Scoring your exam
The AP score scale
All AP exams are scored using a formula created by the College Board. The exact cutoffs for each score can change from year to year, but the overall scoring structure stays the same. Your final AP score comes from a weighted combination of your section scores. In other words, the exam converts your raw score (the points you earn in each section) into a final score from 1 to 5.
Here’s what each score means:
The multiple-choice section accounts for 45 percent of your total score, and the essays account for 55 percent.
Here’s a concrete way to think about what that can look like:
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If you answer 30 multiple choice questions correctly and earn a 12 on the free response section, you’re around the baseline for a final score of 3.
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With the same free response score (12), answering 35 multiple choice questions correctly can put you in range of a 4.
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With a higher free response score - 16 and up - you can earn a 5.
You can use this weighting system when you take practice tests. It helps you set realistic targets for each section and decide where extra practice will have the biggest payoff. For example, it’s possible to earn a 5 with only 20 multiple choice questions correct if your free response score is strong.
Scoring the multiple choice section
In the first section of the test, you earn 1 point for every correctly answered question. There are 55 questions total, and there is no penalty for guessing. That means you should answer every question, even if you’re not sure.
Scoring the free response section
AP exam essays are scored by AP Readers (high school AP English teachers and college English professors). Each essay is assigned a score from 0 to 6 based on a grading rubric (which we’ll cover later).
In general, the rubric rewards:
- The sophistication and clarity of your writing
- Your use of evidence
- Your commentary (analysis)
- The strength of your thesis
You’ll want to get familiar with the rubric early, because it makes your practice more focused. Instead of just “writing more,” you can aim for the specific skills that earn points.
The takeaway
There are multiple paths to a 5 because your final score combines performance from both sections. As you work through the course, you’ll have chances to strengthen both your multiple-choice accuracy and your free-response writing.
A practical approach is to start with a target score and work backward:
- If you’re aiming to move from a 3 to a 4, decide whether you’ll gain those points more efficiently through multiple choice, free response, or both.
- If you’re aiming to move from a 4 to a 5, look for ways to raise your free response score while keeping your multiple-choice performance steady.