How Long Is the AP Psychology Exam?

The AP Psychology exam is 2 hours and 40 minutes of testing time, split into a 90-minute multiple-choice section and a 70-minute free-response section. Here's the full breakdown for the redesigned (2025) exam, plus how to pace each part.

AP Psychology Exam Timing Breakdown

Section	What	Time	Weight
Section I	75 multiple-choice questions	90 min	66.7%
Section II · AAQ	Article Analysis Question (7 pts)	~25 min	16.7%
Section II · EBQ	Evidence-Based Question (7 pts)	~45 min	16.7%

Section II runs 70 minutes in total. The College Board's suggested split is about 25 minutes for the AAQ (including 10 minutes of reading) and about 45 minutes for the EBQ (including 15 minutes of reading) — but the whole 70 minutes is yours to budget as you like.

Section I: Multiple Choice (90 Minutes)

You'll answer 75 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes — roughly 72 seconds each. As of the 2025 redesign, each question has four answer choices instead of five, matching the SAT and other updated AP exams. The questions mix straight recall ("what is X?") with application ("which scenario shows X?"), and the application items are where understanding the concept — not just memorizing it — pays off.

Pacing tip: don't stall. Flag anything that takes more than ~90 seconds, answer everything you know first, and circle back. There's no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave a question blank.

Section II: Free Response (70 Minutes)

The two free-response questions are the part students most need to plan for, because they're new and reading-heavy.

The Article Analysis Question (AAQ) gives you a summary of a real study. You read it (about 10 minutes) and answer parts about its design, variables, ethics, and conclusions — 7 points in roughly 25 minutes.

The Evidence-Based Question (EBQ) gives you multiple sources and asks you to make and defend a claim using evidence from them — 7 points in roughly 45 minutes, including about 15 minutes of reading. It's the longer, more demanding task, which is why it gets the bigger time slice.

Pacing tip: use the reading time to underline variables and claims before you write, and watch the clock so the EBQ — worth the same as the AAQ but longer — doesn't eat your whole block.

How the Timing Affects Your Score

Because multiple choice is two-thirds of your grade and you generally have enough time for it, finishing Section I carefully is the most reliable way to bank points. The free-response section is where time pressure is real — so practicing the AAQ and EBQ under a timer is the single best use of prep time. When you want to see how your raw points translate to a 1–5, run the AP Psychology score calculator.

AP Psychology Exam Length — FAQ

Is the AP Psychology exam shorter now?

Yes. The redesigned exam has 75 multiple-choice questions instead of 100, and two structured free-response questions instead of the old open-ended prompts. Total testing time is 2 hours 40 minutes.

Is there a break during the AP Psychology exam?

There's typically a short break between Section I and Section II, but that break is not counted in the 2 hour 40 minute testing time. Your proctor will give exact instructions on exam day.

How many questions is the AP Psychology exam?

75 multiple-choice questions plus 2 free-response questions (the AAQ and the EBQ).

Turn Raw Points Into a Score

Enter your multiple-choice and free-response points to see your predicted 1–5.

Open the Score Calculator

Source: College Board AP Psychology exam format (2024–25 revisions). AppsychLab is not affiliated with the College Board.