how difficult is ap course

by Miss Augustine Altenwerth 9 min read

Some are harder than others, though your experience will depend on your personal strengths. In general, all AP classes are challenging and the exams are difficult, since they're meant to be at the same level of an introductory college class.

In general, there is a lot of material to cover in AP classes, so they tend to be more challenging than regular classes—especially courses like AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Physics, US and World History, and English. These are all much harder than their regular or honors equivalents.Dec 18, 2021

Full Answer

What are the easiest AP classes to take?

Feb 05, 2020 · Is AP Psychology Hard? AP Psychology is widely considered among students to be relatively “easy” compared to other AP classes. There is generally less material to cover prior to the exam compared to courses like AP Biology or AP Chem, resulting in a relatively high pass rate.

How hard are AP courses?

Pass rates are high for those who stay the course (70% in 2021), with one of the highest perfect-score rates of any AP (33% scored a 5 in 2021). English Literature: rated as very hard (7.4/10) and quite time-intensive (6.3/10). Few candidates score well: the pass rate is very low (44% in 2021).

What are the easiest to hardest AP science classes?

Aug 31, 2021 · This class combines physics, scientific inquiry, and algebra. AP Physics 1 is considered one of the hardest AP classes, covering topics like Newtonian mechanics and electrical charge and force. Students also spend about 25% of their class time performing college-level lab experiments and writing reports.

What is the hardest AP class?

Dec 18, 2021 · The average passing rate is around 65%, so your odds of passing an AP exam are generally good. However, just because the odds are in your favor, that doesn't mean you can slack off—far from it, in fact! The odds of passing with a 5—the highest score—are quite low on any exam: between 10% and 20% for most tests.

What is the hardest AP course?

Top 10 Hardest AP Classes by Exam Pass RatePhysics 1. 51.6% 8.8%Environmental Science. 53.4% 11.9%Chemistry. 56.1% 10.6%U.S. Government and Politics. 57.5% 15.5%U.S. History. 58.7% 13.0%Human Geography. 59.0% 11.8%European History. 59.3% 13.7%Statistics. 60.0% 16.2%More items...•Aug 31, 2021

How much harder is AP than regular?

What is the Difference Between AP and Honors Classes?QuestionsAP CoursesWho Develops the Curriculum?The College Board.How is it Weighted?1 Point Increase.Which is Harder?Both are more challenging than regular classes, but AP tends to require more work.3 more rows•Jun 8, 2020

Are AP courses harder than college courses?

College courses are (generally) harder than AP courses. I'm just going to say that. Of course, factors like professors and the subject can change the difficulty for an individual student. However, overall, any introductory college course is going to be harder than an AP.

Why is AP class so hard?

The primary argument for why Advanced Placement classes are so hard is the intensive workload. Students forget to take into that they are taking a college level class, so the workload is supposed to be more intense than a CP or honors class. Students know before taking an AP class what they are getting themselves into.Jan 9, 2019

Are AP exams easy?

In general, all AP classes are challenging and the exams are difficult, since they're meant to be at the same level of an introductory college class.Dec 18, 2021

Is AP Spanish easy?

The AP® Spanish Language and Culture test can be difficult. Learning a second language can be difficult in general, and being tested on five or more years of Spanish classes for them AP® Spanish Language exam doesn't make things any easier.Mar 1, 2022

Is AP harder than honors?

AP classes also tend to be more challenging than honors classes. For AP classes, you should have the ability to manage difficult coursework while preparing for AP exams.Sep 8, 2021

What is the easiest AP Exam?

The five easiest exams for self-study are as follows: AP Human Geography. AP Psychology. AP US Government and Politics. AP Comparative Government and Politics.Feb 21, 2021

What happens if you fail an AP Exam but pass the class?

You will not receive credit for the failed class. If it was a graduation requirement, you will have to take the class (or a different class that fills the same requirement) again. If you are a junior or senior, and the class was a requirement, you may have to enroll in summer school or even graduate late.Aug 12, 2021

Is an AP class worth taking?

AP courses enable students to learn advanced skills while earning college credit. At the end of each course, students take an AP test. Students should balance taking AP classes with maintaining a manageable schedule. AP classes can be well worth the time and investment for high school students.Mar 3, 2021

Is AP Psychology easy?

Compared to other AP® exams, AP® Psychology is considered one of the easier exams to pass in the AP® catalog for the reasons described below. In 2021, the AP® Psychology exam had a passing rate of 53.3% with a mean score of 2.71.Mar 1, 2022

Is AP really college level?

The AP Program offers college-level courses and exams that you can take in high school.

What is the AP exam score?

The College Board grades AP exams on a scale of one to five , with one representing the lowest possible score and five representing the highest. In general, a score of three is considered to be passing. However, students should note that many colleges require a score of four or five to receive credit.

Why is the pass rate so high?

The pass rate is likely high because the students who take this exam tend to be well prepared, or are native speakers. Similarly, an exam like Environmental Science might have a lower rate because the class itself is considered easier than other APs. As a result, students may be less-prepared to take the exam.

Is it important to take AP classes?

To that end, choosing the right AP classes to take is extremely important. With the College Board offering a large number of exams on an annual basis, it’s only natural that students sometimes struggle to decide which classes to enroll in.

Free Online High School AP Courses in Wisconsin

Online AP classes are meant to cover more material, in more detail, in than normal high school classes. Students usually need to work outside of class more and have more demanding reading assignments. AP courses give students the opportunity to showcase their true potential instead of breezing through standard high school lessons.

Which AP Classes are the Easiest?

Based on pass rates for AP Exams, some of the easier AP classes are AP Spanish, AP French, AP Calculus BC, AP Psychology, AP Microeconomics, and AP Computer Science just to name a few. Although these have higher pass rates, it’s important to account for factors that may influence these numbers.

Which AP Classes are the Most Difficult?

AP US History, AP Biology, AP English Literature, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C, and AP Chemistry are often counted among the hardest AP classes and tests. These AP classes go through a large amount of material, have difficult final exams, and concepts can be very difficult to understand.

Is AP Psychology Hard?

AP Psychology is widely considered among students to be relatively “easy” compared to other AP classes. There is generally less material to cover prior to the exam compared to courses like AP Biology or AP Chem, resulting in a relatively high pass rate. That being said, AP Psychology is still a college-level course, like all AP classes.

Is AP Physics Hard?

For students with strong math skills who enjoy science courses, AP Physics 1 offers a challenging introduction to college-level physics, while AP Physics 2 dives deeper into concepts explored in AP Physics 1.

Is AP World History Hard?

AP World History is regarded as a challenging course as quite a bit of material is covered. The workload can be more extensive compared to other AP courses, but as long as you keep up with the work assigned, passing the course exam is very attainable.

Is AP Chemistry Hard?

AP chemistry can prove to be especially challenging for those without any kind of background or experience with chemistry and math. If either of those come difficult to you, AP Chemistry will be more difficult. However, those students with prior chemistry, math and science knowledge will find AP Chemistry challenging, but very rewarding.

What are the hardest AP classes?

The hardest AP classes to self-study: are Chemistry, and Physics C – Electricity and Magnetism . These are also rated among the hardest and most time-consuming AP exams, so taking these on as self-study is not to be taken lightly – good luck! Whatever you’re studying, wishing you every success in your AP exams!

What are the easiest AP classes to self study?

The easiest AP classes to self-study are: Computer Science Principles, Psychology and Environmental Science. These are also rated as the easiest and least time-consuming AP classes overall, so you should be OK.

Is physics more time consuming than other classes?

Some reviewers found Physics was relatively less time-consuming than other courses . From my experience, harder physics courses such as the AP exams tend to split classes into two halves: those that “get it” relatively quickly, and those that have to persevere and sweat a bit to figure out what’s going on.

What is the second hardest AP class?

The second hardest AP class is environmental science, with a passing rate of 53.4%. This class is often known for students underestimating the course. It's 2 hours and 40 minutes exam with 80 MCQs and 3 free-response questions.

How many MCQs are in Calculus AB?

Calculus AB is another hardest AP class of 3 hours and 15 minutes. The exam consists of 45 MCQs and 6 free-response questions. The exam will check your ability to understand calculus concepts. It will test correct notation use, solve problems by determining procedures and formulas.

What do you study in German?

You will study german films, newspapers, books. With this also environmental, social, and political challenges faced by german communities. You need to develop the ability to speak, listen, write, and read the german language. Unless you are a person who can speak German, it's not an easy exam to pass.

What do you need to know to take chemistry?

For chemistry, you need an excellent conceptual understanding of chemical processes. These processes are very complicated. Also, there are a lot of things to memorize and heavy material to study. And for this, you will have tests and a lot of homework too. The exam will be on scientific concepts in the course.

What is art history?

As its name says, Art History is the study of the art of various cultures. You will study the history of art back from the prehistoric era to the present times. You need to develop skills by developing theories by seeing art connections. And this will be possible through observation, research, reading, and discussion.

Top 10 Hardest AP Classes by Exam Pass Rate

AP exam pass rates and the frequency of perfect scores can help you gauge the hardest AP classes. The pass rate demonstrates the percentage of students who received a passing score of 3 or higher, while the perfect score rate reflects the percentage of students who received a 5 (i.e., the highest possible score).

Factors That Affect Which AP Classes Are Hardest

While a helpful indicator, a test's pass rate does not fully reflect the difficulty of an AP class. For example, according to the College Board, the May 2020 pass rates were 83.6% for AP Japanese Language and just 53.4% for AP Environmental Science. That said, only 2,581 students took the former, whereas 162,469 students took the latter exam.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Hardest AP Classes

In May 2020, 61.4% of students taking AP Calculus AB passed, while 81.6% of students passed AP Calculus BC. Although these scores might not seem too low, calculus can be a difficult concept for many students to grasp. The College Board recommends a minimum of four years of secondary-school-level mathematics before attempting AP Calculus.

Why is GPA important?

After all, your GPA is very important in college admissions and is used to calculate your chance at getting scholarships, too. Therefore, you want to make sure that you challenge yourself but don't spread yourself too thin. Of course, getting an A in an AP class is ideal.

Do you have to take biology first for AP?

For example, in order to take AP Biology, most schools require students to take regular or honors biology first. The more background knowledge you have of a certain subject, the more likely you'll do well in its corresponding AP class.

Is AP class hard?

In general, all AP classes are challenging and the exams are difficult, since they're meant to be at the same level of an introductory college class. That said, we'll explore some factors that could make an AP class and test harder or easier.

Is AP Physics harder than AP Calculus?

These are all much harder than their regular or honors equivalents.

Is AP Biology hard?

AP Biology could be a very tough course at one high school but an easy A at another, depending on the teacher and curriculum. The exams, however, are pretty similar year to year. Some are harder than others, though your experience will depend on your personal strengths. In general, all AP classes are challenging and the exams are difficult, ...

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