How Are AP Exams Scored? Full Breakdown

The AP grading scale has a unique structure that many parents and students find confusing. This weighted score provides a balanced assessment of a student’s performance throughout the different sections of the exam.

Let’s take a detailed look at how AP exams are scored, so you’ll know exactly what to expect.

AP Scoring Overview: What You Need to Know First

The College Board uses a rigorous system for scoring AP exams. Scores range from one to five. This scoring range is used as a critical indicator by colleges when they are considering student applications for acceptance into a course of study. College acceptance officers use AP exam scores in several ways.

AP exam scores are not always a requirement for entry into a field of study, but officers may use them to grant course credit for introductory courses. They may also use them to assess the potential academic success of a student. 

AP exams are made up of two main components: multiple-choice and free responses. The College Board will evaluate each section independently and then combine the results to come up with a single composite score (opens in a new tab). 

How Multiple-Choice Sections Are Scored

The multiple-choice section of AP exams is a raw score based on the number of correct answers. There isn’t a penalty for questions that are incorrect or left unanswered. The raw score represents the number of questions answered correctly. The scoring process for multiple-choice questions is done by computers, which simply count the number of correct answers. This will later be combined with the free-response section scores.

How Free-Response Questions Are Scored

The free-response questions on an AP exam are scored during an AP Reading event (opens in a new tab) each June. The reading and scoring are done by a team of AP teachers and college faculty members from around the world. These professionals are trained using official AP rubrics and scoring guidelines so that scoring is accurate and consistent.

Most free-response questions are scored using rubrics. Students will earn points for specific parts of the answer. Readers assign each response a score between 1 and 9 based on the answer’s overall quality and correctness. The free-response score is the sum of all the individual question scores. 

For the most part, free-response questions use rubrics for scoring. Here are a few examples of how this is balanced out with reasoning and analytical skills.

• AP History: Document-Based Questions (DBQ) and Long Essay Questions (LEQ) are scored using an analytical rubric. It assesses both historical argumentation and how the student reasons through the information. The rubric focuses on how students develop a thesis, support it with relevant evidence, and use thinking skills to bring it all together.

• AP Chemistry: Rubrics for scoring AP Chemistry answers look for more than just a simple numerical answer, although that is part of the answer. To earn full credit, students have to show all of their steps, including algebraic expressions and concepts, substitute numbers properly, and use the correct units.

• AP English: AP English includes Language and Literature exams. They are both scored using an analytic rubric that considers several criteria. It looks at three main categories. The Thesis (worth 1 point), the Evidence and Commentary (worth 4 points), and  Sophistication (worth 1 point). Essay scores range from 0 to 6 points, and two independent readers score each essay. If their scores differ, a third reader will make a final decision.

How Raw Scores Become Final Scores (1–5)

AP exams are scored on a 5-point scale, with 5 being the highest possible and 1 being the lowest. The final score is a weighted combination of the scores taken from the multiple-choice and free-response sections. The weighting of the scores varies based on the specific exam. Some AP courses have assessments that include other components. 

Once your raw scores are in, the special subject-specific weightings are applied. For example:

• AP Biology: 50% MCQ + 50% FRQ

• AP English Language: 45% MCQ + 55% FRQ

• AP Physics: 50% MCQ + 50% FRQ

The weighted raw scores are combined to create a composite score that is a total between 100 and 150 points, but this depends on the specific exam. Then, the composite score is mapped into the 1-5 AP scoring scale. Each year, the cutoff points for exams vary depending on how difficult the exam is and how well students perform. Here is an example using a hypothetical 120-point composite exam:

• 5: 100-120

• 4: 85-99

• 3: 70-84

• 2: 50-69

• 1: 0-49

These ranges are based on both historical data and statistical models to make sure they remain fair.

What Each AP Score Means

Once you get your 1-5 score on an AP exam, it’s important to know what it means. While the College Board defines the scores, it’s also important to know how college admissions committees view them.

5 – Extremely Well Qualified

A score of 5 indicates that you’ve mastered the material and shown exceptional work. Some colleges award college credit or advanced placement for the highest scores. This means you may be able to skip introductory courses at the college level because you’ve demonstrated you already mastered the content.

 4 – Well Qualified

Scoring a 4 is great and shows you know your subject! Many colleges, especially public universities, will give you college credit for your AP courses. 

 3 – Qualified

Scoring a 3 on an AP exam shows you have a solid understanding of the content. Some colleges will grant course credits for a 3. However, keep in mind that more selective universities may require a 4 or a 5 for college credit.

 2 – Possibly Qualified

A score of 2 doesn’t meet the college standard, but you got real close. Most of the time, colleges do not give credit for scores below 3. However, it still demonstrates your dedication to pursuing an education.

1 – No Recommendation

Scoring a 1 on an AP exam indicates that you are not quite ready for college-level work in this particular subject.

When and How You Get Your AP Scores

Scores are usually released early in July after tests have concluded in May. You’ll get an email letting you know that your scores are ready. You can check your scores on the College Board website. All of your scores will be scored on the AP Students website. Here’s how you can see them.

1. Go to the AP Students College Board (opens in a new tab) website.

2. Log in using your College Board account.

3.  View your score report, which has all the scores listed for the AP exams you’ve completed.

How to Send Your AP Scores to Colleges

You can send your scores to colleges through the College Board. You’ll get to pick one school to send your scores to for free each year. You will be able to send one free score report every year to your choice of college or scholarship organization. The free send includes all your scores from your current and past AP exams. After the free send, you can still send reports to other schools; you’ll just have to pay a fee.

How Do Colleges Use AP Scores?

There are two main ways that colleges use AP scores: award college credit and advanced placement. For example, if you score a 4 or a 5 on an AP exam, you may be allowed to skip introductory math courses because you’ve already shown mastery of the information.

Each school can have very different ways it uses AP scores, depending on its competitiveness. State universities are more usually more generous, and some of them accept a score of 3 for advanced placement. More selective schools, like Ivy League universities, give credit more selectively.

It’s important to check the AP credit policy of each university you are considering applying to. This information is usually available on their website, typically on the admissions or registrar page. 

Myths and FAQs About AP Scoring

Is there a curve on the AP exam?

There is no curve on AP exams. The scores are scaled each year based on recent performance data, but it’s not an artificial curve. You’re not competing with other students in any way.

Can one bad free-response answer ruin your score?

No. Every free-response question is just a single part of your overall score. A strong answer on another question easily balances out one weak response.

Do different subjects have different scoring systems?

Yes. Different rubrics and weightings are used for subjects. For example, AP Physics has grid-in questions, but AP English uses essay rubrics.

Can I cancel or withhold my AP score?

Yes. You have options. If you want to, you can cancel a score permanently, or you can withhold it from specific schools. You’ll just have to make your request through the College Board by the deadline of June 15.

Is it better to guess or skip questions?

Always guess! Since there isn’t a penalty for getting a wrong answer, skipping them lowers your chances of earning points.

Final Thoughts

If you're aiming for top scores and college credit, understanding how AP exams are scored is just as important as mastering the content. Once you know what the College Board is looking for (both in multiple-choice precision and free-response questions), you can build a study strategy around those expectations.

Keep in mind: The process is fair, consistent, and designed to reflect college readiness. Every point counts, but no single question defines your outcome.

So keep practicing, stay focused, and approach each section with a clear game plan. You've got this.

Sources

College Board AP Score Distribution (opens in a new tab)

Course Credit for AP Coursework

College Board AP Reading Schedule 2025 (opens in a new tab)

AP Students (opens in a new tab)