Your Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) score is a weighted combination of your performance across four distinct sections. Each section contributes a specific percentage to your final composite score, which is then mapped to the 1-5 scale used by the College Board.
Multiple Choice (40%): 55 questions in 55 minutes. Every correct answer adds to your raw score. There is no penalty for guessing.
Short Answer (20%): Three questions requiring concise historical analysis. Each is worth 3 points for a total of 9.
DBQ (25%): The Document-Based Question requires using historical documents to support an argument. It is graded on a 7-point rubric.
LEQ (15%): The Long Essay Question asks you to develop an argument based on historical evidence. It is graded on a 6-point rubric.
Realistic Example Calculation
If a student scores the following:
MCQ: 40/55 (approx. 73% correct)
SAQ: 6/9 (consistent 2/3 on all prompts)
DBQ: 5/7 (Strong thesis and document usage)
LEQ: 4/6 (Good argument with minor evidence gaps)
Using the weighted formula (Composite ≈ 102), this student would likely receive a 5 on the AP Exam.
Strategies to Improve Your Score
To move from a 3 to a 4 or 5, focus on the writing rubrics. In the DBQ, "Contextualization" and "Thesis" are essentially two "free" points if you follow the standard format. In the Multiple Choice section, practicing stimulus-based questions is key, as they differ significantly from standard recall questions.
function calculateApushScore() {
var mcqRaw = parseFloat(document.getElementById('mcqRaw').value) || 0;
var saqRaw = parseFloat(document.getElementById('saqRaw').value) || 0;
var dbqRaw = parseFloat(document.getElementById('dbqRaw').value) || 0;
var leqRaw = parseFloat(document.getElementById('leqRaw').value) || 0;
// Cap values at maximums
if (mcqRaw > 55) mcqRaw = 55;
if (saqRaw > 9) saqRaw = 9;
if (dbqRaw > 7) dbqRaw = 7;
if (leqRaw > 6) leqRaw = 6;
// Weighted Formulas (Standard College Board weights)
// MCQ: 40% of 140-ish composite = 1.0909 weight
// SAQ: 20% of 140-ish composite = 2.6666 weight
// DBQ: 25% of 140-ish composite = 4.2857 weight
// LEQ: 15% of 140-ish composite = 3.0 weight
var weightedMCQ = mcqRaw * 1.0909;
var weightedSAQ = saqRaw * 2.6666;
var weightedDBQ = dbqRaw * 4.2857;
var weightedLEQ = leqRaw * 3.0;
var compositeScore = Math.round(weightedMCQ + weightedSAQ + weightedDBQ + weightedLEQ);
var apScore = 1;
var color = "#e74c3c";
var message = "";
// Estimated curves for APUSH (Subject to yearly variation)
if (compositeScore >= 100) {
apScore = 5;
color = "#27ae60";
message = "Excellent! You are on track for a 5.";
} else if (compositeScore >= 85) {
apScore = 4;
color = "#2ecc71";
message = "Well done! This is a solid 4.";
} else if (compositeScore >= 68) {
apScore = 3;
color = "#f1c40f";
message = "Good job! You are in the passing range.";
} else if (compositeScore >= 50) {
apScore = 2;
color = "#e67e22";
message = "Keep practicing. You're close to a passing score.";
} else {
apScore = 1;
color = "#e74c3c";
message = "Focus on the writing rubrics and MCQ stimuli to improve.";
}
var resultArea = document.getElementById('resultArea');
var apScoreDisplay = document.getElementById('apScoreDisplay');
var compositeDisplay = document.getElementById('compositeScoreDisplay');
var msgDisplay = document.getElementById('scoreMessage');
resultArea.style.display = "block";
resultArea.style.backgroundColor = color + "15";
apScoreDisplay.innerText = apScore;
apScoreDisplay.style.color = color;
compositeDisplay.innerText = "Composite Score: " + compositeScore + " / 140 (approx)";
msgDisplay.innerText = message;
msgDisplay.style.color = "#333";
resultArea.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}