After years of class work, you’re now ready to take the AP German exam and get a head start on those college credits. However, the AP German test is not like your typical finals exam. You need to be prepared for this specific exam, so you can go into test day cool, confident, and ready to crush it. Here’s everything you need to know about the exam, as well as a few study resources.
Every year, the AP board sets exam fees for their entire roster of tests. Each language exam costs the same, so you won’t be paying any more for AP German than you would for AP Spanish or AP French tests.
For 2024, the AP German exam will cost you $98. If you register late, though, you’ll have to pay an extra $40 fee. If you’re one of the few students taking the exam outside the US or its territories, you’ll also incur an extra $40 fee.
All these fees will be paid to your school. Some schools charge extra amounts for proctoring or administrative costs, so be sure to double-check with your teacher or guidance counselor before budgeting for all the AP tests on your schedule.
You should plan to arrive at the testing center at least half an hour before the test is scheduled to begin. This will give you time to use the restroom, check-in, get to your seat, and get settled before the starting test time. Trust me, you don’t want to feel rushed.
Plus, if you’re really late, you will not be allowed to complete the exam and you might not get the chance to make it up.
To give yourself some extra peace of mind, drive to the testing center the week before the test on the same day and time (if it’s not at your school).
Take note if there’s any traffic, where the parking lot is, and how long it will take you to get to the testing area from your car. This way, you won’t be rushed or feel undue pressure right before you have to begin your exam. Don’t let a few minutes blow up years of hard work and college credits.
Every year, the AP German exam is the same length and format. This makes it easy for students to prepare. Even though you won’t know exactly what will be on the test from a content perspective, you can know how long it takes to complete the test and what the exam will cover in general.
The AP German exam is separated into two sections, each with two subsections. The first half of the test (multiple-choice) takes 95 minutes, while the second part (free-response) takes one hour and 28 minutes.
This means that including the scheduled 10-minute break, the entire test takes just over three hours.
As noted above, there are two sections of the AP German exam, each broken down into two smaller sub-sections.
In Section I, you’ll have 65 multiple-choice questions. The first 30 questions (Section IA) are straight text questions, asking you about vocabulary, main ideas and details, and point of view.
Section IB is multiple-choice with audio, so you’ll listen to native German audio recordings and then answer a total of 35 questions. This will take you 55 minutes and account for half your score.
Section II consists of Free Response Written and Free Response Spoken. Section IIA requires that you answer two questions: one is an email reply and the other is an argumentative essay. You get 70 minutes for this part and it’s worth 25% of your score.
Section IIB takes only 18 minutes. Here you’ll have a simulated conversation in which you have five turns of 20 seconds each. Moreover, you must give a two-minute presentation in which you need to compare a German cultural feature with one from another culture.
There is a scheduled 10-minute break between Section I and Section II of the AP German exam. Some testing centers provide unscheduled breaks for various reasons, but this is very unlikely.
Be aware that for the break, there are strict rules and regulations. You may not talk to any teacher, proctor, or other students about the exam. You may not use your phone or another electronic device, and you may not leave the testing area. You also can’t consult any books, reference guides, dictionaries, etc.
You aren’t allowed to bring any food or drinks into the exam room, including bottled water. During the break, you can leave the room to get a drink or snack if there are provided machines in the testing place.
If these rules are broken, you could be dismissed from the test and your score canceled, without an opportunity to retest.
In other words, you can use the bathroom, but otherwise be quiet and sit still. Just focus on the task at hand.
German has a reputation for being difficult, but you know that once you get the basics down, it’s not that bad. That’s how you’ve come so far as it is. As you’re taking your final steps to prepare for the AP German test, utilize these tips and tricks.
You may also want to consider using a German language app to help you prepare for the AP German exam. There are tons of great options out there.
As a friendly suggestion, our team really likes the Rocket German and Pimsleur German apps. Both of these German language courses offer lessons that include mock conversations with fluent German speakers. Our team has found these types of practice exercises help you expand your vocabulary and conversational skills.
The German app from Babbel is also a nice option as their lessons only take about 10 minutes to complete. This is great for busy students who don’t have a ton of time throughout the day.
It only takes a few minutes per day to really improve your German language skills. Of course, there are plenty of other German courses out there too, such as Rosetta Stone and Duolingo.
Some of these language apps (like Busuu and Memrise, for example) even include videos of fluent German speakers, which are obviously a great choice for visual learners.
The AP German exam is simply a culmination of everything you’ve learned so far. You’ve studied hard, and now you know all there is to know about the test. Put all the pieces together and go crush it.
Our team recommends studying for a total of 15-20 hours before sitting for the AP German exam. Make sure to focus on the conversational and listening comprehension aspects of the exam, as they are the toughest.
The AP German exam takes just over three hours to complete from start to finish. There are two main sections, with a 10-minute break in the middle.
