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2023 AP Exam Score Distributions

Total Registration will once again compile the AP exam score distributions as the College Board releases them beginning in June. In the meantime, we encourage you to check out the distributions from the previous years.

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AP Score Distributions 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011

This table is sortable by clicking on the header - Clicking on an Exam Name will show a comparison of the score distributions for all years compiled

Exam 5 4 3 2 1 3+ Date Tweeted Trevor's Comments
2-D Art and Design 12.0% 31.0% 41.0% 14.0% 2.0% 84% Jun 27
  • So far, 338 of 49,000 students who submitted these portfolios achieved all 100/100 points possible across all of their works; we’ll notify them and their schools in the fall.
  • Each AP Art & Design portfolio contains 10-15 works the student has created, so faculty evaluated more than 1 million works of art by students from around the world in order to arrive at these scores.
  • To get a glimpse of the incredible works AP Art and Design students are creating, here’s a link to AP’s digital exhibit of remarkable 2022 pieces; we’ll create a similar exhibit of highlights from this year’s portfolios. https://apartanddesign.collegeboard.org/2022-ap-art-and-design-exhibit
3-D Art and Design 7.0% 25.0% 40.0% 23.0% 4.0% 72% Jun 27
  • So far, 52 of 8,600 students who submitted these portfolios achieved all 100/100 points possible across all of their works; we’ll notify them and their schools in the fall.
  • Each AP Art & Design portfolio contains 10-15 works the student has created, so faculty evaluated more than 1 million works of art by students from around the world in order to arrive at these scores.
  • To get a glimpse of the incredible works AP Art and Design students are creating, here’s a link to AP’s digital exhibit of remarkable 2022 pieces; we’ll create a similar exhibit of highlights from this year’s portfolios. https://apartanddesign.collegeboard.org/2022-ap-art-and-design-exhibit
AP Research 13.0% 26.0% 45.0% 13.0% 3.0% 84% Jun 26
  • Congrats to this year’s AP Research students and teachers, who have achieved all-time high scores in this subject, 84% earning scores of 3 or higher.
  • 356 students so far, out of 30,000 who submitted AP Research papers, earned all 80/80 points possible across their academic paper, presentation, and oral defense. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when all late exam scoring is complete.

 
AP Seminar 11.0% 20.0% 57.0% 11.0% 1.0% 88% Jun 26
  • Many schools are merging AP Seminar with English 10 to build skills; as a result, it’s this year’s fastest growing AP subject (30% increase). Even with such growth, 88% earned scores of 3+, same as last year.
  • 15 students so far, out of ~75,000 who completed AP Seminar this year, earned all 150/150 points possible across their projects, presentations, and final exam. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when all late exam scoring is complete.
  • 11% of AP Seminar students earned all 24/24 points possible on their evidence-based arguments, Part B of the final exam.
  • AP Seminar students generally developed very effective Individual Written Arguments as they worked on their spring projects / performance tasks, with 12% earning all 30 points possible, and 34% earning 25+ points.
Art History 13.0% 23.0% 28.0% 24.0% 12.0% 64% Jun 20
  • Kudos to AP Art History teachers and students; 16% more students gained access to this exciting subject this year, and (in the 13 years I’ve been tracking this) earned higher scores on the full-length exam than any other group except the class of 2018.
  • Once again, AP Art History students demonstrated very strong knowledge of the Global Contemporary art on the exam, followed by Ancient Mediterranean: 32% and 26% of students, respectively, answered virtually all such questions correctly.
  • AP Art History essays: students generally earned the highest scores on Q3, the visual analysis of the Katsushika Hokusai print; 47% of students scored 5/5 on this essay. Many students also scored well on Q4 about the Giza complex of pyramids (19% earned all 5 pts).
  • The low point of this year’s AP Art History exam was the long essay comparing holy figures (Q1); a surprising 24% of students were unable to summon an artistic depiction of a holy figure for comparison with the Reliquary of Sainte-Foy.
Biology 14.0% 23.0% 27.0% 24.0% 12.0% 64% Jun 23
  • 1 student so far, out of 242,000 worldwide who took this year’s AP Biology Exam, has earned all 120/120 points possible. We’ll notify the student and school in early fall when late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP Biology students really knew well the content related to Cellular Energetics (Unit 3) and Natural Selection (Unit 7), with good performance overall on those topics, and ~10% of students earning every such point possible.
  • Cell Structure and Function (Unit 2) proved most challenging for this year’s AP Biology students, but even so, the majority demonstrated solid understanding here, and 6% earned all such points possible.
  • AP Biology free-response section: students were most successful on Q2, a multi-part investigation of mitochondria, cellular respiration, and elevated CO2 levels; 21% earned 7-9 of the 9 points possible.
  • The most challenging AP Bio questions were FRQ 4 & 5, designed to distinguish between 3/4/5s. Students earning 1s & 2s generally couldn't answer any part of these difficult tasks; students earning 3s were generally able to earn a few of these points; students earning 5s: most.
Calculus AB 22.0% 16.0% 20.0% 22.0% 20.0% 58% Jun 29
  • This is a hefty increase over last year, rivaling pre-pandemic performance; exciting to see this strong recovery, given the pandemic’s impact on math sequences/proficiency.
  • AP Calculus AB multiple-choice section: students performed slightly better on the “no calculator allowed” than on the “calculator required” questions.
  • AP Calculus AB students scored best on questions from Unit 7 (Differential Equations), where 26% of students answered every question right, and Unit 4 (Contextual Applications of Differentiation), where 19% of students did.
  • The most challenging unit for AP Calculus AB students was Analytical Applications of Differentiation (Unit 5), where the average score was 47% right.
  • AP Calculus AB free-response section: Scores were generally highest on the particle motion question (Q2), where 25% of students earned 8-9 of the 9 points possible.
Calculus BC 42.0% 16.0% 20.0% 16.0% 6.0% 78% Jun 29
  • This is an increase over last year, really impressive scores (all those 5s!), although not yet back to pre-pandemic levels.
  • 8 students so far, out of the 136,000 who took this year’s AP Calculus BC Exam, achieved all 108/108 points possible on this year’s exam. We’ll notify them and their teachers in the fall when late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP Calculus BC multiple-choice section: students performed slightly better on the “no calculator allowed” than on the “calculator required” questions.
  • The most challenging unit for AP Calculus BC students was Infinite Sequences and Series (Unit 10), understandably, given its advanced topics; 7% of students answered all such questions right.
Chemistry 15.0% 27.0% 33.0% 17.0% 8.0% 75% Jun 21
  • The impressive AP Chemistry score distributions align with the latest sequent course performance data from colleges, which found that a much larger proportion of AP Chemistry students is now outperforming college peers when placing ahead.
  • 11 students so far, out of ~141,000 who took the AP Chemistry Exam, earned all 100/100 points possible on this year’s exam. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when all late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP Chemistry students performed especially well on MC questions about Molecular & Ionic Compound Structure & Properties (Unit 2) and Applications of Thermodynamics (Unit 9; 15% of students answered all these questions correctly).
  • AP Chemistry students’ weakest area in the MC section was Chemical Reactions (Unit 4); the average score on these questions was 44%, and 10% of students earned 0 points on these questions.
  • AP Chemistry free-response section, long questions: students generally scored somewhat better on Q1 and Q2 than on Q3, with about 17% of students earning 9-10 of 10 points possible on those first two questions, and 9% earning 9-10 points on Q3.
  • AP Chemistry free-response section, short questions: Q5 earned the highest scores of the FRQs, and students also scored well on Q7, with ~25% of students earning 4/4 points possible on these two questions: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap23-frq-chemistry.pdf
Chinese Lang. and Culture 50.0% 17.0% 18.0% 6.0% 9.0% 85% Jun 29
  • These scores are higher than last year’s, as dedicated teachers and students build and develop proficiency that was interrupted during the pandemic.
  • 44 students so far, out of 17,000 who took this year’s AP Chinese Exam, achieved all 120/120 points possible; we’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP Chinese multiple-choice: students generally scored significantly higher on questions related to reading rather than listening to the spoken language.
  • AP Chinese free-response: students generally scored very well and evenly across all four tasks, but especially the story narration (Q1).
Computer Science A 27.0% 22.0% 18.0% 10.0% 23.0% 67% Jun 16
  • This year’s AP Computer Science A students scored extremely well on MC questions about Array, ArrayList, and 2D Array (Units 6-8), with 20% of students earning all or all but one point possible on these topics.
  • More good news: this year’s AP Computer Science A students demonstrated slightly stronger mastery than last year’s, so scores have risen, even as educators have expanded access to 19% more students than the prior school year.
  • 18 students so far, out of ~96,000 worldwide, have earned all 80/80 points possible on this year’s AP Computer Science A exam; we’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when all late exams are scored.
  • AP Computer Science A students generally earned strongest scores in the free-response question on Q3 about Array / ArrayList; 31% earned 8-9 out of the 9 points possible.
  • The most challenging question on this year’s AP Computer Science A exam was Q4 on 2D Array; 34% of students earned 0 of the 9 points possible: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap23-frq-comp-sci-a.pdf…
Computer Science Principles 12.0% 23.0% 33.0% 20.0% 12.0% 68% Jun 20
  • Educators expanded access to AP Computer Science Principles for ~31,000 additional students this year – a massive 22% increase – and scores remained virtually the same as when fewer students had such opportunities last year, a testament to educators’ belief in student potential.
  • 234 students so far, out of ~169,000 who took the exam, have earned all 100 points possible on this year’s AP Computer Science Principles exam & project. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when all late exam scoring is complete.
  • This year’s AP Computer Science Principles students scored very high on exam questions about systems and networks; a massive 19% answered all such questions correctly.
  • The most challenging question types for this year’s AP Computer Science Principles students, overall, were code analysis questions, on which the average score was 60%.
  • % of AP Computer Science Principles students earning each point on the Create project (which is 30% of the AP score):
    • Program Purpose/Function: 59%
    • Data Abstraction: 72%
    • Managing Complexity: 37%
    • Procedural Abstraction: 46%
    • Algorithm Implementation: 47%
    • Testing: 41%
Drawing 16.0% 33.0% 36.0% 13.0% 2.0% 85% Jun 27
  • So far, 309 of 25,000 students who submitted these portfolios achieved all 100/100 points possible across all of their works; we’ll notify them and their schools in the fall.
  • Each AP Art & Design portfolio contains 10-15 works the student has created, so faculty evaluated more than 1 million works of art by students from around the world in order to arrive at these scores.
  • To get a glimpse of the incredible works AP Art and Design students are creating, here’s a link to AP’s digital exhibit of remarkable 2022 pieces; we’ll create a similar exhibit of highlights from this year’s portfolios. https://apartanddesign.collegeboard.org/2022-ap-art-and-design-exhibit
English Language 10.0% 20.0% 26.0% 29.0% 15.0% 56% Jun 22
  • AP English Lang teachers achieved the largest equity/access gains of any subject (40,000 more students admitted this year) and scores increased as well.
  • 18 students so far, out of 568,000 who took the AP English Language Exam, earned all 100/100 points possible across this year’s essays and questions. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when all late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP English Language synthesis essay: 96% of students earned the thesis point; evidence/commentary: 16% earned 4 points; 38% earned 3 points; 33% earned 2 points; 10% earned 1 point; 3% earned 0 points; sophistication point: 9% earned.
  • AP English Language rhetorical analysis essay: 93% earned the thesis point; evidence/commentary: 14% earned 4 points; 34% earned 3 points; 36% earned 2 points; 12% earned 1 point; 4% earned 0 points; sophistication point: 6% earned.
  • AP English Language argument essay: 95% earned the thesis point; evidence/commentary: 14% earned 4 points; 32% earned 3 points; 34% earned 2 points; 14% earned 1 point; 6% earned 0 points; sophistication point: 5% earned.
English Literature 15.0% 28.0% 34.0% 14.0% 9.0% 77% Jun 20
  • AP English Lit scores are very high – but if asked how to move them even higher: the skill area with lowest average scores on the AP English Lit exam is skill category #3, analysis of the structural choices made by an author.
  • 2 students so far, out of ~361,000 worldwide, have earned all 120/120 points possible on this year’s AP English Literature exam. We’ll notify them and their schools in early fall when all late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP English Lit students are demonstrating very strong abilities when answering MQ questions about skills 1 & 2: the function of character & the function of setting in prose & poetry. 27% earned virtually all points possible in these areas.
  • AP English Lit essays: students scored highest on FRQ3 about a rebellious character, in a text of their choice; 22% earned 5-6 out of 6 points possible; on the poetry and prose essays, 17% of students earned 5-6 points.
Environmental Science 8.0% 28.0% 17.0% 27.0% 20.0% 53% Jun 21
  • A very big year for AP Environmental Science teachers and students: 14,000 more students than last year have earned scores of 3+ on the AP Env Science exam. Teachers maintained quality while expanding access to 16% more students than in 2022.
  • AP Environmental Science students scored very well across the multiple-choice section, but especially on Biodiversity (Unit 2); also, great performance on Earth Systems & Resources (Unit 4), where ~24% of students got every point possible for that unit.
  • AP Environmental Science students’ lowest average scores in the multiple-choice section were on Ecosystems (Unit 1); ~9% of students got every point possible on those questions.
European History 13.0% 21.0% 25.0% 29.0% 12.0% 59% Jun 21
  • AP European History students demonstrated strongest understanding of topics from 1450-1648 CE (Units 1-2), with 21% of students earning 90-100% of such points, but also scored very well on topics from 1914-present (Units 8-9).
  • The most challenging part of the MC section for AP European History students was 1815-1914 CE (Units 6-7), where the average score was 51% correct.
  • AP European History Short-Answer Questions: students generally demonstrated strongest skills on the secondary source analysis re: 17thcentury Paris (Q1); 22% of students earned all 3/3 points possible.
  • This year’s AP European History DBQ on the causes of the Haitian Revolution: 80% of students earned the thesis point; 60% of students earned the contextualization point; 94% of students earned 1+ evidence points; 33% of students earned 1+ analysis/reasoning points.
French Language 12.0% 25.0% 37.0% 20.0% 6.0% 74% Jun 29
  • This is a significant increase in 3s/4s/5s over last year, as teachers and students continue to press forward after pandemic interruptions of language sequences and progressions.
  • 1 student so far, out of 19,000 who took this year’s AP French Exam, achieved all 130/130 points possible. (I’m envious, as I cannot even pronounce the French “r” adequately.) We’ll notify the student and school in the fall.
  • AP French multiple-choice: students generally scored somewhat higher on questions related to reading rather than listening to the spoken language.
  • AP French students generally scored evenly across all four free-response tasks, with slightly higher scores on the cultural presentation about rôles de l’art, where 14% earned all points possible.
German Language 19.0% 21.0% 26.0% 20.0% 14.0% 66% Jun 26
  • The pandemic seems to have had an especially severe effect on world language classes, so it’s exciting to see the valiant efforts of these teachers and students, which resulted in the highest percentage of 5s on the full-length exam since 2017.
  • 18 students so far, out of 4,500 who took the AP German Exam, earned all 130/130 points possible across the writing, speaking, and other questions of this year’s exam. (Some of these are students who are not heritage speakers!) We’ll notify them & their schools in the fall.
  • AP German non-heritage (standard group) students generally found questions that were dependent solely on listening to the spoken language slightly easier than questions associated with reading only.
  • AP German students performed especially well on FRQ1, the email task, but also on the interpersonal speaking tasks (the conversation, the cultural presentation). The most challenging part of the exam was FRQ2, the written argument.
Government and Politics, Comp. 16.0% 23.0% 32.0% 16.0% 13.0% 71% Jun 20
  • Bravo to AP Comparative Govt teachers & students; reviewing the past 13 years of AP Comparative Government performance, only the 2021 students demonstrated (slightly) stronger mastery (and thus had a 1% higher percentage of 3+ scores) than this year’s superb group.
  • AP Comparative Government students scored highest on questions about Unit 3 (Political Culture / Participation) and Unit 4 (Party / Electoral Systems & Citizen Organizations); 16% of students answered 100% of these questions correctly.
  • The most challenging unit for AP Comparative Govt students was 5 (Political & Economic Changes / Development); 5% of students answered 100% of such questions correctly.
  • AP Comparative Govt free-response section: students generally performed best on Q1 (conceptual analysis), and least well on Q4 (argument essay).
Government and Politics, US 13.0% 11.0% 25.0% 24.0% 27.0% 49% Jun 28
  • These scores and the required points are consistent over the past decade. I wish colleges were less stringent in the points they require for 3s/4s/5s in this subject!
  • AP US Government students demonstrated such strong knowledge in the MC section on SCOTUS case applications: 36% of students earned every such point; of the course units, they scored best on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights (Unit 3), where 24% answered every question right.
  • Across all versions of the AP US Government Exam free-response questions, the highest performance overall was on Q2, the Quantitative Analysis question on voting eligibility or participation.
  • 43 students so far, out of 332,000 who took this year’s AP US Government & Politics Exam, achieved all 120/120 points possible across their essays and exam questions. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when late exam scoring is complete.
Human Geography 16.0% 20.0% 18.0% 14.0% 32.0% 54% Jun 29
  • Very inspiring work here by these teachers, who expanded access to 27,000 more students . . . and achieved the highest scores yet posted for this subject!
  • AP Human Geography students generally demonstrated strongest knowledge on Population / Migration Patterns & Processes (Unit 2), with 23% answering all or all but one of such MC questions right.
  • The most challenging topics for AP Human Geography students were related to Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns & Processes (Unit 6), where the average MC score was 44% correct.
  • In each version of the AP Human Geography free-response questions, students scored highest on Q2 (Human Development Index; food crops / hearths of domestication).
Italian Language and Culture 20.0% 22.0% 29.0% 18.0% 11.0% 71% Jun 28
  • 2 students so far, out of 2,100 who took this year’s AP Italian Exam, achieved all 130/130 points possible across the various speaking, writing, and other exam questions. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall.
  • AP Italian free-response section: students generally scored highest on their written arguments (Q2) about the “obiettivo dell’innovazione tecnologica nella costruzione di abitazioni.” The most challenging was the conversation (Q3) about Comicon.
Japanese Lang. and Culture 47.0% 9.0% 19.0% 9.0% 17.0% 75% Jun 27
  • AP Japanese teachers and students achieved a big score increase this year, a return to pre-pandemic levels of Japanese language learning proficiency – nice work.
  • 2 students so far, out of 3,200 who took the AP Japanese exam (the fastest growing AP world language program this year), earned all 144/144 points possible across the speaking, writing, and MC questions. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall.
  • AP Japanese multiple-choice section: students generally performed somewhat better on reading selections than on listening ones.
  • The cultural presentation AP Japanese students prepared and delivered (about family activities) generally earned the highest scores of any of the free-response questions, while the conversation proved most challenging.
Latin 12.0% 17.0% 28.0% 25.0% 18.0% 57% Jun 23
  • 2 students so far, out of ~4,600 who took this year’s AP Latin Exam, earned all 100/100 points possible across the questions, translations, and essays. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when the scoring of all late exams is complete.
  • AP Latin sight-reading: students generally found the prose sight-reading more difficult than the poetry sight-reading, on which they scored very well.
  • AP Latin students performed well across questions related to Skill 1H, recognition of references to Roman culture, history, and mythology. I hear Percy Jackson is partly to thank.
  • AP Latin free-response questions: students generally scored best on Q4 about Book 1 of the Aeneid; 24% of students earned 6-7 of 7 points possible.
  • By far the most difficult part of this year’s AP Latin Exam was Q2, a challenging translation of Caesar’s prose from Bellum Gallicum 4.35; 14% of students earned 0 of 15 possible points on it. If you have some Latin proficiency, see what you think: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap23-frq-latin.pdf 
Macroeconomics 16.0% 23.0% 25.0% 22.0% 14.0% 64% Jun 29
  • This year’s research into college econ performance found that AP Macro students were significantly outperforming college peers, hence the big jump in 3s/4s/5s this year. Great work.
  • Part of the reason AP Economics students often develop deeper and more enduring understandings than those who wait to take Econ in college is that the average number of instructional hours in an AP Economics course is nearly 2x higher than in college.
  • 32 students so far, out of 151,000 who took this year’s AP Macroeconomics Exam, achieved all 90/90 points possible; we’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP Macroeconomics students scored significantly higher on one unit than any other: Economic Indicators and the Business Cycle. 25% of students earned 90% or more of these MC points.
  • By far the most challenging unit for AP Macro students was Open Economy – International Trade and Finance (Unit 6); the average score on these MC questions was 49% correct.
Microeconomics 18.0% 26.0% 22.0% 21.0% 13.0% 66% Jun 29
  • The college research into AP Econ students’ performance compared to college students also found stronger outcomes now for AP Micro students, hence this increase in scores of 3/4/5. Nice work all around, AP Econ teachers and students!
  • 20 students so far, out of 96,000 who took this year’s AP Microeconomics Exam, achieved all 90/90 points possible; we’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP Microeconomics students generally performed well on questions about Supply and Demand (Unit 2), where ~18% of students answered most or all such questions right, and of course on Unit 1, where 37% of students correctly answered all or all but one.
  • By far the most challenging unit for AP Micro students was Factor Markets (Unit 5); the average score on these MC questions was 50% correct.
Music Theory 20.0% 17.0% 24.0% 24.0% 15.0% 61% Jun 23
  • AP Music Theory students scored very well on questions about pitch, major scales & key signatures, rhythm, meter, & expressive elements (Unit 1), with 21% earning virtually all such points; and also on modes and form (Unit 8), where 27% answered every such question correctly.
  • The most challenging MC questions for this year’s AP Music Theory students were on Harmony & Voice Leading -- Chord Function, Cadence, & Phrase (Unit 4), where the average score was 49% correct.
  • AP Music Theory FRQ2, a melodic dictation task, was the most difficult on this year’s exam, with 20% of students scoring 0 or 1 out of the 9 points possible.
  • Part Writing from a Figured Bass (FRQ5) provided many AP Music Theory students with an opportunity to shine; very solid work on this task, with 20% of students earning all 22+ of the 25 points possible.
Physics 1 - Algebra Based 8.0% 18.0% 19.0% 28.0% 27.0% 45% Jun 15
  • More kudos for Physics teachers: this year’s AP Physics 1 scores are the highest ever on the full-length exam, even as these teachers enabled 16,000 more students to experience this advanced course.8%
  • People sometimes ask why scores for Physics 1 are significantly lower than those of other AP STEM subjects; AP Physics 1 is typically students’ first physics course, whereas AP Biology and AP Chemistry are typically students’ second bio and chem courses.
  • This year,  students scored best on MC questions about Dynamics (Unit 2) and Circular Motion & Gravitation (Unit 3), but also did very well on Kinematics (Unit 1), while struggling on questions about Energy (Unit 4), where their average was 36% of points possible.
  • The most challenging component of this year’s exam was FRQ5 on rotation; 36% of students were unable to answer any parts of this question.
  • The highest scores within the free-response section were on Q3, the Qual/Quant Translation; 8% of students earned 11-12 of 12 points possible.
  • 2 students, out of ~162,000 worldwide, earned all 80 points possible on this year’s AP Physics 1 exam. We’ll notify them and their schools this fall once all late exams have been scored.
Physics 2 - Algebra Based 15.0% 17.0% 36.0% 26.0% 6.0% 68% Jun 15
  • This year’s AP Physics 2 students scored best on MC questions about Fluids (Unit 1), with 20% of students earning 100% points possible; the most challenging unit was, as usual, Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics (Unit 7), where the average score was 40%
  • Students generally performed very well on FRQ1 (refraction): 18% of students earned 9-10 out of 10 points possible: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap23-frq-physics-2.pdf
  • The most challenging question on this year’s exam was FRQ2 on electric field / electric potential; the average score on it was 35%.
  • 1 student so far, out of ~20,000 worldwide, has earned all 80/80 points possible on this year’s exam. We’ll notify the student and school in the early fall when all late scoring is complete.
Physics C E&M 31.0% 24.0% 13.0% 20.0% 12.0% 68% Jun 15
  • A big year for AP Physics: powerful and inspiring to see the teachers of the calculus-based AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism course maintaining such strong scores while also increasing access for nearly 16% more students than last year.
  • So far, 1 student has earned all 90/90 points on the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam and 1 student has earned all 90/90 points on the AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism exam. I don’t yet know if it happens to be the same student.
  • Again this year, students scored best on MC questions about Electric Circuits (Unit 3), with 18% earning all or all but one of these points.
  • In the  free-response section, the same pattern as last year: students generally scored best on the Experimental Design question (Q1), and least well on Q3.
Physics C Mech. 23.0% 28.0% 22.0% 15.0% 12.0% 73% Jun 15
  • Kudos to AP Physics C: Mechanics teachers, who expanded access to this challenging, calculus-based course for 16% more students this year – the biggest percentage increase of any AP STEM subject.
  • Students scored highest on MC questions about Kinematics (Unit 1); 30% of students earned all or all but one of the points possible on such questions.
  • Once again, MC questions on Rotation (Unit 5) were generally the most challenging for students; the average score on these questions was 41% correct.
  • AP Physics C: Mechanics students who earned a 5 are typically able to earn 13/15 pts on Set 2, FRQ1 (linear momentum): https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap23-frq-physics-c-mechanics-set-2.pdf
  • So far, 1 student has earned all 90/90 points on the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam and 1 student has earned all 90/90 points on the AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism exam. I don’t yet know if it happens to be the same student.
Psychology 17.0% 23.0% 20.0% 12.0% 28.0% 60% Jun 27
  • Kudos to AP Psychology teachers and students: psychometric equating shows that learning outcomes were stronger this year, so scores went up, even as 27,000 more students were given seats at this table.
  • Many AP Psychology students really demonstrated strong understanding of Developmental Psychology (Unit 6): a massive 31% of students earned virtually all possible points on this unit. They also did very well on Clinical Psychology (Unit 8).
  • AP Psychology scores are good; if looking for ways to boost them further, students’ weakest areas were generally Sensation/Perception (Unit 3), where the average score was 46%, and Cognitive Psychology (Unit 5).
  • In all versions of the AP Psychology free-response section, students scored higher on the Research Design (Q2) task than on the Concept Application (Q1) task.
Spanish Language 24.0% 30.0% 30.0% 14.0% 3.0% 84% Jun 28
  • Congrats to AP Spanish teachers, who continue to build back toward pre-pandemic levels of student proficiency – this is a significant increase in scores over last year.
  • AP Spanish Language students scored very well on the email exchange with the directora de Arte y Vida, una fundación privada. ~24% of students earned all 5/5 points possible in this interpersonal writing task.
  • The most challenging task for AP Spanish Language students this year was typically the conversation about “un festival de cine en la escuela.” 16% of students earned all 5/5 points possible on this part of the exam.
  • AP Spanish Language multiple-choice section: students performed very similarly whether the questions demanded reading or listening, with just slightly higher scores on listening questions.
  • 231 students so far, of the 78,000 who took this year’s AP Spanish Language Exam, achieved all 130/130 points possible across their speaking and writing tasks and MC questions. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall.
Spanish Literature 8.0% 22.0% 37.0% 23.0% 10.0% 67% Jun 16
  • Yet more good news: this year’s AP Spanish Literature students showed slightly stronger mastery, overall, than last year’s group, so the percentage of credit-qualifying scores has increased.
  • Students generally scored highest on MC questions that required them to recognize implied meanings, inferences, tone, themes, and perspectives (skills 1E-H); challenging stuff and good work!
  • The most difficult questions for this year’s students focused on the skill of identifying literary elements, voices, and stylistic features (skill 1c); the average score on these questions was 45%.
  • The most challenging part of this year’s exam for students was the essay on José Martí’s Nuestra América and Modernism; that said, 7% of students earned all 5 points possible on it. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap23-frq-spanish-literature.pdf
Statistics 15.0% 22.0% 23.0% 16.0% 24.0% 60% Jun 27
  • Great work: these are higher than the pre-pandemic scores of 2019, let alone last year, and educators invited 10% more students into the AP Stats classroom this year than last.
  • 2 students so far, of the 245,000 who took the AP Statistics Exam, earned all 100/100 points possible on the exam. (Watch your back, @NateSilver538) We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when all late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP Statistics multiple-choice: student performance was generally strongest, unsurprisingly, on questions about Units 1-3 (15% of students answered all Unit 3 questions right).
  • The most challenging multiple-choice questions were on probability/simulation, where the average was 47% correct, but note that this is a marked improvement over the 38% correct on such questions last year.
  • AP Statistics free-response section: students generally scored best on Q3, which required working with a probability distribution; 11% earned all 4/4 points possible.
United States History 11.0% 15.0% 22.0% 23.0% 29.0% 48% Jun 22
  • 2 students so far, out of 473,000 who took this year’s AP US History Exam, earned all 140/140 points possible across their essays and questions; we’ll notify them and their schools in the fall after all late exam scoring is complete.
  • AP US History students scored exceptionally well on questions about the period 1865-1898 (Unit 6); 23% of students earned 100% of these points.
  • By far the most challenging period for AP US History students was 1607-1754 (Unit 2); the average score on these questions was 49%.
  • There was a real spread of performance on this year’s APUSH DBQ on changing definitions of US citizenship from 1865 to 1920: 13% of students earned 6-7 of 7 points possible; 15% earned 0-1 points.
  • AP US History DBQ: 81% of students earned the thesis point; 54% earned the contextualization point; 91% earned 1+ evidence point; 36% earned 1+ analysis/reasoning point.
  • Curious why AP World History and Euro History scores are higher than APUSH scores? World History and Euro History students performed significantly better, overall, across the short answer and long essay questions.
World History 15.0% 22.0% 28.0% 22.0% 13.0% 65% Jun 21
  • Congrats – this year’s group earned what are easily the all-time high scores in this subject for as long as I’ve posted these.
  • Rare to see such impressive gains as these: AP World History teachers expanded access to ~40,000 more students, and scores increased significantly – with an especially large jump in the % of 5s. As a result, 36,000 more students earned scores of 3+ this year than last!
  • 4 students so far, out of ~356,000 students who took the AP World History Exam, earned all 140/140 points possible. We’ll notify them and their schools in the fall when all late exam scoring is complete.
  • The lowest-scoring MC sections on the AP World History Exam were 1900 CE to present (Units 7-9), where the average score was 57% correct.
  • AP World History Short-Answer Questions: students scored highest on Q2, analysis of a 15th century primary source related to Confucianism and Buddhism, with 26% earning 3/3 points on it.
  • This year’s AP World History DBQ on the extent to which Muslim women in the Middle East challenged social norms from 1850-1950: 81% of students earned the thesis point; 40% earned the contextualization point; 92% earned 1+ evidence points; 31% earned 1+ analysis/reasoning points.