What is AP Biology?

AP Biology is a course taken by high school students in order to gain credit for introductory college level biology courses. Taking the course itself is not enough to gain college level credit. Students enrolled in the AP Biology course must also take the AP Biology exam. Most colleges will give credit toward entry level biology courses for students who earn a score of 3 or better on the exam.

The AP Biology course and exam are offered by the College Board. This examination board manages standardized tests in the United States. In addition to Advanced Placement tests, the College Board also manages the SAT, PSAT, and College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests.

How can I enroll in an AP Biology course?

Enrollment in this course is dependent upon the qualifications set up by your high school. Some schools may only allow you to enroll in the course if you have taken and preformed well in prerequisite classes. Others may allow you to enroll in the AP Biology course without having taken prerequisite classes. It is important to note that this course is fast paced and designed to be at a college level. Anyone wishing to take this course should be prepared to work hard and spend time in class, as well as outside of class, in order to do well in this course.

What topics will be covered in an AP Biology course?

The AP Biology course will cover several biology topics. Some topics in the course and on the exam will be covered more extensively than others. Topics covered in the course include, but are not limited to:

Cells and Cellular Reactions
Genetics and Heredity
Molecular Biology
Anatomy and Physiology
Evolution
Ecology

The College Board has a topic outline of the AP Biology course that also indicates the percentage of the course and exam that will be devoted to each topic.

Will the AP Biology course include labs?

The AP Biology course includes 12 lab exercises that are designed to aid in your understanding and mastery of the topics covered in the course. Topics covered in the labs include:

Lab 1: Diffusion & Osmosis
Lab 2: Enzyme Catalysis
Lab 3: Mitosis & Meiosis
Lab 4: Plant Pigments & Photosynthesis
Lab 5: Cell Respiration
Lab 6: Molecular Biology
Lab 7: Genetics of Organisms
Lab 8: Population Genetics
Lab 9: Transpiration
Lab 10: Circulatory Physiology
Lab 11: Animal Behavior
Lab 12: Dissolved Oxygen

The Biology Place has some great lab activities on their LabBench Activities page designed to help you better understand lab material taught in AP Biology courses.

AP Biology Exam

The AP Biology exam itself lasts about three hours and contains two sections. The first section is all multiple-choice and counts for 60% of the exam grade. There are 100 questions in the first section of the AP Biology exam. The second section contains four essay questions. There is a required reading period before the student can begin writing the essays. The second section counts for 40% of the exam grade.

The grading scale for this exam is from 1 to 5. Earning credit for a college level biology course depends on the standards set by each individual institution, but typically a score of 3 to 5 will be sufficient to gain credit.

AP Biology Resources

Preparing for the AP Biology exam can be stressful. There are several books and study guides available that can help you get ready for the exam. Visit the Top Five AP Biology Books page, which contains resources that are sure to help you score high on the AP Biology exam.

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