AP Business with Personal Finance Syllabus
AP Business with Personal Finance is an introductory, college-level business and personal finance course. Students explore the business disciplines of entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, accounting, and management through real-world business application, case studies, and project-based learning. In addition, students learn and apply all the National Standards for Personal Financial Education created by the Council for Economic Education and the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.
This course is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester college introduction to business course and a one-semester college personal finance course.
Signature Projects
- Business Canvas Project (Units 1โ4) โ Students build a complete Business Model Canvas for their own business idea, including market research, financial projections, and a SWOT/Porter's Five Forces analysis.
- Financial Advisor Project (Unit 5) โ Students prepare and communicate financial advice for a fictional household covering budgeting, education funding, home-buying, and retirement.
Projects are completed in groups of 1โ3 students. Create or join your group, submit your Business Canvas link, and view assigned projects, deadlines, and your individual scores on the Project Groups page โ
| Course: | APยฎ Business with Personal Finance |
| Academic Year: | 2026โ2027 |
| Instructor: | Feng Gao |
| Email: | york@ghedu.com |
| Office: | ๆไฝ106 |
| First Day: | August 31, 2026 |
AP Classroom Join Codes
Sign in to myap.collegeboard.org and enter your section's join code to enroll online. Codes can be copied with one click.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand business fundamentals โ Explain how businesses create value, operate, compete, and make ethical decisions.
- Apply marketing concepts โ Analyze how businesses use market research, consumer behavior, and marketing strategies.
- Master personal finance โ Apply concepts of saving, borrowing, credit, debt, and investing.
- Analyze business finance โ Interpret financial statements and understand business accounting.
- Evaluate management strategies โ Use strategic frameworks like SWOT and Porter's Five Forces.
- Develop professional skills โ Demonstrate communication, collaboration, and decision-making skills.
Textbook
College-level Introduction to Business textbook.
Course Materials (Provided)
- Course and Exam Description (CED)
- Business Canvas Project Guide
- Financial Advisor Project Guide
- Business Case Handouts (by unit)
- Slides for each topic
- Vocabulary Review Materials
Supplementary Resources
- AQA Business past papers (additional practice)
- Business documentaries and case study videos
- Online financial calculators and tools
Business Cases by Unit
- Unit 1: Bombas, VANCL/ๅกๅฎข, Labubu, Copa Di Vino, Pop Mart, Patagonia, Ctrip, Zara
- Unit 2: HEYTEA, Luckin Coffee, ่ถ้ขๆฆ่ฒ, New Coke, Dyson, ๅ ๆฐๆฃฎๆ, Costco, Stanley, ่ฑ่ฅฟๅญ
- Unit 3: DK Coffee Lab (Parts 1โ3), Hershey, AANE
- Unit 4: Canva, BREAUX Capital, ExpressionMed, Square Meal Feeds
Case Study Videos
Each unitโs cases are paired with the video clips used in the course slides. Suggested use: play a 5โ10 minute clip, then identify the business concept it illustrates. Videos load only when scrolled into view.
Unit 1 โ Business Foundations
1.1 Bombas โ โBetter Socks, Bigger Missionโ
โBuy one, donate oneโ athletic socks. Gap, social enterprise, and riskโreturn (deal with Daymond John).
1.1 VANCL ๅกๅฎข โ โไบบๆฐๅฟซๆถๅฐโ
Affordable apparel e-commerce that grew huge, then collapsed โ a cautionary case.
1.1 ofo ๅฐ้ป่ฝฆ โ bike-share collapse
Dockless bikes everywhere, but upkeep cost more than revenue; burned through billions and collapsed in 2018โ19.
1.2 Cola vs Chinese Soda โ cost advantage
Why can Coca-Cola profit at 3 yuan a bottle while domestic sodas lose money at 7?
1.2 ๅพ็ฉ Dewu โ differentiation through trust
The same sneakers sell elsewhere for less, yet Dewu charges more โ authentication as the edge.
1.2 ๆตทๅบๆ Haidilao โ service advantage
The same hot pot, but legendary service that commands premium pricing.
1.2 ๅ ๆฐๆฃฎๆ Genki Forest โ marketing positioning
โ0 sugarโ positioning, KOL blitz, and ๆฅ็ณป packaging built a $15B brand.
1.2 ้่้ซ Zhong Xue Gao โ hype without substance
Premium ice cream (20โ60 yuan) via branding and social-media hype; no real differentiator, bankrupt 2024.
1.3 ๆฐไธๆน / ไธๆน็้ โ PESTEL pivot
Double-reduction policy forced a pivot to livestream commerce โ a legal/environmental factor reshaping a business.
1.3 Pop Mart / Labubu โ social trend
A toy whose viral social trend (collecting, sharing, status) created a Southeast Asian resale market.
1.3 Shein โ global fast-fashion giant
Ultra-cheap fashion across 150+ countries โ one of the worldโs most downloaded and controversial shopping apps.
1.4 Pop Mart โ how blind boxes began
From a small blind-box shop to a multi-billion-dollar company โ how a business idea originates.
1.4 Copa Di Vino โ rejected on Shark Tank
Single-serve premium wine; rejected by every shark twice, yet built a $60M+ business.
1.5 Patagonia โ values-driven company
A company that actually lives its environmental values. Mission-Driven Company (related โถ)
1.5 Seesaw Coffee โ abandoning vision
What remains of a specialty-coffee brand after it chases a price war?
1.6 ๆบ็จ Ctrip โ business ethics
When a business has the data to charge loyal customers more โ should it? (Big-data price discrimination.)
1.8 Supply Chain โ a century of evolution
ๅฐLin่ฏด case study on how modern supply chains developed (3.6M views).
1.8 Zara โ fast-fashion supply chain
How Zaraโs vertically integrated supply chain powers its speed-to-market.
Unit 2 โ Marketing
2.4 Dyson โ from vacuum revolution to global brand
Product innovation story illustrating the product life cycle and product-led growth.
2.5 Penetration Pricing Strategy
An explainer on how and why firms set low initial prices to gain market share.
2.5 Costco โ the $40M loss-leader chicken
Costco loses $40 million a year on its rotisserie chicken โ completely intentionally.
Each semester is graded independently using the same standard. The midterm assessment accounts for 40% of the semester grade and the final assessment for 60%. Each is composed as follows:
Midterm Assessment โ 40% of Semester Grade
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Attendance | 15% |
| Class Participation | 15% |
| Homework | 20% |
| Midterm Exam | 50% |
Final Assessment โ 60% of Semester Grade
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Attendance | 15% |
| Class Participation | 15% |
| Homework | 20% |
| Final Exam | 50% |
Late Work Policy
- 10% deduction per day late; maximum 50% after 3 days late.
- Exceptions made for excused absences and emergencies.
Course Schedule
| Week | Dates | Topic / Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 31 โ Sep 4 | 1.1 What Is a Business? (Unit 1) |
| 2 | Sep 7โ11 | 1.2 Markets and Competitive Advantage |
| 3 | Sep 14โ18 | 1.3 PESTEL Factors |
| 4 | Sep 21โ24 | 1.4 How Business Ideas Originate |
| ๐ Mid-Autumn Festival โ Sep 25โ27 (No class) | ||
| 5 | Sep 28 โ Oct 2 | 1.5 Vision; 1.6 Business Ethics |
| 6 | Oct 8โ9 | Monthly Exam |
| ๐จ๐ณ National Day Holiday โ Oct 1โ7 (No class) | ||
| 6 | Oct 12โ16 | 1.7 Organization; 1.8 Supply Chains โ Unit 1 Complete |
| 7 | Oct 19โ23 | 2.1 Marketing to Customers (Unit 2) |
| 8 | Oct 26โ30 | 2.2 Consumer Behavior |
| 9 | Nov 2โ6 | 2.3 Market Research โ Midterm Exam |
| ๐ Midterm Exam Week โ Nov 6โ11 | ||
| ๐ Autumn Outing โ Nov 12 (No class) | ||
| 10โ11 | Nov 16โ27 | 2.4โ2.7 Product, Price, Place, Promotion โ Unit 2 Complete |
| 12โ13 | Nov 30 โ Dec 11 | 3.1 Saving; 3.2 Borrowing, Credit, Debt (Unit 3 Part 1) |
| 14โ16 | Dec 14โ31 | 3.3โ3.8 Accounting, Financial Statements โ Unit 3 Complete |
| ๐ Monthly Exam โ Dec 14โ18 (Monthly Exam Week) | ||
| ๐ New Year Holiday โ Jan 1 (No class) | ||
| 17 | Jan 4โ8 | 4.1 Management and Leadership (Unit 4 Part 1) |
| 18 | Jan 11โ15 | Final Exam Week |
| Winter Break: January 16 โ February 28, 2027 | ||
| 19โ20 | Mar 1โ12 | 4.2 KPIs; 4.3โ4.4 Strategy, SWOT, Porter's โ Unit 4 Complete, Final Business Canvas due Mar 12 |
| 21 | Mar 15โ19 | Unit 5: Taxes, Budgeting, Risk, Investing โ Unit 5 Complete (all instruction done Mar 19) |
| 22โ24 | Mar 22 โ Apr 9 | Financial Advisor Project & Comprehensive Review |
| ๐ Monthly Exam โ Mar 29 โ Apr 2 (Monthly Exam Week) | ||
| โ | Apr 26โ30 | Mock Exams |
| ๐ Labor Day Holiday โ May 1โ3 (No class) | ||
| โ | May 3โ14 | AP Business Exam |
| ๐ Final Exam Week โ Jun 7โ11 | ||
Key Dates
| Oct 16 | Unit 1 completed |
| Nov 27 | Unit 2 completed |
| Dec 31 | Unit 3 completed |
| Mar 12 | Unit 4 completed; Final Business Canvas Project due |
| Mar 19 | All instruction complete |
| Apr 9 | Financial Advisor Project due |
| Apr 26โ30 | Mock Exams |
| May 3โ14 | AP Exam |
Exam Window: May 3โ14, 2027
Fully digital exam via the Bluebook Testing App. Total duration: 2 hours 40 minutes.
| Section | Questions | Time | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I: Multiple Choice | 60 questions | 70 min | 60% |
| Section II Part A: FRQ 1 (Business Canvas Validation) | 1 question | 25 min | 15% |
| Section II Part B: FRQs 2โ4 | 3 questions | 65 min | 25% |
Skill Categories Assessed
- Concept Application โ Explain and apply business and personal finance concepts.
- Entrepreneurship โ Develop and assess business ideas, test hypotheses.
- Decision Making โ Analyze scenarios, evaluate alternatives, recommend actions.
- Communication โ Create written and visual communications for business purposes.
- Collaboration โ Work with others to accomplish business goals.