When College Board first announced digital exams, we all thought AP math courses would be spared this change for several years. That is until this summer, when the announcement “28 AP Exams Go Digital in May 2025” came out and we found AP Statistics, AP Calculus, and AP Precalculus on the list.
So what does this mean for us? How do we prepare our students (and ourselves) for this change?
Know the facts.
All AP math exams (AP Calculus, AP Precalculus, and AP Statistics) will be given in a hybrid digital format in the Bluebook app. What does this mean?
Multiple Choice questions are viewed and answered online.
Free Response questions are viewed online and solutions are handwritten in paper exam booklets to be collected.
To maintain security, no part of the question will be included in the answer document for the Free Response Questions. This means that students will not be able to mark up the questions on paper, but Bluebook does provide digital markup and annotation tools to aid students in a close read of the text. This may take some getting used to for students! We’ve included some suggestions below for helping students adjust to this new format.
Understand the technology.
All digital AP exams will be given through the Bluebook app, which is accessible on Mac and Windows devices, iPads, and Chromebooks. College Board will provide schools with loaner devices and Wi-Fi supports as needed. Students will only need to be connected to the Internet to start the test and to submit the test when they are finished, but will be able to continue testing if the internet connection is lost during the test.
Practice with your students!
Consider administering online tests to your students so they get used to seeing the questions on a computer. Video tours of Bluebook features and tools as well as test previews will be provided by the College Board as we near the exam. Students can download Bluebook and practice here. The Math Medic Assessment Platform is also a great resource for assigning questions digitally, even if you only use it for homework.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be a calculator embedded in the platform?
Students should still bring a handheld calculator with them to the exam, just like usual. See the calculator policy for a list of approved calculators.
College Board has stated that they will let us know if they plan on having Desmos embedded for the May 2025 exams, but this decision has not yet been made.
Will the structure of the exam change?
In short, no. The number of questions in multiple choice and free response sections will stay the same, as will the allocation of calculator and non-calculator questions in AP Calculus and AP Precalculus. The time that students have to complete each section will also remain unchanged, though Bluebook will control the timing and responses will be automatically submitted at the end of the allotted time.
How will formulas and reference tables be provided for AP Statistics?
Reference materials will be available in Bluebook.
What about students with accommodations?
Accommodations will be provided within the Bluebook platform.
Please be sure to have students apply for accommodations through College Board.
What happens if a student’s computer runs out of battery or loses internet during the exam?
Students will be able to submit their responses once they reconnect to the internet.
College Board will continue to provide us with updates regarding digital exams. Visit AP Central for more information.