AP Lang Essay Score Calculator
Understanding the AP Language and Composition Exam Scoring
The AP English Language and Composition exam is designed to assess your ability to analyze and interpret non-fiction texts, as well as to construct well-supported arguments in your own writing. The exam is divided into two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. Each section contributes to your overall AP score.
Multiple Choice Section
The multiple-choice section consists of several reading passages, each followed by a set of questions. These questions test your comprehension, rhetorical analysis, and understanding of argumentation. There are typically 42-52 questions in this section, and it accounts for 45% of your total exam score.
Free-Response Section
The free-response section comprises three essays, each designed to evaluate different writing and analytical skills:
- Synthesis Essay: This essay requires you to read a set of documents and synthesize information from them to support your own argument. You must use evidence from at least three of the documents in your response.
- Rhetorical Analysis Essay: For this essay, you will be given a text and asked to analyze the author's rhetorical choices and how they contribute to the text's purpose and effectiveness.
- Argument Essay: This essay asks you to take a position on a given issue and develop a well-supported argument using your own reasoning and evidence.
The free-response section accounts for 55% of your total exam score, with each essay contributing equally to this portion of your grade.
Calculating Your AP Lang Score
The AP Lang test calculator above simplifies the process of estimating your potential AP score. You'll need to input your raw scores for each component of the exam. The calculator will then convert these raw scores into scaled scores and combine them to give you an estimated overall AP score, ranging from 1 (least qualified) to 5 (most qualified).
Note: This calculator provides an estimation. The official AP score conversion charts are set by the College Board and may vary slightly year to year.