Hey everyone, I'm wondering how the AP World exam is scored. Like, what's the grading scale and how many points do I need to pass or score a 5? I'm trying to set some goals for my studying. Thank you!
Hey there! The AP World History exam, like other AP exams, is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. To pass the exam, you'll generally need to score a 3 or higher. Here's a breakdown of how the exam is scored:
The exam has two primary sections: Multiple Choice and Free Response. The combined scores from both sections ultimately determine your AP score (1-5).
1. Multiple Choice (55 questions; 40% of your total exam score)
In this section, you'll have 55 multiple-choice questions to complete within 55 minutes. Each question is worth one point, so there are a possible 55 points to be earned. The percentage of correct answers will then be multiplied by 0.4 to determine the weight towards your overall score.
2. Free Response (4 questions; 60% of your total exam score)
The Free Response section consists of four questions: two Short-Answer Questions (SAQs) and one Document-Based Question (DBQ), followed by one Long-Essay Question (LEQ). You'll have to respond to each question within a limited amount of time, totaling 130 minutes for this section. Here's how this part is scored and weighed:
a. SAQs (20% of your total exam score): Each SAQ is worth 3 points for a total of 6 points between the two. The percentage of points earned from these questions will be multiplied by 0.2 to determine their weight towards your overall score.
b. DBQ (25% of your total exam score): The DBQ is scored on a scale of 0-7, based on specific rubric criteria. The points you earn will be multiplied by 0.25 to determine the weight towards your overall score.
c. LEQ (15% of your total exam score): The LEQ is scored on a scale of 0-6, based on specific rubric criteria. The points you earn will be multiplied by 0.15 to determine the weight towards your overall score.
To achieve a 5 on the AP World History exam, you'll generally need to score around 70-75% of the total possible points. However, this can vary slightly each year based on the difficulty of the exam and the performance of the test-takers. The best approach to studying is to focus on understanding key concepts, practicing with actual AP questions, and being comfortable with the exam format and timing. Good luck with your studying!
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