AP Biology
Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.
Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.
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Study the core scientific principles, theories, and processes that govern living organisms and biological systems. You’ll do hands-on laboratory work to investigate natural phenomena.
Designing experiments and procedures to test a prediction or theory
Collecting and analyzing data
Interpreting data to draw conclusions
Developing and supporting a scientific claim with evidence
A two-semester college introductory biology course for biology majors
High school courses in biology and chemistry
Wed, May 10, 2023,
12 PM Local
This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP Biology Exam.
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
You’ll learn about water’s role as the basis of life and the functions of macromolecules like lipids and proteins.
Topics may include:
8%–11% of exam score
You’ll study the makeup of cells and the fundamentals of evolution.
Topics may include:
10%–13% of exam score
You’ll explore how cells interact with their environment and how fundamental biological processes work at the cellular level.
Topics may include:
12%–16% of exam score
You’ll learn how cells grow and reproduce, as well as how cells communicate.
Topics may include:
10%–15% of exam score
You’ll learn how traits are passed down from one generation to the next.
Topics may include:
8%-11% of exam score
You’ll study how hereditary information passes from parent to offspring and how those traits are expressed.
Topics may include:
12%-16% of exam score
You’ll learn about Darwin’s theory, the concept of natural selection, and evolution.
Topics may include:
13%-20% of exam score
You’ll explore biological concepts at a broader organism level and analyze how populations interact within ecosystems.
Topics may include:
10%-15% of exam score
Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.
AP Classroom Resources
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AP Biology Lab Manual
See an overview of the manual that supports AP Biology laboratory investigations and learn how to order a copy.
AP Biology Course and Exam Description
This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and AP Program in general.
AP Biology can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors