So, AP season is approaching and I've been told that some AP exams are 'curved.' How does this affect the way our answers are scored, and does this make the exam easier or tougher on us?
It's great that you're already thinking about AP exam strategies! Let me clarify what the 'curve' on AP exams actually refers to. It doesn’t work like a traditional curve, where your score would depend on how others perform. Instead, the College Board uses a statistical process called 'equating' to ensure fairness across different test administrations.
This process takes into account the difficulty of the test version when determining the final scaled score. So, one year’s set of questions might be a bit more challenging, and the equating process would adjust for that, aiming to ensure that a score from that year reflects the same level of achievement as a score from a different year.
It means that your raw score (the number of questions you get right) is less important than your scaled score, which is what you’ll receive on a scale of 1 to 5. Regardless of the 'curve,' focus on a thorough understanding of the course material and practicing with AP-style questions to maximize your performance. Good luck with your studying!
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