Things got a little weird on this year’s AP Euro exam — and Mickey Mouse might have been involved? (2023)

FAQs

Is a 5 on AP Euro hard? ›

Receiving a 3, 4, or 5 is widely accepted as scoring well on an AP® exam. According to the College Board a 3 is 'qualified,' a 4 'well qualified,' and a 5 'extremely well qualified.

As a reminder, here's how each section is weighted on the AP European History exam: Multiple Choice: 40% Short Answer: 20% DBQ: 25%

In terms of academics and intellectual merit, the AP® Euro exam will help you across the board when it comes to just about any high school or college-level class. The content analysis and critical-thinking skills that are covered in this course are absolutely necessary for your future life as a student.

The AP Euro 2021 pass rate 59%, slightly lower than the all-AP-class average of 64%. The highest percentage of candidates received a 2 (30%), a significantly larger figure than the all-AP average.

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.

AP Physics 1

Physics 1 has the lowest pass rate of any AP exam (42.1%) along with one of the lowest percentages of students scoring a 5 (just 6.9%).

All AP exams have a passing rate of at least 50%. The most failed AP exams are Physics 1 (failed by 48.4% of all students), Environmental Science (failed by 46.6% of all students), and Chemistry (failed by 43.9% of all students).

Does Harvard take AP Euro? ›

Exams are scored from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest. Most AP exams report a 65% or higher passing rate, which is good news for you. Most colleges that accept AP scores will give you credit for 4s and 5s, though some colleges might honor 3s too.

AP Score of 1

In some exams, earning a 1 is extremely rare, like in AP Studio Art, where only 1.1% of students earn a 1. For other exams, earning a 1 is common, such as AP Human Geography, where 34.1% percent of test-takers got a 1, more than any other score.

AP Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Many U.S. colleges grant credit and/or advanced placement (that means they let you skip the equivalent course once you get to college) for scores of 3 and above.

You can definitely take 5 APs, but just make sure to stay on top of your work and spend a good amount of time studying to make sure you know the material.

A four is fine,” Ritvo said. “On an AP exam, very few multiple choice questions determine the difference between a 4 and a 5. Not only did I study a lot for the [US History] exam, but taking the test itself was expensive, and a 4 is definitely worthy of credit.”

Is AP micro or macro easier? ›

Microeconomics requires knowledge of calculus, which makes some students say it is more difficult than macroeconomics. Students must earn a score of at least three to pass, though some schools require a four or five.

The average passing rate in AP is 60-70%.

Students who earn AP scores of 2 are well prepared to succeed in introductory college coursework. Compared to academically similar college peers who did not take the AP course, AP students who earn scores of 2 perform as well or better when they take those introductory college courses.

So is 4 a good AP score? An AP score of 4 is like getting a B on the AP test. Most schools accept a 4 for credit. Before you take any AP exam, check with the colleges you're considering to find out what their policies are for granting AP credit.

After all, if not many students can pass an AP test, doesn't that mean it's one of the hardest tests? But when you look at the data, the exams with some of the highest passing rates (Spanish, Chinese, Physics C: Mechanics) are often considered among the hardest.

AP Exams and Earning College Credit

Students can score a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 on the AP Exam, and a 3 is considered passing. Post-secondary institutions that offer college credit for AP Exam scores typically begin offering credit to students with a score of 3 or higher.

P Pass No grade point credit. Applies only to nondevelopmental studies courses. Pass grades carry academic credit but are not included within GPA calculations.

Harvard only accepts AP® scores of 5 for course credit. If you have 4 scores of 5, you can opt to obtain Advanced Standing. You can use AP® credits to opt-out of lower-level classes. Harvard has general academic requirements that all students must take.

What aps do colleges like? ›

Colleges won't see your scores, and you won't miss out on any opportunities. So, even if you are unsure if you'll pass, it's a good idea to opt to take an AP course.

US Government, Psychology, Human Geography, and Environmental Science tend to be easier since there is comparatively less to cover before the exam. Also keep in mind that some schools weight AP classes, so they can boost your GPA if you do well.

AP courses can be taken without taking the exam, and vice versa. If your child wants the possible college credit or score result without taking a course, then take the exam.

What happens if you fail an AP exam? If you fail an AP exam, you will not receive college credit for that course. The good news is that a failed exam does not affect your GPA. In addition, you can retake the AP exam the next year.

Sophomore Year: Take one to three AP classes. Consider adding a more challenging AP class, like World History or US History, and one or two less-demanding APs. Continue to take honors courses if possible in your other core classes.

If you manage to take 11 AP classes throughout your high school stay, that's enough (33 credits on average) to skip a whole year of college. While that may too much, even a couple of classes can be enough to give you a semester ahead of your peers coming into college.

Going up the selectivity chain, the average at Harvard is eight AP classes. To be competitive at some of the most highly selective colleges in the country, 8-12 AP courses may be the sweet spot amount, assuming the student can handle that level of rigor.

Does Harvard prefer IB or AP courses? Harvard does not explicitly state a preference for IB or AP courses. To receive credit for IB classes, accepted students must earn an IB diploma. Incoming students must earn a score of 5 on at least four AP exams to earn college credit at Harvard.

Aim for four to eight AP exams in your junior and senior years. For competitive Ivy League schools, admission officers also want to see AP courses for core subject areas and additional courses. If possible, aim to pass about seven to 12 AP exams if applying to these highly selective schools.

Is 3 APs enough for Ivy League? ›

Ivy League

To be a competitive candidate for admission, you will need to take at least 8 AP® classes, more if you can. It is a good idea to take 1 AP® course in each of the following core disciplines: English, Foreign Language, History, Math, and Science to impress the admissions officers.

AP Euro requires strong memorization, critical reading, and writing skills.

UCLA awards credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams with scores of 3 or higher.

Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on the College Board Advanced Placement tests will receive credit toward graduation.

AP European History 🇪🇺

In 2020, 13.7% of exam takers scored a 5. How do you become a part of that percentage?

AP Score of 1

In some exams, earning a 1 is extremely rare, like in AP Studio Art, where only 1.1% of students earn a 1. For other exams, earning a 1 is common, such as AP Human Geography, where 34.1% percent of test-takers got a 1, more than any other score.

The AP Euro 2021 pass rate 59%, slightly lower than the all-AP-class average of 64%. The highest percentage of candidates received a 2 (30%), a significantly larger figure than the all-AP average.

AP Physics 1

Physics 1 has the lowest pass rate of any AP exam (42.1%) along with one of the lowest percentages of students scoring a 5 (just 6.9%). Physics 1 is an algebra-based physics class that explores topics such as Newtonian mechanics, simple circuits, and mechanical waves.

How many people got a 5 on the APHG exam 2022? ›

Just under 15 percent (14.7) of students who took the AP Human Geography exam scored a 5. Most students (31.9 percent) scored a 1. Students scored highest on Unit 1: Thinking Geographically and on Unit 7: Industrial/Economic Development.

The odds of passing with a 5—the highest score—are quite low on any exam: between 10% and 20% for most tests. They are even lower for popular tests, such as AP English Lit and AP Environmental Science, which have 5 rates below 10%.

How many AP classes should you take? Students accepted to a top 10 school like Stanford typically complete between 8 to 12, but it's not uncommon for a student to have taken even more.

You may think that a generally broad and diverse course such as AP Euro would be practically impossible to prepare for and pass on your own, however, it can be done. From my own experience, I self-studied the course during my Junior Year of High School and passed the exam in May with a 5.

Unless you're applying to the most selective universities, 4 to 5 AP courses over your high school years is more than enough. For students applying to the most selective colleges, you might need 7–12. But even so, taking 4 AP courses in a year can be extremely challenging.

AP classes are usually weighted by an increase in one point. In other words, the normal GPA scale ranges from 0 to 4, while the AP scale ranges from 0 to 5. A high letter grade in an AP course will no doubt give your GPA a higher rating than it would if you were in a regular class.

AP Physics 1 consistently tops the list of most difficult AP classes. AP Physics 1 explores college-level content and covers foundational science knowledge. Students with strong math and science skills are most likely to earn a passing AP exam score.