The exams themselves do not grade the students' mastery of the course material in a traditional sense. Rather, the students' results guide the grading rubrics and the scale for the "AP Grades" of each exam.
The AP exams are graded each summer at a week-long "grading camp." Both high school AP teachers and university professors are invited to grade the exams at a predetermined location. When the AP Reading is over for a particular exam, the free response scores are combined with the results of computer-scored multiple-choice questions based upon a previously announced weighting.
The Chief Reader (a college or university faculty member selected by the Educational Testing Service and The College Board) then meets with members of ETS and sets the cutoff scores for each AP Grade. The Chief Reader's decision is based upon what percentage of students earned each AP Grade over the previous three years, how students did on multiple-choice questions that are used on the test from year to year, how he or she viewed the overall quality of the answers to the free response questions, how university students who took the exam as PART A experimental studies did, and how students performed on different parts of the exam.
No one outside of ETS is allowed to find out a student's raw score on an AP Exam and the cutoff scores for a particular exam are only released to the public if that particular exam is released in total (this happens on a staggered schedule and occurs approximately once every five to seven years for each exam). 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
- 4: Very well qualified
- 3: Qualified
- 2: Possibly qualified
- 1: No recommendation
On March 20, College Board announced [4] changes to the spring 2020 exams due to the impact of COVID-19 on school closings. The exams would be 45 minutes long with an online testing version for at-home exams. Any student already registered for an exam could choose to cancel at no charge.
On April 3, 2020, College Board announced more details in regards to specific AP tests. [5] The updates includes more information on the format and structure of the exam. [6] College Board also put out new testing dates for the AP exams. [7] One major change to the AP exam is that the tests will be completely open-note. [8] Students may use any class notes or other non-human resources for the exam. [9] Additionally, College Board will be providing a free distance learning curriculum [10] by livestreaming AP review lessons on YouTube.
In order to make sure that students from underprivileged backgrounds do not face disadvantages in terms of technology to take the test, College Board further invested in technology resources, as that year's exam required the student to possess a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or computer and a reliable internet connection. [11]
New AP Classes
In 2021, College Board announced that AP Precalculus and AP African American Studies will be offered to schools in the US starting in 2023-2024 school year. Students who wish to take AP Precalculus must pass Geometry and Algebra 2 or qualify for AP Precalculus Placement. AP Precalculus is more difficult than regular Precalculus class and requires lots of time to study and prepare for the examination in May. This class will cover the usual Precalculus materials but more in depth and will be moving in faster pace. Students may also take AP African American Studies. The purpose of this class is to gain knowledge of African American history and culture as well as African Americans' contribution to the United States. This course also shows the importance of understanding the struggle of African Americans in the past. This class allows students to achieve educational advancement and other opportunities in the future. On January 12, 2023, the Florida Department of Education banned students in Florida from taking those new AP classes. However, AP Precalculus and AP African American Studies will be available in other states in the United States.
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board. AP offers undergraduate university-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Colleges and universities in the US and elsewhere may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain qualifying scores on the examinations. The AP curriculum for each of the various subjects is created for the College Board by a panel of experts and college-level educators in that academic discipline. For a high school course to have the designation, the course must be audited by the College Board to ascertain that it satisfies the AP curriculum as specified in the Board's Course and Examination Description (CED). If the course is approved, the school may use the AP designation and the course will be publicly listed on the AP Course Ledger.
The College Board is an American not-for-profit organization that was formed in December 1899 as the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) to expand access to higher education. While the College Board is not an association of colleges, it runs a membership association of institutions, including over 6,000 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations.
The College Level Examination Program is a group of standardized tests created and administered by the College Board. These tests assess college-level knowledge in thirty-six subject areas and provide a mechanism for earning college credits without taking college courses. They are administered at more than 1,700 sites across the United States. There are about 2,900 colleges which grant CLEP credit. Each institution awards credit to students who meet the college's minimum qualifying score for that exam, which is typically 50 to 60 out of a possible 80, but varies by site and exam. These tests are useful for individuals who have obtained knowledge outside the classroom, such as through independent study, homeschooling, job experience, or cultural interaction; and for students schooled outside the United States. They provide an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in specific subject areas and bypass undergraduate coursework. Many take CLEP exams because of their convenience and lower cost compared to a semester of coursework for comparable credit.
Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry is a course and examination offered by the College Board as a part of the Advanced Placement Program to give American and Canadian high school students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and earn college-level credits at certain colleges and universities. The AP Chemistry Exam has the lowest test participation rate out of all AP Courses, with around half of AP Chemistry students taking the exam.
Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus is a set of two distinct Advanced Placement calculus courses and exams offered by the American nonprofit organization College Board. AP Calculus AB covers basic introductions to limits, derivatives, and integrals. AP Calculus BC covers all AP Calculus AB topics plus additional topics.
Advanced Placement (AP) Biology is an Advanced Placement biology course and exam offered by the College Board in the United States. For the 2012–2013 school year, the College Board unveiled a new curriculum with a greater focus on "scientific practices".
Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.
Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program in the United States.
Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography is an Advanced Placement social studies course in human geography for high school, usually freshmen students in the US, culminating in an exam administered by the College Board.
Advanced Placement (AP) Physics B was a physics course administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program. It was equivalent to a year-long introductory university course covering Newtonian mechanics, electromagnetism, fluid mechanics, thermal physics, waves, optics, and modern physics. The course was algebra-based and heavily computational; in 2015, it was replaced by the more concept-focused AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2.
Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics is a college-level high school statistics course offered in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program. This course is equivalent to a one semester, non-calculus-based introductory college statistics course and is normally offered to sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school.
Advanced Placement (AP) United States History is a college-level course and examination offered by College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.
The College Board offers several awards to selected students who take Advanced Placement (AP) exams.
Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science is a course and exam offered by the American College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program to high school students interested in the environmental and natural sciences. AP Environmental Science was first offered in the 1997–1998 school year.
Advanced Placement (AP) Physics C: Mechanics is an introductory physics course administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program. It is intended to proxy a one-semester calculus-based university course in mechanics. The content of Physics C: Mechanics overlaps with that of AP Physics 1, but Physics 1 is algebra-based, while Physics C is calculus-based. Physics C: Mechanics may be combined with its electricity and magnetism counterpart to form a year-long course that prepares for both exams.
Advanced Placement (AP) Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is an introductory physics course administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program. It is intended to proxy a second-semester calculus-based university course in electricity and magnetism. The content of Physics C: E&M overlaps with that of AP Physics 2, but Physics 2 is algebra-based and covers other topics outside of electromagnetism, while Physics C is calculus-based and only covers electromagnetism. Physics C: E&M may be combined with its mechanics counterpart to form a year-long course that prepares for both exams.
In the U.S., the SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2, was a one-hour multiple choice test. The questions covered a broad range of topics. Approximately 10-14% of questions focused on numbers and operations, 48-52% focused on algebra and functions, 28-32% focused on geometry, and 8-12% focused on data analysis, statistics and probability. Compared to Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 was more advanced. Whereas the Mathematics 1 test covered Algebra II and basic trigonometry, a pre-calculus class was good preparation for Mathematics 2. On January 19, 2021, the College Board discontinued all SAT Subject tests, including the SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2. This was effective immediately in the United States, and the tests were to be phased out by the following summer for international students. This was done as a response to changes in college admissions due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education.
AP Capstone is a 2-year program developed by the College Board, which consists of two courses: the AP Seminar and AP Research. Students who successfully complete the program and obtain scores of 3 or higher on at least four other AP exams receive either an AP Capstone Diploma or an AP Seminar and Research Certificate.
Advanced Placement (AP) International English Language is an AP Examinations course managed by Educational Testing Service (ETS) with the sponsorship of the College Board in New York. It is designed for non-native speakers to prepare for studying in an English-speaking university, particularly in North America. The course also gives students a chance to earn college credit. The three-hour exam assesses four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The test paper has two sections: multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. APIEL committee consists of high school and university English teachers from Belgium, China, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.
Advanced Placement (AP) Precalculus is an Advanced Placement precalculus course and examination, offered by the College Board, in development since 2021 and announced in May 2022. The course debuted in the fall of 2023, with the first exam session taking place in May 2024. The course and examination are designed to teach and assess precalculus concepts, as a foundation for a wide variety of STEM fields and careers, and are not solely designed as preparation for future mathematics courses such as AP Calculus AB/BC.
