Credential type: school examination · verified on the issuer's site September 20, 2026 issuer page
AP Statistics is a College Board exam that tests how students collect, analyze, and draw conclusions from data. It spans nine content areas, from one-variable data through inference for categorical and quantitative data, including chi-square and regression slopes. The exam is paper-based with multiple choice and free response sections, administered at school in May.
High school students completing an AP Statistics course who want college credit or placement. It also suits homeschoolers and independent candidates preparing for a quantitative, evidence-based college path in the sciences, social sciences, business, or data-related fields.
Work through released AP Statistics free-response questions and grade your answers against official rubrics to build the writing habits the free response section rewards. Practice by hand drawing distributions, normal calculations, and confidence interval setups so the mechanics become automatic. Review the differences between inference for proportions, means, chi-square, and slopes so you can pick the correct procedure quickly under time pressure.
This 19% weighted domain focuses on describing a single variable using graphical displays, numerical summaries, and the shape, center, and spread of distributions. Students interpret data in context and distinguish categorical from quantitative variables.
Weighing 6%, this domain covers analyzing two variables together through scatterplots, correlation, and least-squares regression. Students interpret slope, intercept, residuals, and the coefficient of determination r-squared in context.
At 13.5% of the exam, this domain addresses how data are gathered, including sampling methods, observational studies versus experiments, and sources of bias. Students distinguish random assignment from random sampling and identify confounding.
Carrying 15% of the weight, this domain introduces probability rules, random variables, and probability distributions including binomial and geometric. Students compute expected value and standard deviation for discrete random variables.
At 9.5% weight, this domain covers the sampling distributions of sample proportions and sample means. Students apply the Central Limit Theorem and use normal approximations when appropriate conditions are met.
Weighing 13.5%, this domain covers confidence intervals and significance tests for a single proportion and for a difference between two proportions. Students check conditions, compute a z-statistic, and interpret p-values in context.
At 14% of the exam, this domain handles inference for one mean, for the difference between two mean, and for paired data using t-procedures. Students verify conditions and interpret t-intervals and t-tests in context.
Carrying 3.5% of the weight, this domain covers chi-square goodness-of-fit tests and chi-square tests for homogeneity and independence. Students check expected count conditions and interpret the chi-square statistic in context.
Weighing 3.5%, this domain covers inference for the slope of a least-squares regression line, including t-intervals and t-tests. Students verify conditions and interpret the slope in the original units of the variables.
Bring a calculator approved by College Board, several sharpened No. 2 pencils, and a black or blue pen for the free response section. Pace yourself across both sections of the 195-minute exam and budget writing time for each free-response question.
AP Statistics is a paper-based exam with two sections: multiple choice and free response. Each section contributes to the overall score on the 1–5 scale, and you should expect both item types when planning your pacing.
AP Statistics is scored on a 1–5 scale. A score of 3 or higher is generally considered passing and is the level many colleges accept for credit or placement, though policies vary by institution.
The AP Statistics exam runs 195 minutes total, combining the multiple choice section and the free response section in one sitting. The exam is administered at school in May.
AP Statistics costs $98 per exam, with a reduced fee of $55 for students who qualify for fee reductions. Students testing outside the United States and U.S. territories pay an additional $40 international surcharge.
AP Statistics is a one-time subject exam; no renewal is required. Once you sit for the exam and receive a score, that result stays on your College Board record and does not expire.
AP Statistics is organized into nine domains ranging from Exploring One-Variable Data at 19% to Inference for Categorical Data: Chi-Square and Inference for Quantitative Data: Slopes at 3.5% each, covering data exploration, probability, sampling distributions, and statistical inference.
Verified 2026-09-02
This page was assembled from College Board official exam documentation, with cross-references to introductory statistics textbooks for study framing. Each domain summary is grounded in the published domain weights and objectives.