Understanding the AP Macroeconomics Scoring

AP exams are coming up soon and I'm feeling a bit antsy about the AP Macroeconomics test. Can someone give me a quick rundown on how the scoring for this exam works? Is there a specific score calculator that I should be aware of?

Sure, I'd be happy to explain the scoring of the AP Macroeconomics exam for you! There are two sections to the exam, multiple-choice and free-response, and each section has a specific weight towards your final score.

1. Multiple-Choice: This section represents 66% of your total score. It includes 60 questions that you have 70 minutes to answer.

2. Free-Response: This section accounts for the remaining 34% of your total score. It includes one long question and two short questions. The long question generally refers to the market for a particular good in some economies, requiring you to draw properly labeled diagrams and respond mathematically as well. The two short questions deal with economic content, which could be from different parts of the course. You're given 60 minutes to complete this section.

AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. Each school decides what scores it will accept for credit or placement, but a score of 3 is typically seen as “passing” (i.e., it demonstrates college-level understanding of the material).

As far as score calculators are concerned, there used to be multiple online resources you could use to estimate your score based on your performance in each section. However, College Board has moved away from providing raw score to AP score conversions, so these calculators might not be as accurate as they once were. Therefore, instead of focusing too much on score calculators, it might be more beneficial to focus on understanding the material as best as you can.

But remember, everyone finds these exams challenging, so you're not alone in feeling antsy. Good luck with your studying!