The College Board calculates your AP Calculus AB or BC score using a composite raw score system. This score is then mapped to the standard 1-5 scale based on the difficulty of that specific year's exam.
The Weighted Formula
Your raw score is calculated using two primary sections:
Multiple Choice (Section I): There are 45 questions. Each correct answer is multiplied by 1.2. The maximum possible raw score here is 54 points.
Free Response (Section II): There are 6 questions, each worth 9 points. These are weighted at 1.0. The maximum possible raw score here is 54 points.
Total Composite Score: 54 (MC) + 54 (FRQ) = 108 total points.
AP Calculus Score Cutoffs (Typical)
While the "curve" changes annually, the following ranges are typical for the AP Calculus exams:
AP Score
Composite Range
Performance
5
~70 – 108
Extremely Well Qualified
4
~55 – 69
Well Qualified
3
~40 – 54
Qualified
2
~30 – 39
Possibly Qualified
1
0 – 29
No Recommendation
Calculus Exam Tips
1. Use your calculator wisely: Section I Part B and Section II Part A allow graphing calculators. Ensure you know how to find intersections, derivatives at a point, and definite integrals on your device.
2. Show all work: In the FRQ section, even if your final answer is wrong, you can earn significant partial credit for setting up the integral or showing the correct derivative application.
3. Don't leave blanks: There is no penalty for guessing on the multiple-choice section. If you are running out of time, fill in every bubble.
function calculateAPScore() {
// Get MC values
var mcCorrect = parseFloat(document.getElementById('mcCorrect').value) || 0;
if (mcCorrect > 45) mcCorrect = 45;
if (mcCorrect < 0) mcCorrect = 0;
// Get FRQ values
var f1 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq1').value) || 0;
var f2 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq2').value) || 0;
var f3 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq3').value) || 0;
var f4 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq4').value) || 0;
var f5 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq5').value) || 0;
var f6 = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frq6').value) || 0;
// Constrain FRQs to 0-9
var frqs = [f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, f6];
var totalFrqRaw = 0;
for (var i = 0; i 9) val = 9;
if (val = 70) {
apScore = 5;
color = "#27ae60";
label = "Extremely Well Qualified";
} else if (compositeScore >= 55) {
apScore = 4;
color = "#2ecc71";
label = "Well Qualified";
} else if (compositeScore >= 40) {
apScore = 3;
color = "#f1c40f";
label = "Qualified";
} else if (compositeScore >= 30) {
apScore = 2;
color = "#e67e22";
label = "Possibly Qualified";
} else {
apScore = 1;
color = "#e74c3c";
label = "No Recommendation";
}
// Display Results
var resArea = document.getElementById('resultArea');
resArea.style.display = 'block';
resArea.style.backgroundColor = color + '22'; // Light version of color
resArea.style.border = '2px solid ' + color;
document.getElementById('compositeDisplay').innerText = compositeScore;
var scoreDisp = document.getElementById('finalScoreDisplay');
scoreDisp.innerText = apScore;
scoreDisp.style.color = color;
var labelDisp = document.getElementById('scoreLabel');
labelDisp.innerText = label;
labelDisp.style.color = color;
// Smooth scroll to result
resArea.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}