How Are AP Exams Scored?

Did you just finish your AP exams? Now comes the waiting time, filled with nervous anticipation about your score. But before you start refreshing the College Board website, have you ever wondered exactly how those exams are scored and what exactly goes into that number you’ll receive?

This blog will share the details behind AP exam scoring, guiding you through the process from initial grading to the final verdict. We’ll break down how multiple-choice and free-response sections are evaluated, how scores are combined, and what that final score of 1 to 5 actually means.

What is the AP Scoring Scale?

Each AP test is scored on a 5-point scale by the College Board. These scores indicate how qualified you are for college credit and placement in the corresponding subject. Here’s what each score signifies:

• 5: Extremely well qualified (A+ or A): This score signifies exceptional performance, placing you among the top scorers (typically 10–20%).

• 4: Well qualified (A-, B+, or B): This demonstrates a strong understanding of the subject, likely qualifying you for credit.

• 3: Qualified (B-, C+, or C): This score indicates you grasped the main concepts and may qualify for credit at some colleges.

• 2: Possibly qualified: This suggests you might need additional preparation before starting college-level coursework.

• 1: No recommendation: This score indicates the need for further review before attempting the corresponding college course.

A 3 in the AP exam is considered passing by the College Board, but individual colleges set their own credit and placement policies. Some may require a 4 or 5 for credit. You can find specific requirements in the College Board’s database.

Your final AP score (1–5) is a scaled score derived from a composite score. This composite score combines the points you earned on both the multiple-choice and free-response sections of the exam. The College Board uses a specific method to convert your raw points (number of correct answers) into a scaled score.

How Are AP Tests Scored?

The scoring of AP exams involves a two-step process that combines machine grading with human evaluation. The multiple-choice section is straightforward. After the exams are administered, answer sheets are sent off and scanned by computers. Each correct answer earns you a point, and there’s no penalty for guessing wrong. This raw score contributes to your final grade, but you won’t see it directly.

The free-response section, consisting of essays and open-ended questions, takes a different route. Specially trained college professors and experienced AP teachers gather for a yearly event called the AP Reading, which typically happens in June. During this reading, these graders meticulously evaluate your free-response answers based on specific criteria set for each question. They don’t use a simple point system; instead, they award your answer a holistic score between 1 and 9, with nine being the best.

Finally, both the machine-generated multiple-choice score and the graders’ evaluation of the free-response section are combined using a predetermined formula. This combined score is then statistically analyzed to ensure consistency across years. Scores are awarded on a 5-point scale, ranging from 1 (low) to 5 (high). This final score reflects how well you performed on the entire exam and translates into a recommendation about your readiness for college-level work in that subject.

It’s important to remember that individual colleges have the final say on how they use AP scores. While a score of 4 or 5 generally translates to college credit or advanced placement, each institution sets its policy. So, while the scoring process is standardized, how that score is used can vary depending on where you choose to go to college.

How is the Composite Score Calculated in the AP Exam?

The composite score is the result of combining your scores from various sections of the AP exam. The way these sections are weighted depends on the specific AP exam you’re taking.

For instance, let’s look at the AP Calculus AB exam, which is divided into multiple-choice and free-response sections. In this exam, the multiple-choice section contributes 50% to your composite score, and the free-response section makes up the other 50%.

Each section’s raw score (the number of questions answered correctly) is converted based on a weighting system specific to that exam. This ensures a fair comparison between students who may have performed better on one section than the other. Finally, the weighted scores from both sections are added together to get your composite score.

It’s important to remember that the composite score itself isn’t reported as part of your AP exam results. This score is converted into a scaled score ranging from 1 to 5, which is the official score you’ll receive. The College Board uses statistical methods to ensure that a scaled score of 3 this year reflects the same level of achievement as a 3 in previous years.

How is the Scaled Score Calculated in the AP Exam?

The scaled score you receive on your AP exam isn’t directly calculated from your performance on the test. It goes through a couple of steps before you see that final 1–5 score.

First, your raw scores from the multiple-choice and free-response sections are added together. Each section is weighted differently depending on the specific AP exam. For instance, the multiple-choice section might count for 40% of your score on an AP English exam, while the free-response section makes up the remaining 60%. This combined score is called your composite score, but you won’t see this number.

Then, the College Board uses a statistical process to account for year-to-year variations in exam difficulty. This ensures that a score of 3 on this year’s AP Calculus exam reflects the same level of understanding as a score of 3 on last year’s exam, even if the specific questions were different.

Using this statistical analysis, the College Board sets specific ranges for the composite score that translate to each scaled score (1–5). There’s no fixed cutoff point. So, a scaled score of 5 might correspond to a composite score between 110 and 150 on one exam, while it could be a different range for another exam.

Why Do Some AP Exams Have Subscores?

The College Board offers subscores on two Advanced Placement (AP) exams: AP Calculus BC and AP Music Theory. These subscores provide colleges with a more detailed breakdown of your performance on specific sections of the exam. This additional information can be highly valuable for colleges when making decisions about your course placement and potential college credit award.

Importance of AP exam subscores

This subscore is important for colleges for two reasons. Firstly, it lets them know how well a student performed on the foundational concepts that both exams share. This can be particularly useful when deciding on course placement. If a student aced the AB subscore, a college might place them directly into a higher-level math course, even if their overall BC score was lower.

Secondly, subscores can help colleges award credit more efficiently. Colleges often grant credit for AP exams that show a student’s mastery of the corresponding introductory course material. The subscore gives a clearer picture of a student’s understanding of the introductory topics within the broader BC curriculum.

From the Desk of Yocket

The scoring process for AP exams is a well-established system designed to ensure fairness and consistency. The combination of machine-graded multiple-choice sections and human-scored free-response sections provides a comprehensive evaluation of student understanding. The use of experienced readers with a rigorous training program further helps maintain a high standard for evaluating student performance. Additionally, the multiple-reader approach minimizes the possibility of individual bias influencing the final score.

One potential drawback of the scoring method is the subjectivity inherent in evaluating free-response questions. While scoring criteria exist, some graders might have slightly different interpretations, leading to minor variations in scores. However, the College Board’s statistical processes for setting scores aim to mitigate this issue and ensure scores from year to year reflect the same level of achievement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scoring range for AP exams?

AP exams are scored on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5. A score of 5 is the highest, indicating extremely qualified, and 3 is considered qualified.

How are AP exam scores used?

Colleges use AP exam scores for awarding college credit, course placement, or both. Each college sets its policies for what scores it accepts.

When are AP exam scores released?

AP exam scores are typically released in early July. You will receive an email notification from the College Board. You can check your scores online or through your school counselor.