Sample Questions & Scoring Guidelines
The AP Environmental Science Exam covers a one-semester introductory college course in environmental science with laboratory. The questions included in Section I are designed to cover the breadth of students' knowledge and understanding of environmental science. There are four questions in Section II. One is a data-set question, which requires students to analyze and interpret a given set of data. One is a document-based question in which students answer questions related to a given document (such as a pamphlet, advertisement, or newspaper article) and apply their knowledge of environmental science to contexts that are current, relevant, and authentic. Two are synthesis questions, which are in-depth, often multi-part essays.
You can find additional free-response questions and scoring guidelines on AP Central, along with grade distributions and examples of actual students' responses and commentary that explains why the responses received the scores they did.
Multiple-Choice Questions
For sample multiple-choice questions, refer to the Course Description.
AP Environmental Science Course Description (.pdf/361K)
Free-Response Questions
- 2010 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/326K)
- 2009 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/615K)
- 2008 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/301K)
- 2007 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/207K)
- 2006 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/163K)
- 2005 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/245K)
- 2004 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/169K)
- 2003 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/297K)
- 2002 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/291K)
Scoring Guidelines
2010 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/140K)
2009 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/145K)
2008 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/165K)
2007 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/258K)
2006 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/149K)
2005 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/327K)
2004 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/208K)
