How Many Questions Are On The Ap Psychology Exam?
Is AP® Psychology easy? What can make it hard? – The AP® Psychology course is definitely more difficult than the typical high school psychology course. AP® courses are meant to teach students at an introductory college level. Compared to other AP® exams, AP® Psychology is considered one of the easier exams to pass in the AP® catalog for the reasons described below.
- In 2022, the AP® Psychology exam had a passing rate of 58.3%, with a mean score of 2.86,
- Historically, the AP® Psychology exam has had a relatively high passing rate compared to all other AP® exams.
- All of these statistics are based on the total number of students who sit for the AP® Psychology exam every year.
This exam averages about 300,000 students yearly (in 2022, the exam had 292,501 test-takers ), making it one of the most popular exams in the AP® test catalog. If you want to maximize your study time, you’ll want to focus on the areas most represented in the exam.
- It will be helpful to know how the individual units are weighted on the exam so you can target your study time accordingly.
- For the multiple-choice portion of the exam, each of the nine units of the course is represented, but with varying weights.
- Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology is weighted at 10-14% of the exam.
Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology, makes up 13-17% of the exam. Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, accounts for 11-15% for the exam, and Unit 8: Clinical Psychology, makes up 12-16% of the exam. These four units account for roughly half of the exam content. 
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Contents
How hard is it to get a 5 on AP Psychology?
What Do Statistics Say About the AP Psychology Exam? – How hard is the AP Psych exam based on statistical data? To answer this, we’ll look at the pass rate and 5 rate. In 2021, the pass rate for the AP Psychology exam was 53.3%, which is somewhat below average compared to other AP exams.
In comparison, AP Physics C: Mechanics has an 73.4% pass rate (one of the highest), whereas AP English Literature has a 43.8% pass rate (one of the lowest). The pass rate statistics appear to indicate that the AP Psychology exam has a medium-to-hard difficulty level when compared with other AP exams.
The 5 rate for the AP Psych exam is 14.1%, which is about average when compared with other AP exams. There are 18 AP exams that have 5 rates higher than AP Psychology and 20 with lower 5 rates. This might make you think that the test is average in difficulty.
But what does this data really tell us? Interpreting these statistics means striking a difficult balance. Paradoxically, sometimes AP tests with high pass rates are actually more difficult, Since the subjects themselves are challenging (and have a reputation for it), they only attract the most motivated, well-prepared students.
Similarly, AP tests for easier subjects might have low pass rates because these classes attract less motivated students who don’t always prepare thoroughly. Low pass rates can also happen on extremely popular tests for which the number of students taking the test has increased rapidly, but their average level of preparation has declined due to the uneven quality of AP classes.
- Since AP Psychology is in the middle range of pass rate and 5-rate statistics, we might initially assume that it has a medium level of difficulty in comparison to other AP tests.
- However, because AP Psychology is also one of the more popular tests, the 5 rate and pass rate could actually indicate that it’s much less difficult than your average AP test.
In most other cases, popular tests have 5 rates that are skewed lower than the 5 rate for the AP Psychology exam. Taking all this information into account, we can conclude that signs point to AP Psychology being one of the easier tests. The fact that it has only two free-response questions (as compared to six on a test such as AP Biology) and that most of the material can be mastered through simple memorization also support this conclusion. 
Only two free-response questions??? WAHOOO!
How long is the entire AP Psych exam?
Interested in the scientific study of behavior and mental processes? The AP ® Psychology Exam is a college-level exam administered every year in May upon completion of an Advanced Placement Psychology course taken at your high school. If you score high enough, your AP score could earn you college credit ! Check out our AP Psychology Guide for the essential info you need about the exam: The College Board requires your AP teacher to cover certain topics in the AP Psychology course.
- As you complete your Psych review, make sure you are familiar with the following topics: The AP Psych exam is 2 hours long and has two sections: a multiple-choice section and a a free-response section.
- AP scores are reported from 1 to 5.
- Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP Psychology exam, but some may grant credit for a 3.
Here’s how students scored on the May 2020 test: AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP Psychology content and strategy, pick the AP prep option that works best for your goals and learning style.
Does Harvard accept 5 on AP exams?
A Quick Review – Here are a few things to keep in mind as you pick out your classes at Harvard: • Harvard only accepts AP® scores of 5 for course credit. • If you have 4 scores of 5, you can opt to obtain Advanced Standing. • You can use AP® credits to opt-out of lower-level classes. • Harvard has general academic requirements that all students must take. There you go. Now you’re all caught up.
How long should I study for AP Psychology?
#1: Plan Out Your Time – How much time do you have before the AP Psych exam? You’ll need to take this into account when formulating your study plan. Think about how much time you can afford to spend studying for AP Psychology while considering the amount of other schoolwork you have. For example, if you think you’ll have about 10 hours to study, your plan might look something like this:
Take and score a practice test (2.5 hours) Go over your mistakes (1 hour) Review weak content areas and update your test-taking strategies (2 hours) Take and score another practice test (2.5 hours) Final review (2 hours)
If you have more time before the exam, you might be able to go more in depth with your mistakes on the second practice test and even take a third or fourth test. Overall, your time should be split relatively evenly between taking practice tests and reviewing the material.
- Your plan could change depending on your initial scores and how much you’re looking to improve.
- I’d say that you don’t need to spend more than 20 hours in total studying for AP Psychology.
- The amount of material isn’t overwhelming, and it’s not an especially difficult test, so this should be plenty of time.
(I’ll get more specific on how to use practice tests effectively in the next section.)
What is the least passed AP class?
1. AP Physics 1 – Despite a reputation as one of the most difficult AP classes, Physics 1 is also one of the most popular—144,526 students took it in 2022. Physics 1 has the lowest pass rate of any AP exam (43.3%) along with one of the lowest percentages of students scoring a 5 (just 7.9%).
What is a 50% on an AP test?
AP Scale Grading
| If you got a percentage of | If you got a raw score of (For FINAL EXAM) | Your letter Grade will be |
|---|---|---|
| 48-52% | 52-56 | B- |
| 44-47% | 47-51 | C+ |
| 40-43% | 43-46 | C |
| 36-39% | 39-42 | C- |
Is it possible to get a 6 on an AP exam?
AP Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Many U.S. colleges grant credit and/or advanced placement (that means they let you skip the equivalent course once you get to college) for scores of 3 and above.
What is a B in an AP class?
When it comes to choosing classes in high school, many students are faced with the decision of whether to take an Advanced Placement (AP) class or a traditional, grade-level class. While both options have their advantages, there is often a debate over whether a “B” in an AP class is better than an “A” in a grade-level class. 
First and foremost, it is important to understand the difference between AP and grade-level classes. AP classes are college-level courses offered by the College Board that are designed to be more challenging and rigorous than traditional high school courses.
They are designed to prepare students for the demands of college and to demonstrate their mastery of a particular subject. In contrast, grade-level classes are traditional high school courses that are taught at a level appropriate for the students’ age and academic abilities. When considering whether a “B” in an AP class is better than an “A” in a grade-level class, it’s important to take into account the level of difficulty of each class.
AP classes are designed to be much more challenging than grade-level classes, and a “B” in an AP class is typically equivalent to an “A” in a grade-level class. This is because a “B” in an AP class demonstrates that the student was able to handle a high level of coursework and achieve a good grade in a challenging environment.
However, it’s also important to consider the student’s goals and future plans. For students who are planning to apply to highly competitive colleges or universities, a “B” in an AP class may not be enough to demonstrate their abilities and set them apart from other applicants. In these cases, an “A” in a grade-level class may be more advantageous, as it demonstrates that the student is capable of achieving a high grade in a challenging environment.
Another factor to consider is the student’s academic abilities. Some students are better suited to the rigor and fast-paced nature of AP classes, while others may struggle to keep up and may be better served by taking grade-level classes. It’s important to assess your own abilities and choose classes that are challenging but manageable.
If you take an AP class and struggle to keep up with the coursework, it may be better to switch to a grade-level class and focus on achieving a high grade. It’s also important to consider the impact of grades on the student’s overall GPA. A “B” in an AP class will typically have a greater impact on a student’s GPA than an “A” in a grade-level class, as AP classes are weighted more heavily.
This can be a double-edged sword, as a high GPA can be an asset when applying to college, but a low GPA can be a liability. In conclusion, whether a “B” in an AP class is better than an “A” in a grade-level class depends on a number of factors, including the student’s goals, academic abilities, and future plans.
What is a 5 for AP Psychology?
What is a good AP® Psychology score? – The College Board designates scores of 3 and higher as passing scores. Qualitatively, scores of 3, 4, and 5 are described as “qualified”, “well qualified”, and “extremely well qualified” respectively. In addition to looking nice on applications, high AP® scores can earn you college credit.
What is a 5 on an AP exam equivalent to?
How Are AP Exams Scored?
| AP Exam Score | Recommendation | College Grade Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Extremely well qualified | A, A+ |
| 4 | Very well qualified | B, B+, A- |
| 3 | Qualified | C, C+, B- |
| 2 | Possibly qualified | N/A |
What is a 5 on an AP exam?
AP® Score of 5 – An AP® score of 5 is the best that you could have done on the AP® exam. If you earned a 5, then congratulations! Getting a 5 means that you have agonized over this exam, studying and working over all else. Your essays were top notch and even though you may have missed a few multiple choice questions, you still represented that you know the material covered in your AP® course.
