Which AP exam has the highest curve?

The two AP Physics C tests are examples of the few tests with a "heavy" curve, as demonstrated by the scoring distributions. A large majority of test takers pass the exam every year, and almost 50% get a 5.

What is the highest scoring AP exam?

AP tests are scored on a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high). Get a 4 or higher, and you may be able to earn college credit without paying college tuition!

Do AP exams get curved?

AP test scores are indeed "curved," but it's more accurate to call it a "scaling process." Instead of a traditional curve that compares your performance to other students' performance, the AP exam scaling process converts your raw score (the number of points you earned through multiple-choice questions and free- ...

Which AP exam is the hardest?

United States History, Biology, English Literature, Calculus BC, Physics C, and Chemistry are often named as the hardest AP classes and tests. These classes have large curriculums, tough tests, and conceptually difficult material.

Is the AP Physics exam curved?

AP Physics 1 scores are curved for two main reasons: To maintain scoring consistency across the years. To correlate the final exam score to an equivalent college grade with accuracy and uniformity.

Grading on a Curve vs Scaling

Is AP World exam curved?

The College Board curves AP® exams, including AP® World History, to maintain a certain standard and level of consistency over different years. AP® courses are inherently college-level classes, and thus the scoring guidelines are reflected to account for the rigor of these courses.

Can you get a 0 on the AP test?

To clarify, it's quite rare and quite difficult to get a score of 0 on an AP exam. Typically, scores range from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest possible score that indicates the student likely wasn't prepared for the level of the content on the exam.

Is AP more difficult than SAT?

AP Tests, on the other hand, can last for over three hours and always include both multiple-choice and essay questions. AP Tests are associated with specific AP classes, and their content tends to be more challenging than that of SAT Subject Tests.

Is IB more difficult than AP?

Is IB harder than AP? It depends. Some students argue that IB is more challenging because of the emphasis on critical thinking and the more application-focused evaluations. However, both IB and AP classes are considered college-level courses that many students find challenging.

Why are AP classes curved?

Because the exams are so difficult, College Board curves the vast majority of AP exams ensuring that at least a certain percentage of students earn fives. Earning a five, the maximum score, on an AP exam can be daunting, but for some exams, the material is incredibly difficult.

Do AP exams penalize guessing?

There is no penalty for guessing on any of the AP exams, so it's important to make sure that you try to answer every question. If you're not sure how to answer a multiple-choice question, eliminate any answers that you know are incorrect and choose the best answer from your remaining choices.

Why is physics 1 pass rate so low?

The relatively low passing rate on AP® Physics 1 is partly due to the large group of students taking the exam – some of the students in the course might be taking an advanced physics course for the first time or may not have deep expertise in the subject area.

Is 75% a 5 on AP exams?

Usually, a 70 to 75 percent out of 100 translates to a 5. However, there are some exams that are exceptions to this rule of thumb. The AP Grades that are reported to students, high schools, colleges, and universities in July are on AP's five-point scale: 5: Extremely well qualified.

How rare is a 5 on AP?

As you can see, while at least 5% of test takers scored a 5 on each AP exam, the perfect scores are teeny, teeny, teeny percentages.

Has anyone ever gotten a 100 on an AP exam?

MISHAWAKA, Ind. — No matter how you do the math, this Indiana teen is perfect. Felix Zhang, a junior at Penn High School in Mishawaka, achieved a perfect score on the Advanced Placement calculus AB exam issued by the College Board -- the only student in the world to do so, WTHR-TV reported.

Why is AP classes so hard?

AP classes are much more complex than regular classes because there is so much information to cover—especially in subjects like AP US and World History, AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Biology, and English. All of these are substantially more difficult than regular or honors subjects.

Is AP harder than actual college classes?

In general, there is a lot of material to cover in AP classes, so they tend to be more challenging than regular classes—especially courses like AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Physics, US and World History, and English.

What is the easiest and hardest AP class?

AP Physics C, AP Chemistry and AP Calculus BC are the three hardest,. AP Human Geography is typically the easiest. Everything else typically falls somewhere in between. That, of course, depends on the school and the teacher.

Is a 70% a 5 on the AP exam?

As a general guide, though, you can consider roughly more than 70% correct as being in the 5 range, 50-69% for a score of 4, 40-49% for a score of 3, 30-39% for a 2, and below 30% would likely be a 1.

Is it OK to fail AP exam?

But it's not the end of the world if you don't pass. Your class grade won't be affected, and colleges will still be impressed that you took an AP course. Colleges won't see your scores, if you don't report them. So, even if you are unsure if you'll pass, it's a good idea to opt to take an AP course.

Is getting a 3 on an AP exam bad?

But what is a passing AP score? The College Board considers a score of 3 or higher a passing grade. That said, some colleges require a 4 or 5 to award credit. Whether a 3 is a good AP score depends on the colleges you're applying to.

Is 4 aps too much junior year?

Take as many as you can handle without spreading yourself thin, and make sure you will have time to study for the ACT or SAT this year. An Ivy League hopeful might take 3 to 5 AP classes, while if you're aiming for less-selective schools, 2 to 4 would be enough.

Is 3 AP classes too much?

Depending on what kind of school you want to go to, you should be taking between 3 and 5 AP® classes this year. You will need to manage your time well, however, as you also need to study for the SAT® or ACT® during this time.

Is AP Bio or physics easier?

Many students would say that AP Physics is one of the hardest AP classes, while AP Bio is one of the easiest. This is because AP Physics is heavily based on high-level math, while AP Bio is all about writing and memorization. Khan Academy is a great resource to use to prepare for both classes.