Top Q's Rookie Plan The AP Test AP Resources Misc Questions
The AP Test
Q: What topics are on the test?
A: Here’s the official course description (link on top of the page).
Also note the new Teacher’s Guide! Sample syllabii and so much more!
Q: Are students allowed 2 calculators during the test?
A: Yes.
Q: Are highlighters allowed during the test?
A: No. (ETS’ rationale (we think): it would make cheating easier.)
Q: Are calculator memories cleared before the test?
A: No.
Here is the official calculator policy and here is an article I wrote for College Board about this issue.
This means that it is up to the teacher to discourage the typing of crib-notes into the calculator. While this is not ideal, it is the best we have. Especially given that some extra programs are allowed (keep reading).
Q: What extra programs are allowed?
A: Any program that exists on another legal calculator.
•CatalogHelp, a handy program for the 83/84 is very helpful and legal. It tells students what order to type in the variables into commands like normalcdf. The latest version of the TI-84 operating system incorporated a feature called Stats Wizard that improves the menus.
•Programs like t-inverse and chi-square goodness-of-fit are legal because they are on the 84+, but not on the 83.
Q: What about the formula sheets?
A: They are provided for the whole exam: multiple choice and free response.
Q: How do I get the old exams?
A: The free response problems are online here. The 2002 and 2007 multiple choice questions must be purchased. You can download the full '97 exam and audit exam for free.
Q: How can I see the FR questions by topic?
A: AP Central has one, I have another. Dave Thiel wrote a document that includes all FR, all MC, even the 08 audit exam!: AP Stat Exam to Topic Correlation 2008.pdf
Q: What’s the scoop on the extra practice exam provided through the audit?
A: It’s hard! Use the cut-scores from the ’07 exam, or maybe even a little more generous! And don’t trust it to be secure. The exam has been out for a few years, so the answers are “out there”. Your best bet is to not tell students which exam you will use for a practice test. The most recent advice from the list is that the MC are useful and good, but that the FR are not well written. You might consider using a different set of FRQ's for a practice exam. There are lots!