The AP Environmental Science exam is one of the APs most commonly taken as a self-study test. Though many students do enroll in the actual class, this particular exam is also well-suited to self-studying due to its heavy emphasis on vocabulary and highly-specific theory. If you are planning to take the AP Environmental Science exam, whether you have taken the class or self-studied, look no further. Here are CollegeVine’s best tips for the AP Environmental Science exam!
When is the AP Environmental Science Exam?
The College Board will administer the 2020 AP Environmental Science exam on Monday, May 11, at 12 pm. For a complete list of all the AP exams, along with tips for success and information about how students score, check out our article 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know.
About the AP Environmental Science Exam
Environmental science is the study of the scientific principles, content, and methodologies necessary for understanding the natural world. In the AP Environmental Science course, students learn to identify and analyze environmental problems. Students also gain knowledge about earth systems and resources, the living world, land and water use, energy resources and consumption, pollution, and global change.
The AP Environmental Science course contains two essential learning components: science practices and big ideas.
Science Practices: There are seven science practices that you’ll use when exploring concepts throughout the course. These practices form the basis of the tasks you’re asked to perform on the AP Environmental Science exam. The seven science practices are:
Skill |
Description |
Percentage of Exam Score (Multiple-Choice Section) |
Percentage of Exam Score (Free Response Questions) |
Concept Explanation |
Explain environmental concepts, processes, and models presented in text. |
30%–38% |
13%–20% |
Visual Representations |
Analyze visual representations of environmental concepts and processes. |
12%–19% |
6%–10% |
Text Analysis |
Analyze sourced information about environmental issues. |
6%–8% |
Not assessed in the free response section. |
Scientific Experiments |
Analyze research studies that test environmental principles. |
2%–4% |
10%–14% |
Data Analysis |
Analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, and graphs. |
12%–19% |
6%–10% |
Mathematical Routines |
Apply quantitative methods to environmental concepts. |
6%–9% |
20% |
Environmental Solutions |
Propose and justify solutions to environmental problems. |
17%–23% |
26%–34% |
Big Ideas: Big ideas are the overarching concepts or themes that run throughout the course. You’ll use the AP Environmental Science exam’s big ideas to make connections between concepts and develop a deeper understanding of them. The four big ideas of the AP Environmental Science Exam are:
- Energy Transfer: The underlying energy conversions of the ecological process and how energy flows through systems.
2. Interactions Between Earth Systems: How earth is an interconnected system, natural systems change over time, and biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances.
3. Interactions Between Different Species and the Environment: The altering of natural systems by humans, how technology and population growth increase humans’ impact on the environment.
4. Sustainability: Developing sustainable systems for human survival and understanding the role culture, society, and economics play in the development of solutions.
AP Environmental Science Course Content
There are prerequisites for the AP Environmental Science course. To successfully understand the material found in the AP Environmental Science course, students should have completed two years of high school laboratory science—one year of life science (biology) and one year of physical science (chemistry). Because of the quantitative analysis done in the course, students also need to have taken an Algebra class. Lastly, though not required, it’s advantageous for students to have completed a class in earth science.
The AP Environmental Science course is commonly broken down into nine units. Below is a suggested sequence of the course units from the College Board, along with the weight they’re given on the multiple-choice section of the AP Environmental Science exam.
Unit |
Percentage of Exam Score (Multiple-Choice Section) |
The Living World: Ecosystems |
6%-8% |
The Living World: Biodiversity |
6%-8% |
Populations |
10%-15% |
Earth Systems and Resources |
10%-15% |
Land and Water Use |
10%-15% |
Energy Resources and Consumption |
10%-15% |
Atmospheric Pollution |
7%–10% |
Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution |
7%–10% |
Global Change |
15%–20% |
AP Environmental Science Exam Content
The AP Environmental Science exam takes place over the course of 2 hours and 40 minutes and consists of two sections: multiple choice and free response.
Section 1: Multiple Choice
1 hour 30 minutes | 80 questions | 60% of score
The first section contains 80 multiple-choice questions which make up 60% of your total score. There are 90 minutes allowed for this section. The format of this section has been modified for 2020; most notably, there are 20 fewer questions than the previous exam and the number of possible answers has shrunk from 5 to 4. Furthermore, questions now equally emphasize the analysis of quantitative data, along with data in the form of models and representations.
The multiple-choice section of the AP Environmental Science exam includes both individual questions and sets of questions based on the same stimulus. Students will encounter 3-4 sets of questions using quantitative data (data tables, charts, and graphs) and 3-4 sets of questions based on qualitative data or information (models, representation, and maps). New to the AP Environmental Science exam this year are two sets of questions based on text sources.
Example of a multiple-choice question:

Example of a multiple-choice question using quantitative data as the stimulus:

Example of a multiple-choice question using qualitative data as the stimulus:

Section 2: Free Response
1 hour 10 minutes | 3 questions | 40% of score
The second section of the AP Environmental exam has also seen changes for 2020. It now consists of 3 free response questions instead of 4, and the types of questions asked have changed as well. The three new questions are as follows:
Question 1 – Design an Investigation: You’re given a real-world scenario along with qualitative and quantitative data. Using the provided material, you may need to describe the environmental problems or potential responses.
Question 2 – Analyze an Environmental Problem and Propose a Solution: You’re given an authentic environmental scenario and either a model/visual representation or quantitative data. Using the given information, you’ll need to propose and justify solutions to the posed environmental problems.
Question 3 – Question 3: Analyze an Environmental Problem and Propose a Solution Doing Calculations: You’re tasked with proposing and justifying solutions to a genuine environmental problem using a calculation to support your solution. It’s worth noting that you may use a four-function (with square root), scientific, or graphing calculator on the exam. For further questions about AP-approved calculators, consult the College Board’s Calculator Policy.
Because the AP Environmental Science exam was reformatted for 2020, there is limited availability of sample free response questions. Below is an example of an “Analyze an Environmental Problem and Propose a Solution” question and an “Analyze an Environmental Problem and Propose a Solution Doing Calculations” question.


AP Environmental Science Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate
Exam |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
AP Environmental Science |
9.4% |
25.7% |
14.1% |
25.4% |
25.4% |
In 2019, 49.2% of students who took the AP Environmental Science exam received a “passing” score of 3 or better. Only 9.4% of test-takers achieved a top score of 5, while 25.4% of test-takers scored a 1. These scores are likely somewhat skewed by the popularity of this test with self-study test-takers. Students who prepare seriously will often find that the test is not as difficult as the results indicate. If you’re curious about other score distributions, see our post Easiest and Hardest AP Exams.
A full course description that can help guide your studying and understanding of the knowledge required for the test can be found on the College Board course description. For tips on preparing for the exam, read on!