The AP Environmental Science (APES) exam consists of two main sections: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and Free Response Questions (FRQ). To estimate your final 1-5 score, you must apply the specific weighting used by the College Board.
Multiple Choice (60%): There are 80 questions. Each correct answer is worth 1 raw point. To reach the 90-point weighted maximum, each correct answer is multiplied by 1.125.
Free Response (40%): There are 3 questions, each worth 10 points for a total of 30 raw points. To reach the 60-point weighted maximum, each point is multiplied by 2.0.
Typical APES Score Cutoffs
While the curve changes slightly every year based on student performance, the following composite point totals (out of 150) are generally representative of the final 1-5 scale:
Score 5: 105 – 150 points
Score 4: 85 – 104 points
Score 3: 65 – 84 points
Score 2: 45 – 64 points
Score 1: 0 – 44 points
Strategies for a 5 in AP Environmental Science
To secure a 5, you typically need to aim for at least 60 correct on the multiple choice and at least 7 points on each of the three FRQs. Focus heavily on "Identify," "Describe," and "Explain" prompts in the FRQ section, as these are the building blocks of the scoring rubric. Always include units in your mathematical calculations to avoid losing easy points in Question 3 (the math-based FRQ).
function calculateApesScore() {
// Get Input Values
var mcq = parseFloat(document.getElementById("mcq_correct").value) || 0;
var f1 = parseFloat(document.getElementById("frq1").value) || 0;
var f2 = parseFloat(document.getElementById("frq2").value) || 0;
var f3 = parseFloat(document.getElementById("frq3").value) || 0;
// Validation for bounds
if (mcq > 80) mcq = 80;
if (f1 > 10) f1 = 10;
if (f2 > 10) f2 = 10;
if (f3 > 10) f3 = 10;
if (mcq < 0) mcq = 0;
if (f1 < 0) f1 = 0;
if (f2 < 0) f2 = 0;
if (f3 = 105) {
finalGrade = 5;
} else if (totalComposite >= 85) {
finalGrade = 4;
} else if (totalComposite >= 65) {
finalGrade = 3;
} else if (totalComposite >= 45) {
finalGrade = 2;
} else {
finalGrade = 1;
}
// Display Results
document.getElementById("weightedMcq").innerHTML = weightedMCQScore.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("weightedFrq").innerHTML = weightedFRQScore.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("totalPoints").innerHTML = "Composite Points: " + totalComposite.toFixed(2) + " / 150″;
document.getElementById("finalScore").innerHTML = finalGrade;
document.getElementById("apesResult").style.display = "block";
// Scroll to result
document.getElementById("apesResult").scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}