Yes, you can retake AP exams, but you must wait until the next official testing window in the following May to re-register and try again for a higher score.
Walking out of an AP testing center often brings a mix of relief and anxiety. Sometimes, you know immediately that the test did not go well. Maybe you ran out of time on the Free Response Questions (FRQs), or the multiple-choice section felt like a completely different subject than what you studied.
If you feel your score won’t reflect your actual knowledge, or if you receive a score of 1 or 2 in July, you have options. You are not stuck with a low score on your permanent record forever. The College Board allows students to retake exams, but the process is different from the SAT or ACT. You cannot simply sign up for next month; the timeline is strictly annual.
This guide explains exactly how to register for a retake, how to handle your old scores so colleges don’t see them, and whether the effort to restudy is worth the potential college credit.
The College Board Policy On Retakes
The College Board maintains a flexible policy regarding how many times a student can take an Advanced Placement exam. There is no limit to the number of times you can take a specific exam. If you take the AP Biology exam in 10th grade and score a 2, you can take it again in 11th grade and even again in 12th grade.
However, practical constraints exist. Unlike the SAT, which is offered multiple times a year (August, October, November, etc.), AP exams occur only once per academic year during the first two weeks of May. This means a “retake” is effectively a commitment to wait a full year and study the material again, usually without the structure of the AP class to guide you.
Both Scores Remain On File
When you take an exam multiple times, both scores stick to your AP record unless you take specific action. If you score a 2 the first time and a 4 the second time, a college that receives your score report will see both the 2 and the 4. Later in this article, we will detail how to use “Score Withholding” or “Score Cancellation” to ensure admissions officers only see the grade you want them to see.
Can Ap Exams Be Retaken? – The Timeline
Understanding the calendar is critical for planning a retake. Many students ask, “can ap exams be retaken?” expecting a summer or fall option. That option does not exist.
Late Testing vs. Retaking
It is important to distinguish between a “late test” and a “retake.”
- Late Testing: Occurs two weeks after the regular exam date, usually in late May. This is reserved for students who missed the original exam due to illness, a schedule conflict (two exams at the same time), or a school emergency. You cannot use the late testing dates simply because you performed poorly on the regular date.
- Retaking: Occurs the following May. This is for students who took the test, received a score, and want to improve it.
If you plan to retake an exam, you must register during the fall of the next school year, just like any other AP student. The deadline to order exams usually falls in November. If you decide to retake an exam after seeing your scores in July, you need to contact your school’s AP coordinator immediately when school starts in August or September to get on the roster.
How To Register For An AP Retake
Since you likely won’t be enrolled in the AP class for the subject you are retaking, the registration process requires a bit of manual work. You cannot rely on a teacher to hand you a join code.
Step 1: Contact The AP Coordinator
Find the AP coordinator at your high school. Tell them you want to register for an “Exam Only” section. Teachers have the ability to create sections in AP Classroom that are specifically for students who are self-studying or retaking the test. This allows you to pay for the test and have a seat reserved without being enrolled in the teacher’s daily gradebook.
Step 2: Check For Fees
You will have to pay the full exam fee again. As of the current academic year, the fee is roughly $98 per exam, though this varies slightly by state and school district. If you register after the November deadline, you will also incur a $40 late registration fee. Budget for this expense early.
Step 3: Confirm The Test Site
If your school does not offer the class that year (for example, if you took AP European History but the school dropped it from the curriculum the next year), you may have to take the exam at a neighboring school. Your coordinator can help arrange this, but you must ask well in advance.
Managing Your Score Reports
One of the biggest fears regarding retakes is the “bad” score. Students worry that a college will see the initial failing score and judge them, even if the second score is high. You have two powerful tools to control this: Score Cancellation and Score Withholding.
Score Cancellation
Cancellation deletes a score from your record permanently. It is as if you never took the test. This is useful if you know you failed and do not want the low score to appear on any report ever again.
- How to do it: Fill out the AP Score Cancellation Form.
- Deadline: You can cancel scores at any time. However, if you want to prevent the score from being sent to the college you indicated on your registration sheet, you must submit the form by June 15 of the testing year.
- Cost: Free.
- Risk: Once canceled, the score is gone forever. If you canceled a 3 hoping for a 5, but get a 2 on the retake, you cannot get that 3 back.
Score Withholding
Withholding keeps the score on your record but hides it from specific colleges. This is a better option if you want to keep the score as a backup but don’t want your dream school to see it yet.
- How to do it: Submit a score withholding request to the College Board in writing.
- Cost: There is a fee per college per score (usually around $10).
- Benefit: You maintain control. You can release the score later if you decide to use it.
Is Retaking An AP Exam Worth The Effort?
Just because you can retake an exam doesn’t mean you should. Retaking an AP test is a massive time commitment. You must maintain your knowledge of the subject for 12 months while juggling your current year’s course load.
When You Should Retake
- You Scored a 1 or 2: Most colleges do not offer credit for scores below a 3. If you need the credit to skip a gen-ed requirement and save tuition money, a retake is a financial investment.
- You Experienced a Fluke: If you were sick, had a family emergency, or simply mismanaged your time on test day, but you know the material at a mastery level, a retake is likely to yield a much higher score.
- The Subject is Your Major: If you plan to major in Chemistry but scored a 2 on AP Chem, retaking and scoring a 4 or 5 proves to admissions officers (and yourself) that you are ready for university-level work in your chosen field.
When You Should Move On
- You Scored a 3: A 3 is a passing score. Many public universities accept it for credit. Retaking a 3 to get a 4 is rarely worth the hundreds of hours of study time unless you are targeting an elite institution that strictly requires a 4 or 5.
- It Interferes with Current Grades: If studying for a retake hurts your GPA in your current 11th or 12th-grade classes, drop the retake. Your high school GPA is significantly more important for admissions than a single AP score.
- Senior Year: If you are a senior, retaking an exam in May doesn’t help with admissions because you will have already been accepted (or rejected) by the time you sit for the test. You would only be doing it for college course credit.
Self-Study Strategies For Retakes
Studying for a retake is harder than taking the class. You do not have a teacher assigning homework or giving quizzes to keep your memory fresh. You must be disciplined.
Create A Schedule
Do not wait until April to start studying. The content will fade from your memory quickly. Dedicate 30 minutes a week specifically to reviewing old material starting in January. As the test date approaches, increase this time.
Use Review Books
Since you don’t have a textbook anymore, buy a high-quality review book (Barron’s, Princeton Review, or 5 Steps to a 5). These books condense the curriculum into manageable summaries and provide practice tests that mimic the real exam format.
Leverage AP Classroom
Even if you are in an “Exam Only” section, you should still have access to AP Classroom resources online. Use the progress checks and topic questions. These are created by the test makers and are the best indicators of what will appear on the actual exam.
Analyze Your Previous Mistakes
Try to recall exactly where you struggled on the first attempt. Was it the DBQ essay structure? Was it specific vocabulary? Focus your energy on those weak points rather than reviewing concepts you already mastered.
Impact On College Admissions
Admissions officers look for patterns. A transcript filled with challenging courses is excellent. A low AP score generally does not ruin an application, especially because AP scores are self-reported on the Common App. You technically do not have to report a bad score at all during the application phase.
If you choose to retake a test and jump from a 1 to a 4, it shows resilience. It tells a college that you experienced failure, analyzed the problem, worked hard, and overcame the obstacle. This narrative can actually be a strong point in a supplemental essay or interview.
However, avoid obsession. Colleges prefer to see you engaging in extracurriculars or excelling in new subjects rather than obsessively retaking a history exam just to turn a 4 into a 5. Use your time where it creates the most value for your personal growth and academic profile.
Common Misconceptions About AP Retakes
Myth: Colleges Average The Scores
Colleges do not average the two scores. They look at the highest score provided, or they look at the score that qualifies for credit. If you have a 2 and a 5, the registrar at the university will simply process the 5 for credit purposes.
Myth: You Must Retake The Class
You do not need to sit through the class again. In fact, most high schools will not allow you to retake a class you have already passed for a grade. You are registering for the exam, not the course.
Key Takeaways: Can Ap Exams Be Retaken?
➤ You can retake any AP exam as many times as you like.
➤ Retakes happen only once a year during the May testing window.
➤ Both scores stay on record unless you use Score Cancellation.
➤ Register through your school’s AP coordinator in the fall.
➤ Prioritize retakes only if you need the college credit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do colleges see if I retake an AP exam?
Yes, unless you withhold or cancel the first score, colleges will see both attempts on the official score report sent by the College Board. However, on your college application (Common App), you self-report scores, so you can choose to only list your highest score during the admissions review process.
Is there a fee to retake an AP exam?
Yes, you must pay the full exam registration fee again, which is approximately $98 in the US. There is no discount for retaking a test. Additionally, if you register late (after November 15th), you will likely have to pay an additional late fee of around $40.
Can I take an AP exam without taking the class?
Yes, this is called “self-studying.” You do not need to be enrolled in the AP course to register for the exam. You simply need to find a school that is administering the test and ask their AP coordinator to order an exam for you in an “Exam Only” section.
Does a bad AP score affect my high school GPA?
No, the AP exam score is completely separate from your high school grade. You could get an “A” in the class but score a 1 on the exam. The exam score affects college credit and placement, while the class grade affects your high school GPA.
When is the deadline to cancel a score?
You can cancel a score at any time permanently. However, to ensure a score is not sent to the college you designated on your answer sheet, the cancellation form must be received by June 15 of the year you took the test.
Wrapping It Up – Can Ap Exams Be Retaken?
Retaking an AP exam is a viable strategy for students who need college credit or want to prove their mastery of a subject after a bad testing day. While the College Board places no limits on the number of attempts, the annual schedule requires serious planning and discipline. Before signing up again, evaluate the time cost against the potential tuition savings. If you decide to proceed, contact your AP coordinator early in the fall to secure your seat for the next May administration.