Hi guys, can anyone explain how the AP Statistics test is scored? Does every question have equal weight or do some contribute more to the final score? Appreciate all the insights and pointers.
Absolutely, happy to help clarify the scoring for the AP Statistics exam! The exam is divided into two sections: multiple-choice and free-response.
In the multiple-choice section, each of the 40 questions is equally weighted and contributes equally to your section score. Meaning, getting a harder question right doesn't give you more points than getting an easier question right.
For the free-response section, it's slightly different. This section consists of six questions, but they are not all weighted the same. The first five questions each count for 15% of your section score, and the last (the investigative task) accounts for 25%.
Both sections, multiple-choice and free-response, contribute equally to your final AP score. The multiple-choice section is worth 50% and the free response is also worth 50% of the final score.
The final AP score ranges from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. The score is determined based on the total number of points garnered from both sections. Although the exact number of correct responses needed to earn a specific score can vary slightly from year to year, typically a score of around 70% will earn you a 5, which is the top score.
One important note: there's no penalty for incorrect answers on the multiple-choice section, so it's generally a good strategy to answer every question, even if you're unsure of the answer. This might give you an extra point or two!
Hope this clears up any confusion! Happy studying.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.