Understanding AP World History Scoring
The AP World History exam consists of four main sections, each contributing to your final score through a weighted calculation system. Understanding this scoring methodology can help you strategize your study approach and exam performance.
Scoring Formula
The composite score is calculated using the following weighted formula:
Composite Score = (MC Score / 55 × 40) + (SAQ Score / 9 × 20) + (DBQ Score / 7 × 25) + (LEQ Score / 6 × 15)
AP Score Ranges
Based on historical College Board data, the following composite score ranges typically correspond to each AP score:
- 5 Extremely Well Qualified 110-150 points
- 4 Well Qualified 90-109 points
- 3 Qualified 70-89 points
- 2 Possibly Qualified 50-69 points
- 1 No Recommendation 0-49 points
Example Calculation
Let's calculate an example score:
- Multiple-Choice: 40 correct out of 55 = 72.7% × 40 weight = 29.1 points
- SAQ: 6.5 points out of 9 = 72.2% × 20 weight = 14.4 points
- DBQ: 5 points out of 7 = 71.4% × 25 weight = 17.9 points
- LEQ: 4 points out of 6 = 66.7% × 15 weight = 10.0 points
- Total: 29.1 + 14.4 + 17.9 + 10.0 = 71.4 composite score (AP Score: 3)