Earlier this year, the College Board made a major announcement about the AP exam experience in 2025: tests would be shifting from traditional paper-based exams to digital format. This change is a big deal and will transform the way students take and submit their exams, aiming to make testing more efficient and secure.
But the move to digital isn’t the only update to occur. In addition to the new exam process, the College Board also implemented adjustments to specific AP courses and their exams to better align with modern educational needs. These updates include reorganized content, revised learning objectives, and clearer language across courses like AP Physics and AP Chemistry.
If you’re an AP student or planning to take AP courses, it’s crucial to understand these changes so you can stay ahead and be fully prepared. Read on to learn more about these updates and discover how they affect your overall AP experience.
Shift from paper to digital AP exams
Starting in May 2025, the College Board will discontinue standard paper testing for 28 AP exams. The shift to digital exams was fast-tracked in response to several attempts by students to cheat on the exam. In particular, an increased number of students purchased stolen exam materials, causing the cancellation of exams. The College Board believes traditional paper AP tests are more at risk for cheating and getting stolen. Switching to digital testing has other benefits, too, like making the whole process smoother and easier (no more filling in lengthy bubble sheets!). Below is an overview of the courses that are switching to the digital format.
Fully online exams
The College Board offers a total of 39 AP courses and corresponding exams. Of those, the following 16 exams will be administered fully online beginning May 2025:
- AP African American Studies (U.S. schools only)
- AP Art History
- AP Comparative Government and Politics
- AP Computer Science
- AP Computer Science Principles
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP English Literature and Composition
- AP Environmental Science
- AP European History
- AP Human Geography
- AP Latin
- AP Psychology
- AP Seminar
- AP United States Government and Politics
- AP United States History
- AP World History: Modern
Hybrid exams
In addition, 12 exams will be offered partially online. Students will be required to complete multiple-choice questions and view free-response questions online, but the response to free-response will be written on paper.
- AP Biology
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Calculus BC
- AP Chemistry
- AP Macroeconomics
- AP Microeconomics
- AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based
- AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based
- AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
- AP Physics C: Mechanics
- AP Precalculus
- AP Statistics
What to expect from the new exam format(s)
The shift to digital AP exams is a significant change in how you’ll complete and submit your tests. Here’s what you need to know:
- You’ll be able to take your AP exams on Mac or Windows computers, iPads, and Chromebooks, provided through your school.
- You only need to connect to the internet at the beginning and end of your exam, so you won’t have to worry about staying online the whole time.
- The testing platform, Bluebook, will handle the timing for you and automatically submit your answers once the exam is over.
- The platform can support students who have requested extra time or other accommodations.
- The College Board is offering plenty of chances to practice, like practice AP exams and videos that walk you through the features of Bluebook. Make sure to get comfortable with the Bluebook platform by taking advantage of practice tests and walkthroughs well ahead of exam day.
As long as you follow these tips (and double-check the technical requirements with your school to ensure a smooth testing experience and avoid last-minute stress) you should feel confident about the new digital format of AP exams. The new platform has been designed to make the testing experience as smooth as possible, with features that are easy to navigate. With digital previews and sample exams, you can prepare for your AP test!
Changes to AP courses
Apart from the shift to digital exams, changes have been made to three AP courses to be aware of: AP Psychology, AP Physics, and AP Chemistry. While not as significant as the digital change, these adjustments aim to better align the courses with current educational standards and help students prepare more effectively for college-level work. Let’s take a deep dive and look at the changes for each.
Accelerating Our Transition to Digital AP Exams – All Access | College Board
AP Psychology
AP Psychology has been divided into five themes: biological, cognitive, developmental, social and personality, and mental and physical health. These themes were created to match the guidelines from the American Psychological Association for introductory psychology courses.
Before this change, the AP course had several content themes that were not organized into distinct categories. Along with the restructuring, topics like health and positive psychology have been added to make the course more relevant and engaging for students.
Along with the curriculum changes, the exam will be given online and will have fewer multiple-choice questions, each with only four answer choices instead of five. It will also now include two free-response questions giving you the chance to demonstrate your understanding and apply what you’ve learned in a more meaningful way.
Looking for a counselor’s advice? To succeed in the updated AP Psychology course, consider studying how concepts interconnect across the five new themes. This integrated approach can enhance your understanding and help you apply knowledge effectively in the free-response section of the exam.
AP Physics
The College Board announced changes to the four AP Physics courses they offer: AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C: Mechanics, and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. While not every single change is listed here, the most significant for each is listed:
I. AP Physics 1
- 8 units—an increase from 7.
- Fluids (previously Unit 1 of AP Physics 2) is now Unit 8 of AP Physics 1.
II. AP Physics 2
- Includes a full treatment of waves covering topics like mechanical waves, standing waves, sound waves, and the Doppler effect, which were previously part of AP Physics 1.
- What used to be Unit 6: Geometric and Physical Optics has been split into two separate units: Geometric Optics (now Unit 13) and Waves, Sound, and Physical Optics (now Unit 14).
III. AP Physics C: Mechanics
No content changes have been made to this course, however, the College Board has updated the wording to be consistent across all four AP Physics courses. For example, the learning objective for Newton’s Third Law now uses the same language as it does in AP Physics 1. This update is just about making the language clearer and more uniform, so it’s easier to follow and understand across different AP Physics classes.
IV. AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Similarly, AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism has not undergone any content changes, but like Mechanics, it has benefited from consistent language across the four courses. For example, the learning objective for Ohm’s law now uses the same language as AP Physics 2.
AP Physics Exams
Along with the changes to the content of the AP courses, the corresponding exams have also been revised including changes to the time to complete, adding new question types, and changes to the number of multiple-choice and free-response questions. If you’d like to review the detailed changes to all four AP Physics courses, see the College Board’s website.
Our advice? With the addition of new units and a more detailed structure, plan your study schedule to include extra time for these expanded sections. Make use of updated review materials and practice tests that reflect these changes to stay prepared.
AP Chemistry
Some minor changes have also been made to AP Chemistry to make your experience smoother and more engaging. What should you do? Take time to familiarize yourself with the revised equation sheet to navigate it quickly during the exam. Also, adapt your study plan to the new topic sequence to build a logical flow in understanding complex concepts.
Here’s an overview of the changes:
- New Titles: Four units and six topics have been renamed to better reflect what you’ll be learning, making it easier to understand the content.
- Better Sequence: The order of Topics 7.13 (pH and Solubility) and 7.14 (Free Energy of Dissolution) has been changed.
- Improved Equation Sheet: The equation sheet has gotten a makeover. It is better organized and more consistent with other AP science courses.
- Simplified Framework: Some concepts, like big ideas and enduring understandings, have been removed to streamline the curriculum.
- Updated Learning Goals: The learning objectives, essential knowledge statements, and skills have been revised to align with the new topics and to make everything clearer.
These changes have been made to help you to succeed in the class and on the exam. For more details, you can check out the College Board’s official announcement!
How to thrive in AP classes in 2025
These updates to AP courses and exams are designed to make your learning experience accessible, clearer, more engaging, and better aligned with educational standards. The shift to digital exams and updates to the course are all about helping you succeed. Make sure to explore the resources provided by the College Board on AP courses and exams and discuss with your teacher or counselor which AP classes are the best fit for your goals.
As you navigate these changes, early preparation will be key to staying ahead. Consider joining study groups or online forums to discuss new content and share resources. This collaborative approach can provide extra support and insight as you adapt to the new AP course structures and digital exam format.
Finally, remember that you can always ask Empowerly for help. Our team spends on average 25x more time with students than the average high school counselor. We can help you navigate the changes to AP, and beyond.
Madeleine Karydes
Sophia Minhas