AP Computer Science Principles exam-day guide
AP Computer Science Principles · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID
Bring a current, government-issued photo ID. Acceptable forms vary by testing site; if you are unsure whether your ID qualifies, confirm with your school's AP coordinator or the testing provider before exam day.
Admission ticket / exam confirmation
If your school or testing provider issues an admission ticket or confirmation, bring it. Whether one is required depends on the site, so confirm with your AP coordinator or provider.
Two No. 2 pencils and two pens
Bring several sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers and a couple of blue or black pens. Have a backup for each.
Approved calculator
A graphing calculator is allowed on the AP CSP exam. Confirm the current approved calculator list and any site-specific rules with your teacher or the provider, since policies can change.
Spare batteries or backup calculator
Bring fresh batteries or a second approved calculator so a dead device does not cost you time.
Analog watch
A simple watch helps you pace yourself if the room clock is hard to see. Confirm with the provider whether smartwatches or any wrist devices are restricted.
Snack and water
Bring a light snack and water for before or after the exam. Confirm whether food and drink are allowed in the testing room.
Know your APCSP Create Task status
Confirm with your teacher that your Create performance task has been submitted and that any required personalized project reference is complete, since submission logistics are set by your school.
Review the exam format
Know the section structure and timing for the current year. The format has changed across years, so confirm the exact section count, question types, and time limits with your teacher or the official course description.
Plan your arrival and route
Know the test location, start time, and how long it takes to get there. Arrive early; confirm the site's late-arrival policy with the provider.
Rest and normal routine
Sleep well and eat a normal breakfast. Do not cram new material in the final hours.
Leave prohibited items at home
Leave phones, smartwatches, and other electronics out of the testing room unless the provider says otherwise. Confirm the exact prohibited-items list with your coordinator.
Plan the day
Confirm logistics: test location, start time, ID requirements, and approved calculator. Re-read the official exam description for the current year so your section and timing expectations are correct. Do a light review of big ideas (creative development, data, algorithms and programming, computer systems and networks, impact of computing), focusing on concepts you have missed in practice.
Do a timed practice set or two under exam-like conditions, then review errors. Practice reading pseudocode and tracing loops and conditionals by hand, since you cannot run code during the exam.
Pack your bag: ID, admission materials, pencils, pens, approved calculator, spare batteries, watch, snack, water. Lay out clothes. Do one short review of formulas, vocabulary, and common traps, then stop. Get a full night of sleep.
Eat breakfast, hydrate, and arrive early. Leave your phone and other electronics stowed per the provider's rules. Take a few calm breaths and skim your one-page summary of key ideas if you brought one.
Listen carefully to proctor instructions and read all directions. Budget your time by section; do not let one hard question consume the clock. For multiple-choice, eliminate wrong options, flag uncertain items, and return to them if time allows. For pseudocode questions, trace variables step by step on scratch paper. For scenario and impact questions, identify what the question is really asking (for example, which benefit or which risk) before choosing.
If a question seems ambiguous, choose the best-supported answer and move on. Use any allowed breaks to reset; confirm break rules with the proctor. In the final minutes, make sure every question has an answer and that any flagged items you can reasonably resolve are addressed.
Rules to check
Bring and present the ID your testing site requires. Accepted forms vary by provider, so confirm the exact ID policy with your AP coordinator or testing provider before exam day.
Follow all proctor instructions about starting, stopping, and sealing materials. Do not open any section before you are told to begin.
Keep phones, smartwatches, and other electronics out of the testing room unless the provider explicitly permits them. Confirm the prohibited-items list with your coordinator.
Use only an approved calculator. Confirm the current approved list and any site-specific restrictions with your teacher or provider.
Breaks and room departures are governed by the proctor and provider. Ask the proctor before leaving the room, and confirm the break policy in advance.
Do not communicate with other examinees about exam content during the exam or during breaks. Follow the provider's academic-integrity rules.
Scoring and score reporting timelines are set by the provider. Confirm how and when scores are released, and how the Create performance task contributes to your score, with your teacher or the official provider materials.
If you must miss or reschedule the exam, do not assume a make-up is available. Confirm the late-testing and make-up policy with your AP coordinator or provider as early as possible.