Planning
AP Exam Dates & Registration
AP & GPA Success Hub · Updated July 2026
The AP calendar surprises families in one specific way: the exams happen in May, but the real registration decisions happen in the fall — and they happen through the school, not through a College Board account the way the SAT does.
When the exams happen
AP exams run across the first two full weeks of May, in morning (8 a.m. local) and afternoon (12 p.m. local) sessions. The confirmed 2026 administration runs May 4–8 and May 11–15, 2026, with a late-testing window afterward for documented conflicts.
How registration actually works
Each school's AP coordinator orders exams for its students. In the 2025–26 cycle, the College Board's ordering deadline for full-year and fall-semester courses fell on November 14, with late orders carrying an added fee and spring-start courses ordering by mid-March. Schools set their own internal deadlines ahead of the College Board's — often in October — so the family-facing deadline is whatever the school announces, and it arrives much earlier than most families expect.
The year at a glance
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| September | AP classes begin; students join their class sections in College Board's system |
| October | Most schools' internal exam-registration deadlines |
| Mid-November | College Board ordering deadline for full-year courses (Nov 14 in 2025–26) |
| March | Ordering deadline for spring-start courses; review season begins in earnest |
| Early–mid May | Exams, over two weeks (May 4–8 and 11–15 in 2026) |
| July | Scores released to students and designated colleges |
For students across Morris and Somerset County, the practical takeaway is a fall conversation: by early October, the family should know which exams are being ordered and what the school's deadline is.
Frequently asked questions
Does a student register for AP exams like the SAT?
No — AP exams are ordered by the school's AP coordinator, not through individual online registration. Students join their class sections online in the fall, and the school submits the exam order.
Can a student take an AP exam without taking the AP course?
College Board policy allows it, but seat availability depends on a school agreeing to order and administer the exam. The AP coordinator is the person to ask, well before the November ordering deadline.
What happens if two AP exams fall at the same time?
The College Board publishes a late-testing schedule with alternate forms for exactly this situation. Conflicts are handled through the school's coordinator at no penalty to the student.
When do AP scores come out?
Scores are typically released in July, through the student's College Board account, and sent to any college the student designated.
Questions about your student's course plan?
Every family's situation is different — school policies, graduation requirements, and a student's own goals all shape the right course load. Families are welcome to bring AP and course-selection questions to a free consultation: a conversation with an educator, not a sales call.
Facts on this page were checked against College Board sources (July 2026): 2026 AP Exam Dates · AP Key Dates · Register for AP Exams.