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Understand the 2020 AP Exam Scores

ByCheree Liebowitz
 

The AP Exam scores were just released; the cumulation of a highly unusual AP cycle. Because of COVID, rather than hosting the traditional three-hour in-person tests with a mix of multiple choice and free response questions, the College Board distributed 45-minute tests consisting solely of free response questions for this year’s online exams.

 

Some students found it harder to do well on their exams because of the change while others felt the new format enabled them to perform better.

 

If your student took one or more AP exams this May, you might be wondering how their scores compare to other students’ results. The chart below presents a helpful overview of how all AP students performed on the 2020 exams. The score distribution tables on this page show the percentages of 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s for each AP subject.

Exam
5
4
3
2
1
Calculus AB
19%
20.4%
20.5%
24.1%
16%
Calculus BC
44.2%
17.4%
19.2%
14.4%
4.8%
Chemistry
10.4%
18.2%
26.4%
23.8%
21.1%
European History
13.7%
20.1%
25.5%
29.2%
11.5%
French Language
23.2%
31.6%
28.3%
12.4%
4.5%
Human Geography
11.6%
22.1%
24.5%
10.9%
30.9%
Psychology
22.3%
25.3%
23.4%
9.6%
19.4%
Chinese Lang. and Culture
55.3%
15.5%
17.8%
5.2%
6.2%
English Language
12.5%
20.4%
29.1%
26.2%
11.8%
Environmental Science
11.8%
28.3%
13%
25.4%
21.5%
Italian Language and Culture
18.5%
16.9%
39.9%
19.6%
5.1%
Latin
16.3%
20.1%
32%
17.8%
13.8%
Spanish Language
30.5%
36.4%
23.1%
8.8%
1.2%
Spanish Literature
17%
18%
37.7%
20.7%
6.6%
Statistics
16%
20.6%
22.9%
21.6%
18.9%
Computer Science A
25.2%
21.3%
22.8%
12.9%
17.8%
Macroeconomics
19.5%
24.8%
18.3%
16.2%
21.2%
Microeconomics
23.1%
28.7%
16.5%
14.2%
17.5%
Physics 1- Algebra Based
8.7%
17.7%
24.5%
26.3%
22.8%
Physics 2- Algebra Based
13.9%
24%
34.6%
21.5%
6%
Physics C E&M
40%
22.1%
11.5%
16.3%
10.1%
Physics C Mech.
40.9%
26%
16%
9.5%
7.6%
World History
9.2%
22.8%
28.2%
26.1%
13.7%
Art History
15.6%
24.6%
27.7%
21.4%
10.7%
Biology
9.4%
22.5%
36.6%
24.2%
7.3%
English Literature
9.3%
17.3%
33.5%
27.7%
12.2%
German Language
23.9%
33.8%
16%
19.5%
6.7%
Gov’t and Politics, Comp
24.3%
27.3%
18.4%
17.3%
12.7%
Gov’t and Politics, US
15.3%
16.2%
25.1%
21.8%
21.6%
Japanese Lang and Culture
53.9%
9.6%
20.1%
7.6%
8.8%
Music Theory
23.8%
18.9%
25.2%
22%
10.1%
2-D Art and Design
12.1%
26.2%
41.2%
9.8%
.6%
3-D Art and Design
7.2%
32%
36.5%
20.9%
3.6%
AP Research
8.8%
32.1%
31.5%
25%
2.6%
AP Seminar
6.4%
14.5%
59.7%
17.2%
2.3%
Computer Science Principles
10.8%
23.3%
36.6%
17.5%
11.8%
Drawing
15.5%
40.3%
33.3%
9.8%
1.2%
US History
13%
19.2%
26.6%
20.4%
21%

Note: Scores from totalregistration.net. The 2020 distributions include May and early June exams, but do not include exemption exams taken the end of June as they are still being scored. Final 2020 score distributions should be available in the fall.

Interpreting AP Exam Results

The College Board scores AP exams between 1 and 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. Depending on the college, earning a 5, 4, or 3 on an AP exam may allow you to gain college credit and potentially skip equivalent college classes. Scoring a 1 or a 2 on an AP exam is unlikely to result in credit hours.
 

Whether or not to share AP exam scores with colleges is up to the student. Reporting scores of 4 or 5 can help make a positive impression on admissions officers. Scores of 1 or 2 on an AP exam should not be reported. 

 
For more information on reporting test scores or anything else pertaining to college admissions, please call or email us at International College Counselors: info@internationalcollegecounselors.com or 1-954-414-9986. 
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