice at about 2 minutes per question, and trace code by hand on scratch paper for the tricky ones.
- 4
Give each free-response question about 22 minutes: read the whole specification first, then write your method.
- 5
Practice the four free-response types so none is new on exam day: methods and control structures, class design, ArrayList, 2D array.
- 6
Score your answers with the official scoring guidelines and review the topics behind your misses.
How StudyPDF helps
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See also
More questions
How many questions are on the AP Computer Science A exam?
46 in total: 42 multiple-choice questions in Section I and 4 free-response questions in Section II.
Is the AP Computer Science A exam on paper or digital?
Fully digital. You answer every question in the Bluebook testing app, and the Java Quick Reference is included in Bluebook.
Do it on your own course
Upload your lectures and ask Bo. Cited answers, plus flashcards, exams, and more built from your material.