AP Exam Score Distribution: 2013, 2012, 2011

Students, parents and teachers are often surprised to learn that AP Exams are not scored on a typical bell-shaped curve.

In recent year pass rates (scores of “3” or higher) ranged between greater than 80% on BC Calculus (where 45% to 50% of students typically receive the highest possible score of “5”) and around 50% on many of the history, social sciences, and English exams.     On the AP Human Geography Exam about 30% of students received the lowest possible score of “1” in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Lynn Lubell

Lynn Radlauer Lubell, Publisher of InLikeMe.com and Founder of Admission By Design, an Educational Consultancy based in Boca Raton, Florida.