Estimate your 2024-2025 AP Score based on Section I and II performance.
Section I: Multiple Choice
Section II: Free Response (FRQ)
Estimated AP Score
5
Composite Score: 100 / 120
*Based on standard curving distributions from recent exam years.
Understanding Your AP Biology Score
The AP Biology exam is rigorous, testing both your conceptual understanding and your ability to apply scientific practices. The scoring system combines raw points from multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and free-response questions (FRQs) into a weighted composite score, which is then converted into the final 1-5 AP score.
How the Exam is Weighted
The exam is divided into two sections, each accounting for 50% of your final grade:
Section I (MCQ): Consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. Each question is worth 1 point. There is no penalty for guessing, so it is crucial to answer every question.
Section II (FRQ): Consists of 6 questions totaling 36 raw points. This includes two "Long" questions (10 points each) and four "Short" questions (4 points each).
The Calculation Formula
To determine your final score, the College Board applies a weighting formula to ensure both sections contribute equally (50/50) to the total composite score (usually out of 120).
Typically, the calculation looks like this:
MCQ Component: Raw Score × 1.0 (Max 60 weighted points)
FRQ Component: Raw Score × 1.6667 (Max 60 weighted points)
Total Composite: MCQ Component + FRQ Component (Max 120 points)
Score Distribution & Cutoffs
While the exact curve varies slightly every year depending on the difficulty of the specific exam version, the following table represents typical composite score ranges required for each AP score:
AP Score
Composite Range (Approx)
Meaning
5
94 – 120
Extremely Well Qualified
4
76 – 93
Well Qualified
3
55 – 75
Qualified
2
35 – 54
Possibly Qualified
1
0 – 34
No Recommendation
Strategies for a Higher Score
To maximize your chances of getting a 4 or 5, focus on:
Time Management: You have 90 minutes for 60 MCQs (1.5 minutes per question) and 90 minutes for the FRQs (approx. 20 mins per long question, 10 mins per short question).
Action Verbs in FRQs: Pay close attention to words like "Identify," "Describe," "Explain," and "Justify." A "Justify" question requires evidence and reasoning, whereas "Identify" just needs a specific answer.
Don't Leave Blanks: Since there is no deduction for incorrect answers on the MCQ, always guess if you are unsure. On the FRQ, write as much relevant information as possible to scrape partial credit points.
function calculateApBioScore() {
// 1. Get Inputs using var
var mcqInput = document.getElementById('mcqCorrect');
var frq1Input = document.getElementById('frq1');
var frq2Input = document.getElementById('frq2');
var frq3Input = document.getElementById('frq3');
var frq4Input = document.getElementById('frq4');
var frq5Input = document.getElementById('frq5');
var frq6Input = document.getElementById('frq6');
// 2. Parse Values (Handle empty or NaN)
var mcq = parseFloat(mcqInput.value) || 0;
var q1 = parseFloat(frq1Input.value) || 0;
var q2 = parseFloat(frq2Input.value) || 0;
var q3 = parseFloat(frq3Input.value) || 0;
var q4 = parseFloat(frq4Input.value) || 0;
var q5 = parseFloat(frq5Input.value) || 0;
var q6 = parseFloat(frq6Input.value) || 0;
// 3. Validation / Cap maximums to prevent user error
if (mcq > 60) mcq = 60;
if (q1 > 10) q1 = 10;
if (q2 > 10) q2 = 10;
if (q3 > 4) q3 = 4;
if (q4 > 4) q4 = 4;
if (q5 > 4) q5 = 4;
if (q6 > 4) q6 = 4;
// 4. Calculate Raw Scores
// MCQ Raw is simply the count correct
var rawMcq = mcq;
// FRQ Raw is the sum of all FRQ points
var rawFrq = q1 + q2 + q3 + q4 + q5 + q6; // Max 36
// 5. Calculate Weighted Scores
// Weighting logic:
// Section I (MCQ) is 50% of the score. 60 questions = 60 points. Weight = 1.0.
// Section II (FRQ) is 50% of the score. 36 raw points.
// To equal 60 weighted points, multiplier = 60 / 36 = 1.6666…
var weightedMcq = rawMcq * 1.0;
var weightedFrq = rawFrq * (60 / 36);
// 6. Calculate Composite Score
var compositeScore = weightedMcq + weightedFrq;
// Round to nearest whole number for the final lookup
var finalComposite = Math.round(compositeScore);
// Cap at 120 (just in case of float rounding weirdness)
if (finalComposite > 120) finalComposite = 120;
// 7. Determine AP Score (1-5) based on approximate curves
// Curves change yearly, but these are standard estimates for recent formats
var apScore = 1;
if (finalComposite >= 94) {
apScore = 5;
} else if (finalComposite >= 76) {
apScore = 4;
} else if (finalComposite >= 55) {
apScore = 3;
} else if (finalComposite >= 35) {
apScore = 2;
} else {
apScore = 1;
}
// 8. Display Results
var resultBox = document.getElementById('resultOutput');
var scoreDisplay = document.getElementById('finalScoreDisplay');
var compositeDisplay = document.getElementById('compositeDisplay');
// Set colors based on score
var color = "#d32f2f"; // Red for 1-2
if (apScore === 3) color = "#fbc02d"; // Yellow/Gold for 3
if (apScore >= 4) color = "#2e7d32"; // Green for 4-5
scoreDisplay.style.color = color;
scoreDisplay.innerHTML = apScore;
compositeDisplay.innerHTML = "Composite Score: " + finalComposite + " / 120″;
// Show the box
resultBox.style.display = "block";
// Scroll to result on mobile
resultBox.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}