The Best Way to Prepare for AP Psychology FRQs
The Free Response Questions (FRQs) on the AP Psychology exam are often underestimated — but they account for 33.3% of your total score.
Getting a 4 or 5 doesn’t just require memorizing terms. It requires applying those terms correctly in context, under pressure, in just 50 minutes.
Here’s how to prepare for AP Psychology FRQs the smart way ahead of the May 2025 exam.
Understand the FRQ Format
The AP Psychology FRQ section includes:
- 2 questions
- Question 1: Concept Application (7 terms applied to a scenario)
- Question 2: Research Design (design a study using key terms and methods)
- Time limit: 50 minutes total (recommended ~25 min each)
Scoring focuses on your ability to:
- Use psychological terms correctly
- Apply them accurately to the specific prompt
- Write clearly, with 1 point awarded per correct, specific application
Key Difference: Definition ≠ Application
A common mistake is giving definitions. That’s not enough.
To earn points, your answer must:
- Use the correct term
- Apply it directly to the scenario
✅ Example:
Prompt includes: "A student is nervous about an upcoming performance."
Term: Yerkes-Dodson Law
❌ Weak: “The Yerkes-Dodson law states that arousal helps performance up to a point.”
✅ Strong: “The student’s nervousness may enhance performance on a simple task but hinder it on a complex task, according to the Yerkes-Dodson law.”
Build Term Application Muscle
To train for FRQs, create an “application bank” of common terms and practice using each in scenario-based sentences.
Start with high-frequency terms:
- Operant conditioning (reinforcement, punishment)
- Classical conditioning (UCS, UCR, CS, CR)
- Memory types (semantic, episodic, procedural)
- Brain parts and neurotransmitters
- Developmental psychology stages (Piaget, Erikson)
- Research methods (IV, DV, random assignment, ethical guidelines)
Daily practice:
- Take a past FRQ or fictional scenario
- Pick 3–5 terms
- Write 1 applied sentence per term
Practice With Markscheme Mindset
Scorers use rubrics that expect:
- 1 point per correct term application
- Clear sentence structure (no run-ons or ambiguity)
- No repetition: each point must be distinct
When reviewing practice answers:
- Ask: “Would this earn the point?”
- Don’t assume half-credit — FRQs are all-or-nothing per point
Write short, specific, single-point sentences. Avoid filler.
Train With Predictive Prompts
Past FRQs are helpful — but 2025 may introduce new topic pairings or research design twists.
Predict Exam’s AP Psychology predictive papers are designed to match the real tone, structure, and cognitive demands of the 2025 FRQ — helping you prepare for what’s coming, not just what’s already passed.
Conclusion: Structured Practice Wins AP Psychology FRQs
To succeed on the AP Psychology FRQs in May 2025:
- Practice applying (not defining) terms in context
- Focus on short, specific, correct sentences
- Train with scenarios and scoring rubrics in mind
- Simulate real-time pressure (25 minutes per question)
- Use predictive practice materials to stay ahead
You’ve studied the theory. Now practice turning it into points.
Explore Predict Exam’s AP Psychology Predictive Papers and sharpen your FRQ performance today.