Below are the frequently asked questions regarding AP Exams, the College Board's website, and the logistics of test days. Please review before reaching out with questions and support needs.
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How do I figure out where my exam will be administered? Information on testing locations will be available closer to the exam dates. The dates of exams and formats are available on the College Board’s website. Additional specific information about the test day will become available as we get closer to the test dates.
Where do I get an admission ticket? Students do not need admission tickets to enter the in-person AP Exam testing facilities. However, each student does need a CURRENT picture ID, such as a school ID or a driver's license. Without a picture ID, students will not be allowed to enter the room.
When do I need to report to the testing room for in-person exams?
--> For morning exams, students need to report to the testing room at 7:30 am, and exams will begin at 8:01 am.
--> For afternoon exams, students need to report to the testing room at 12:00 pm, and afternoon exams will begin at 12:15 pm.
We encourage students to be on time for check-in since the large groups can mean a delayed check-in. Per College Board regulations, students will not be admitted to the room once the exams have begun. No exceptions. Late arrivals are considered 'no shows' and are not eligible for any refund and are not eligible for rescheduling the exam.
What if I decide not to take an exam? Can I get a refund? Students who order and pay for an exam but decide to cancel can request a refund through Total Registration. The refund policy for each school is available in Total Registration, which highlights the dates for late fees and no refunds based on dates.
How do I know when the exam is? How do I know how long the exam is? Exams are either Morning (AM) exams or Afternoon (PM) exams. On average, exams last 4 hours (this includes approximately 15 minutes spent on completing identifying information, etc.) This is calculated from the start of check-in. Students should notify coaches, parents, etc., accordingly, since no early dismissal is possible from the exam.
Exams do vary in timing based on their structure - make sure you are familiar with your exam structure before exam day (and add to the exam administration time approximately 45 minutes for check-in, instructions, and breaks.
This same policy applies to students testing with extended time. Students with extended time do not have to use all the extended time provided to them, but they must use the regular allotted exam time and cannot leave before the standard time has passed.
Do I need to excuse my absence from school during the exam? Your school will receive a copy of the attendance roster from the exam, so you will automatically be excused for the class periods that are affected by the testing. You are not excused for the entire day. You must follow your school site's protocol for checking back in when returning to campus (i.e., checking in with Attendance to get a pass. You are responsible for all school work missed during your absence for AP Exams.
What if you are ill on exam day and cannot attend the exam?
Email assessments@sduhsd.net IMMEDIATELY to request a make-up exam. There is a 24-hour rescheduling window that commences at the originally scheduled start time of your exam.
For illness, a doctor's note is required.
Include in the email your name, the name of the exam, and your campus of attendance
Make-up exams are offered May 18-May 22, 2026.
What if I finish the exam early? Can I leave early? Per the College Board's security regulations for exams, students may not leave the test until time is called and all examinees are excused together. Standard exam time is approximately 4 hours, so please be prepared to stay for the duration of the exam.
Students with extended time will test in a smaller setting, where they must use the standard exam time and cannot leave before the standard time has passed. After that time, students can be excused as they finish the exam.
If a student leaves without permission, their exam will be collected and submitted separately to the College Board. Their score will be cancelled, and no refund will be possible.
What may I bring with me to the exam room for testing? The College Board has strict guidance on what is allowed versus not allowed on the test. What is important is that students come ready for their test that day. This typically means bringing their school-issued Chromebook, fully charged, along with a charging cord. The Chromebook should be restarted the day before testing begins to ensure the current app updates. Additionally, plan for any writing portions of an exam by bringing in pens with blue or black ink, and a calculator if appropriate.
Students MAY bring water and snacks in clear containers (transparent with no labels), and carried in plastic bags. These items may be left in designated areas outside the testing area (or inside the larger facilities at a storage space). These items may not be accessed during testing, but can be accessed at the break between exams. Water bottles (clear with no labels) may be under your chair during testing.
Please note that AP classroom accounts are private to the student; teachers and coordinators cannot access this information
What if I can't log into my College Board account? Don't create a second account! Each student should have only ONE College Board account during their high school career, which houses AP, PSAT, and SAT scores and information.
Step One: Try the "forgot password" option
Step Two: College Board Account Help page and/or call College Board AP Services for Students: 888-225-5427.
What information should I enter into my College Board MyAP Profile? Please enter your FULL legal name (to correspond to school records and your school ID for check-in on exam day), as well as a personal email address that you check regularly. Please enter your SDUHSD Student ID to enable accurate exam attendance reporting to your SDUHSD school attendance office.
I don't have the Join Code to activate my exam on MyAP? What do I do? Students will receive their exam Join Codes directly from AP Course teachers at school. Join Codes are to access course resources such as tutorials and practice questions, and are teacher, subject, and class period specific.
My teacher isn't using the MyAP site for assignments or tests - will that be a problem if I am planning on taking the AP Exam? No, the resources that the College Board has created on that site are optional for teachers to use. To ensure your exam order is complete, make sure you have joined the course in MyAP and paid for the exams on Total Registration.
What if I change teachers at school? Do I need to update my account on MyAp? Yes - connect with your new teacher to see what the best way is to change it. It's important to be in the right course so you can access assignments, homework, or quizzes. It's also important for the teachers at the end of the year, since they will receive data and feedback only applicable to their own students.
What if I want to use MyAP to access items my teacher assigns as well as other resources to enable success in the school class, but I don't want to take the actual AP® Exam in May? Students should join the course through AP Classroom using the teacher’s join code. Since the exam is an optional component of the AP course, students who don’t want to take the exam can select the option not to take the exam in the AP classroom. Additionally, not paying for the exam will ensure that an exam is not ordered for you.
I changed courses and need to change the class too. What do I need to do to get into the right class section?
Ask your teacher to change your class period by having them log into myap.collegeboard.org (IF you have stayed with the same teacher)
Ask your previous teacher to remove you from the online version of the class by logging into myap.collegeboard.org and then obtaining a new Join Code from your new teacher to complete the process.
What if I changed my class period for my AP® Class at school but stayed with the same teacher? Do I need to update my account on myap.collegeboard.org? Yes, because as you know, sometimes there are variances in the work or questions teachers assign to their different class periods. You want to be in the correct one!
To change your class and JOIN a new online AP® class, you can ask your teacher to change your class period by having them log into myap.collegeboard.org and adjust.
Please contact the testing coordinator at your school IMMEDIATELY for assistance and support. You will be provided a TRANSFER JOIN code to be able to join the current school/courses. If you would like to take the exam, you will be provided with payment instructions. (Deadlines DO apply.)
Students who need to receive accommodations on their AP Exams must request approval from the College Board through a one-time request process. The deadline to ensure review of your application by the College Board before AP exams is January 16, 2026. Contact your school’s SSD coordinator for the process to submit these requests. For more information on testing locations, support, the College Board application, and more, click on Testing with Disabilities.
AP Calculus is the only exam for which the College Board does not allow concurrent administration in one calendar year. Therefore, if you choose to take an AP Calculus exam, it's important to speak with your teachers regarding which exam is the best fit for you. Most students who take BOTH the AP Calculus AB and BC courses in one school year end up taking the AP Calculus BC exam.
Payment will be for the course selected in Total Registration.
You should JOIN both the MyAP AP Calculus AB in the Fall and BC in the Spring using your teacher code to access the instructional materials. CCA and SDA students will not be able to activate the BC exam until the Spring when the course commences.
At the conclusion of registration in FEBRUARY, an email will be sent to all Calculus registrants as a reminder to review your active AP Calculus exam level to make sure the correct exam level has been ordered for you! Exam levels CANNOT be changed after March 1, 2026.
I've missed the deadline to submit payment for my AP Exam. Can I go on a waiting list? Digital exams must be pre-ordered to ensure exam security. The LAST day that the SDUHSD AP® Coordinators can originate a new order for the May 2026 exam administration is February 22, 2026.
If you are enrolled in an SDUHSD school and want to register for an exam for which you have been preparing independently, please fill out this AP Exam Waitlist Google Form. This is for a student who is not enrolled in an AP course at a school site, but is looking to request the exam as an Independent Student. Exam requests for students not enrolled in the AP course in SDUSHD schools will be reviewed and approved based on space availability, student grade level, and timeliness of the request. Due to space concerns, registration will not be open to Independent Students until students enrolled in the SDUHSD AP® courses are confirmed and Spring exam registration has closed. Please complete the Google form for more information and to request approval.
If you are NOT enrolled in an SDUHSD school and want to register for an exam to be hosted by SDUHSD, please fill out this AP Exam Waitlist Google Form to request the exam as an Independent Student. Exam requests for students not enrolled in SDUSHD schools will be reviewed and approved based on space availability, student grade level, and timeliness of the request. Due to campus safety regulations and space concerns, registration may not be open to non-SDUHSD students until students enrolled in the SDUHSD AP courses are confirmed and Spring exam registration has closed.
If an independent student is approved, they will receive a JOIN CODE for an exam-only course that is to be applied to MyAP, as well as payment instructions. For more information on how SDUHSD will handle independent student requests, please see our School Board Policy and Administrative Regulation.
I can't afford AP® Exams but would really love a chance to take them. What are my options to pursue a reduction? When registering on Total Registration for your AP exams, you will be asked the question, “Are you qualified for the Federal Free or Reduced Lunch Program?”. Answering yes to this question will flag your registration for review for a fee reduction. Once it has been reviewed, you will receive an email from Total Registration to complete the next steps. Additionally, you can connect with your school's Testing Coordinator for support.
On my college board account, it shows that under Exam Decision that I am "registered" for the exam, but I have not submitted payment, and I do not want to take the exam. What do I do? You may see the message 'Registered for Exam' when you join your AP class on MyAP, since that is the MyAP system default. Only exams that have a corresponding fee submitted will be ordered. The exam status will automatically be changed to 'NO, Not Testing' if no payment is submitted by the payment deadline. BOTH exam activation AND payment are needed to complete an active order.
What if I have more than one exam scheduled for the same day and time? What if I have two exams scheduled on the same day? The College Board makes provisions for students who would like to register to take two exams that are scheduled at the EXACT same time and date. Your school district will review the number of students per exam in the conflicting situation and assign you to a late test for one of the exams based on space and demand. The College Board determines the late test dates. Unfortunately, you would not be eligible for late testing if you are taking two exams back-to-back (i.e., one in the morning and one in the afternoon).