What is the hardest AP exam?
AP Physics C – Electricity & Magnetism (E&M) is rated as the hardest AP test by real AP class alumnae, with an average difficulty rating of 8.1 / 10 (10 = hardest). Those who stay the course often score well, though, with a 2022 pass rate of 69%, and 30% of students earning a 5.
If you manage to take 11 AP classes throughout your high school stay, that's enough (33 credits on average) to skip a whole year of college. While that may too much, even a couple of classes can be enough to give you a semester ahead of your peers coming into college.
- Computer Science Principles.
- Psychology.
- Human Geography.
- Environmental Science.
- U.S. Government and Politics.
- AP Physics 1. Despite a reputation as one of the most difficult AP classes, Physics 1 is also one of the most popular—137,229 students took it in 2021. ...
- AP U.S. History. AP U.S. history is one of the hardest AP classes in the humanities and in general. ...
- AP Chemistry.
United States History, Biology, English Literature, Calculus BC, Physics C, and Chemistry are often named as the hardest AP classes and tests.
Chinese,Calculus BC, Japanese, Drawing, and Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism are the AP tests with the highest average scores, but they are all known to be quite difficult.
Usually, a 70 to 75 percent out of 100 translates to a 5. However, there are some exams that are exceptions to this rule of thumb. The AP Grades that are reported to students, high schools, colleges, and universities in July are on AP's five-point scale: 5: Extremely well qualified.
Environmental Science:
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.
Take as many as you can handle without spreading yourself too thin. Make sure you will have time to study for the ACT or SAT this year. An Ivy League hopeful might take 3 to 5(!) AP classes, while if you're aiming for less-selective schools, 2 or 3 would be enough.
Going up the selectivity chain, the average at Harvard is eight AP classes. To be competitive at some of the most highly selective colleges in the country, 8-12 AP courses may be the sweet spot amount, assuming the student can handle that level of rigor.
Do APs boost your GPA?
While honors courses usually add 0.5 points to your GPA, AP classes often add 1 point. In other words, a 3.5 GPA would be boosted to a 4.0 in an honors class and a 4.5 in an AP class. This boost can prove particularly useful if you want to challenge yourself with more difficult training without punishing your GPA.
| Grade | Recommended Number of AP Classes to Take | Recommended AP Classes |
|---|---|---|
| 11th Grade | 3-5 | English, Calculus AB, Biology, Spanish (or other foreign language), U.S. Government and Politics |
| 12th Grade | 3-6 | Chemistry, Physics C, Calculus BC |
Take as many as you can handle without spreading yourself thin, and make sure you will have time to study for the ACT or SAT this year. An Ivy League hopeful might take 3 to 5 AP classes, while if you're aiming for less-selective schools, 2 to 4 would be enough.
What Are the Most Failed AP Exams? All AP exams have a passing rate of at least 50%. The most failed AP exams are Physics 1 (failed by 48.4% of all students), Environmental Science (failed by 46.6% of all students), and Chemistry (failed by 43.9% of all students).
Aim for four to eight AP exams in your junior and senior years. For competitive Ivy League schools, admission officers also want to see AP courses for core subject areas and additional courses. If possible, aim to pass about seven to 12 AP exams if applying to these highly selective schools.
- AP Chinese Language.
- AP Spanish Language.
- AP Art Studio Drawing.
- AP Art Studio 2D.
- AP Calculus BC.
- AP Japanese Language.
- AP French Language.
- AP Physics C: Mechanics.
Don't be pressured into taking AP courses in areas you don't enjoy. Second, balance your course load. Unless you're applying to the most selective universities, 4 to 5 AP courses over your high school years is more than enough. For students applying to the most selective colleges, you might need 7–12.
Algebra is the single most failed course in high school, the most failed course in community college, and, along with English language for nonnative speakers, the single biggest academic reason that community colleges have a high dropout rate.
The short answer is that it's better to get a "B" in the AP or Honors class because selective colleges want to see that students are challenging themselves academically, but also that they're mastering the material.
AP Biology is considered quite hard, with class alumnae rating it 6.4/10 for overall difficulty (the 8th-most-difficult out of the 28 large AP classes surveyed). The pass rate is about average vs other AP classes, with 68% graduating with a 3 or higher.
Is it a big deal to fail an AP exam?
The most substantial consequence to failing an AP exam is that you will not receive college credit for the course. However, many colleges do not even offer credit for AP courses. So, you may not be missing out on an opportunity at all. Either way, you shouldn't look at this as a scary consequence.
A percentage of multiple-choice questions from prior exams are reused every year, guaranteeing the statistical reliability of each AP Exam from year to year.
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Step 3: Use the Chart to Estimate Your Scaled Score.
C+ GPA. A C+ letter grade is equivalent to a 2.3 GPA, or Grade Point Average, on a 4.0 GPA scale, and a percentage grade of 77–79.
In general, colleges will usually give credit for a score of 3 or higher, although more competitive colleges may only give credit for a 4 or higher, depending on the exam. A passing score, then, is the minimum score a college will accept for credit.
- AP Italian (2,102 test-takers)
- AP Japanese (2,204 test-takers)
- AP German (4,315 test-takers)
- AP 3-D Art and Design (4,573 test-takers)
- AP Latin (4,889 test-takers)
AP classes, however, are more challenging than honors classes. These courses cover information, teach skills and give assignments that correspond to college classes. High school students taking AP courses will be held to the same standard as college students.
The Hardest AP Classes
Traditionally, courses like English Literature, Physics 1, and Chemistry are difficult to self-study for or complete at home because of the need for conversation and 1:1 instruction — like the lab element necessary to understand the science courses' material.
- Physics 1. As one of the hardest high school classes, this course includes not only algebra but also scientific inquiry and physics. ...
- Environmental Science. ...
- Chemistry. ...
- U.S. Government and Politics. ...
- U.S. History. ...
- Human Geography. ...
- European History. ...
- Statistics.
The most failed AP exams are Physics 1 (failed by 48.4% of all students), Environmental Science (failed by 46.6% of all students), and Chemistry (failed by 43.9% of all students). For a full chart of the hardest AP exams (those with the lowest passing rate), check out this site.
Is AP Bio harder than AP Chem?
However, our son thinks taking AP bio in junior year makes more sense since AP biology tends to be relatively 'easier' than AP chemistry for most kids and his next year classes are rigorous.
Going up the selectivity chain, the average at Harvard is eight AP classes. To be competitive at some of the most highly selective colleges in the country, 8-12 AP courses may be the sweet spot amount, assuming the student can handle that level of rigor.
Unless you're applying to the most selective universities, 4 to 5 AP courses over your high school years is more than enough. For students applying to the most selective colleges, you might need 7–12. But even so, taking 4 AP courses in a year can be extremely challenging.
While junior year is often the hardest year of high school, the transition from middle school to 9th grade can also be tough. To make it easier, don't feel afraid to reach out to your teachers and counselors, and take advantage of the support resources that are available.
AP courses can be taken without taking the exam, and vice versa. If your child wants the possible college credit or score result without taking a course, then take the exam.
Based on College Board pass rates, AP Physics 1 is more difficult than AP Chemistry. That said, AP Chemistry is not far behind -- AP Physics 1 has a pass rate of about 52% while AP Chemistry has a pass rate of 56%.
AP Psychology is considered very easy, with class alumnae rating it 3.5/10 for overall difficulty (the 2nd-easiest out of the 28 large AP classes surveyed). The pass rate is slightly lower than other AP classes, with 59% graduating with a 3 or higher.
The AP Physics C: E&M exam is considered one of the easier AP exams by pass rate.