Before AP Exams, Check your Tech
May 7, 2020
Good morning AP Students,
One of your final steps in preparing for your AP Exams is to select the device that you will use.
Check that you have the appropriate device for your exam and how you’re planning to create your response.
- You won’t need the lockdown browser on your device.
- If you have the Grammarly plug-in on your computer, you'll need to remove it to test.
- Remember: world language exams have specific device requirements
- The app for world languate exams will be available beginning May 11.
- This year’s questions won't require you to submit graphs or diagrams.
- You may be more comfortable handwriting responses in Calculus, Chemistry, and Statistics, but if you want to type your responses in those subjects, a guide for how to type symbols and formulas can be downloaded at cb.org/apexamdaydocs.
- In most other subjects, using a smartphone will require scrolling back and forth within a question, which you may find frustrating, so AP recommends a desktop or laptop if available.
Select Your Device
If You Plan to Type Your Responses, Prepare Your Documents Before Exam Day
Decide whether you'll be using Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Notes, or another application that can save in one of the accepted file formats.
- AP recommends turning on auto-save or similar features.
- If you’re using a cloud document, like Google Docs, and want to attach your document rather than copy-and-paste, remember that you’ll need to download your response in one of the accepted file formats (.doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, .odt) and save it to your device.
- Before test day, prepare your doc(s) by typing your AP ID and initials at the top and then saving it to a clearly labeled folder on your desktop so it will be easy to find.
- For AP English and AP history exams, you'll need to create just one document per exam.
- All other AP Exams have two questions this year, so you'll need to create and save two documents per exam. Name them clearly so you know you're attaching the right one at the right time, such as - APBiologyQuestion1.docx - APBiologyQuestion2.docx
If You Plan to Handwrite Your Responses, Prepare your documents Before Exam Day
- Use white paper (lined or unlined). Music Theory requires an answer sheet.
- Use paper that’s standard size (8.5 x 11 inches) or close to it.
- Use a number 2 pencil or a pen with black or blue ink.
- Because the maximum number of pages you can attach per question is 5, at most you'll need 5 pages for AP English and AP history exams, and 10 pages for all other exams. But it's highly unlikely you would need to use this many pages for your responses, which can often be answered fully in just 1-2 pages.
Before test day, prepare your pages by writing your AP ID, your initials, and a page number at the top of each page as follows:
- Up to 5 pages for question 1, numbered 1 to 5
- Up to 5 pages for question 2, numbered 1 to 5
If Your Device Does Not Connect to the Demo, Follow These Steps to Change Your Browser
The AP Exam will only open in the latest versions of Chrome (preferred), Firefox, Safari, or Edge. Important: 2020 AP Exams won't work in Internet Explorer.
- If you need to install Chrome (which is free), do a google search for "Get latest Chrome browser," and follow the instructions.
- Make sure Chrome (or Firefox, Safari, or Edge) is your default browser:
- Send an email to yourself with a link to a website you like. Click the link and see which type of browser opens. If it’s Internet Explorer, you must change your default browser or you won’t be able to test.
- If you need to change your default browser to Chrome, do a google search for “Set default browser for [your device and operating system, if known].”
- Disable any browser plug-ins or extensions, such as Grammarly, to ensure you can access the AP 2020 Exam. However, keep plug-ins you need for accessibility, e.g., ChromeVox.
- Do a google search for “How to disable browser extensions"
If you have trouble with these directions, please call our PTISD Tech Department at 903-295-5038 between 7:30am and 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
PTHS AP Coordinator
Please contact Debbie Terry if you have questions.
Email: dterry@ptisd.org
Website: http://ptisd.org/page/Testing.AP
Phone: 903-734-1109
Twitter: @ap_news_pths