AP Exam FAQ
(External Student) 

AP exam season can be stressful, so we are here to help. Here is a list of AP exam questions that you may have. If you don’t see your question listed below, feel free to contact us to get them answered.

When creating or updating my College Board account, should I use the Legend school code or my regular school’s code?

Use the school code for the school you currently attend. Students enrolled at Legend College Preparatory as their school of record should use the Legend school code. External students should use their regular school’s code.

The exam-only join code provided by Legend will connect your AP Exam registration to Legend as your testing school. You do not need to change your regular school affiliation merely because you are testing with us.

Where will the exams be held?

The exams are scheduled to be held at:

De Anza College
21250 Stevens Creek Boulevard
Cupertino, CA 95014

The exact building, room, arrival instructions, and parking information will be announced in April.

How long will my exam take?

Refer to the College Board AP Exams overview and schedule for the official exam date, start time, and approximate duration.

Plan to remain at the testing site longer than the published exam duration to allow time for check-in, seating, instructions, breaks, collecting materials, and dismissal. Detailed arrival and estimated dismissal times will be provided before the exam.

When will I receive my College Board join code?

Your exam-only join code will normally be emailed within two weeks after we receive your paid registration.

You must enter the join code in My AP to complete the College Board portion of your exam registration. Legend’s standard registration deadline is November 1, and its late-registration deadline is March 1, subject to seat availability and applicable late fees.

These are Legend’s internal deadlines, established so that we can process exam orders before College Board’s coordinator deadlines.

How do I enter my exam-only join code and access AP Daily videos?
  1. Go to My AP and sign in with your existing College Board account. Do not create a second account if you have used College Board services before.
  2. Select Join a Course or Exam.
  3. Enter the six-character exam-only join code provided by Legend.
  4. Confirm that the AP subject and Legend College Preparatory exam-only section are correct.
  5. Complete or verify the required information in your AP Profile.
  6. From the My AP course card, select Go to AP Classroom.
  7. Open the relevant course and select the available AP Daily Videos or general course resources.

Entering Legend’s exam-only join code is required to connect your registration to the exam order.

Will exam-only students have access to AP Classroom study materials?

Exam-only students have access to AP Daily videos and certain general, unassigned resources in AP Classroom. Because an exam-only section is not an instructional class, students do not have access to Topic Questions, Progress Checks, Question Bank materials, teacher-assigned work, instruction, or academic support.

Students are responsible for arranging their own AP course preparation. Legend’s exam-only registration provides an AP Exam seat and does not include curriculum, grading, teacher support, or high school course credit.

Looking for structure and course credit? Eligible self-studying students may separately enroll in Legend’s AP Priority+ Program. Students complete an approved AP course curriculum, assignments, and course assessments with academic monitoring and support, allowing their work to be evaluated for high school course credit. AP Priority+ is separate from AP Exam registration and has additional academic requirements and tuition.

What should I bring on exam day?

Approximately two weeks before your exam, you will receive an email with exam-specific instructions, including the required arrival time and what to bring.

External students should expect to bring an acceptable school-issued or government-issued photo ID. For a digital or hybrid digital exam, also bring an approved, fully charged testing device with Bluebook installed, along with its compatible charging cord or AC adapter.

Review the College Board exam-day checklist before your exam.

Will the exams be digital or paper?

Most 2027 AP Exams will be administered through the Bluebook application in one of two formats:

  • Fully digital: Students complete both multiple-choice and free-response questions in Bluebook.
  • Hybrid digital: Students complete the multiple-choice portion and view free-response questions in Bluebook, but handwrite their free-response answers in provided booklets.

Some subjects have other administration requirements. The format depends on the specific exam. College Board has announced additional 2027 changes, including fully digital administration for AP Statistics and AP Spanish Literature and Culture, and hybrid digital administration for AP Music Theory.

Review the College Board’s 2027 AP Exam updates for current details.

Should I bring my own digital device?

Students are encouraged to bring a compatible personal device:

  • Windows laptop
  • Windows tablet
  • Mac laptop
  • iPad

Bluebook must be installed and tested before exam day. Bring the device fully charged, along with its charging cord or AC adapter.

An external keyboard is required for a fully digital exam taken on a tablet. For a hybrid digital exam taken on a tablet, an external keyboard is recommended but not required. External keyboards are not permitted with laptops.

If you cannot provide a compatible device, notify Legend by the device-request deadline stated in your exam instructions. Loaner devices are limited and must be arranged in advance.

See the College Board digital testing guidance.

Should I bring a calculator?

Review the College Board calculator policy for your specific AP Exam. Students may bring up to two approved calculators for an exam that permits or requires calculator use.

Some Bluebook exams also provide an embedded Desmos calculator, but students should confirm the policy for their particular exam.

Will extra pens, pencils, or calculators be available?

We will have a limited supply of backup pens, pencils, and College Board-approved calculators. Students should nevertheless bring their own required supplies and approved calculator whenever possible.

Can I bring food or drinks?

Food and drinks are not permitted in the testing room unless authorized as a College Board accommodation. You may bring food and drinks and leave them in the designated area outside the testing room. They may be accessed only during an authorized break.

If College Board has approved me for accommodations, can I test with Legend?

Contact Legend before registering and provide information about your College Board-approved accommodations. We will review whether the accommodations can be supported at our testing site.

Some accommodations may be supported in the standard testing room. Others require a separate room, specialized equipment, additional staffing, or a different testing schedule that we may be unable to provide.

If we cannot administer your approved accommodations, you should locate another testing school that can support them. A student who chooses to test without approved accommodations must complete College Board’s required waiver process in advance. For digital AP Exams, accommodations generally cannot be waived on exam day. College Board instructs students to contact Services for Students with Disabilities at least 14 days before testing. Students under age 18 require a parent or guardian’s signature.

Review the College Board guidance for approved accommodations.

If I have a conflict or emergency, can I reschedule my exam?

Registration is for the official date and time assigned to the exam. An AP Exam cannot be moved to an arbitrary date or administered earlier than the College Board schedule.

College Board permits late testing only on its official late-testing dates and under its late-testing policies. Legend does not currently plan to offer late-testing administrations. If a qualifying emergency occurs, we will attempt to identify an authorized alternative, but another testing opportunity cannot be guaranteed. Registration fees are nonrefundable if the student cannot attend the scheduled exam.

See the College Board late-testing policy.

If I cannot attend my exam, will I receive a score or a negative notation?

No AP score is generated when a student does not take the exam. An absence does not appear as a zero or failed AP Exam score on the student’s AP score report. The exam registration is treated administratively as unused. No refund will be issued under Legend’s registration policy.

Still have questions or didn’t see your question listed? Contact us to get them answered!