AP Microeconomics

Last updated

Advanced Placement (AP) Microeconomics (also known as AP Micro and AP Microecon) is a course offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program for high school students interested in college-level coursework in microeconomics and/or gaining advanced standing in college. The course begins with a study of fundamental economic concepts such as scarcity, opportunity costs, production possibilities, specialization, and comparative advantage. Major topics include the nature and functions of product markets; factor markets; and efficiency, equity, and the role of government. [1] AP Microeconomics is often taken in conjunction with or after AP Macroeconomics.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Topics outline and distribution of topics

Topics covered in the AP Microeconomics course and exam include: [2]

UnitTopicExam Weighting
1Basic Economic Concepts12–15%
2 Supply and Demand 20–25%
3 Production, Cost, and the Perfect Competition Model22–25%
4 Imperfect Competition 15–22%
5 Factor Markets 10–13%
6 Market Failure and the Role of the Government8–13%

The exam

Score distribution

94,772 students took the AP Microeconomics exam in 2023. [4]

The exam was first held in 1989, along with Macroeconomics. Grade distributions since 2007 are as follows:

Score2007 [5] 2008 [6] 2009 [7] 2010 [8] 2011 [9] 2012 [10] 2013 [11] 2014 [12] 2015 [13] 2016 [14] 2017 [15] 2018 [16] 2019 [17] 2020 [18] 2021 [19] 2022 [20] 2023 [4] 2024 [21] [22]
516.3%18.1%17.9%16.6%16.1%16.6%18.1%15.9%19.1%17.8%23.5%19.2%24.3%23.3%18.5%17.7%21.3%17%
427.6%26.3%27.4%27.0%26.2%28.2%28.6%28.9%28.6%27.5%28.1%28%28.1%29.0%24.0%22.5%26.0%25%
320.8%18.8%19.7%20.2%21.3%20.9%20.0%20.7%19.4%22.0%18.0%20.2%17.2%16.6%16.6%18.8%20.6%23%
214.6%15.2%14.6%14.8%15.6%15.8%14.9%15.5%13.8%13.7%12.0%15.8%12.0%14.2%17.0%16.9%19.9%21%
120.8%21.5%20.4%21.4%20.8%18.5%18.4%18.9%19.1%19.0%18.5%16.8%18.4%16.9%23.9%24.2%12.1%14%
% of scores 3 or higher64.6%63.2%65.0%63.8%63.6%65.7%66.7%65.5%67.1%67.3%69.5%67.4%69.6%68.9%59.1%59.0%68.0%65%
Mean3.043.043.083.023.013.093.133.073.153.113.263.173.283.282.962.933.253.10
Standard deviation1.381.411.391.391.381.361.371.351.391.371.421.361.421.401.451.441.321.30
Number of Students37,38341,91546,27251,60156,30362,35167,50574,04978,40882,38887,85890,03291,55182,41580,19984,38694,772103,809

See also

References

  1. "Course Description of AP Microeconomics" (PDF). 2012. pp. 6–8. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. "Course Description of AP Microeconomics" (PDF). 2012. pp. 9–10. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. "Course Description of AP Microeconomics" (PDF). 2012. p. 5. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  5. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  6. "AP Microeconomics Student Grade Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  7. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  8. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  9. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  10. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  11. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  12. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  13. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  14. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  15. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  16. "Student Score Distributions, AP Exams - May 2018" (PDF). The College Board. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  17. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  18. "STUDENT SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS" (PDF). Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  19. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  20. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  21. "2024 AP Score Distributions". Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  22. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved May 4, 2025.

Study Resources