If you’re reading this blog you probably just finished taking an AP Calculus AB practice exam and now you’re wondering what to do. Well, firstly, congrats! That is one of the best ways to study for the AB exam, but now to get the most out of the experience you must score the exam. This blog will act as your own AP Calculus AB score calculator to help you with your calculus studying.
Download AP Calculus AB Score Calculator Guidelines as pdf.
Scoring the AP Calculus AB Exam
The AP Calculus AB exam is scored out of 108 points. While the curve that the graders use from year to year can differ, this 108-point score will remain the same and this is the first metric to begin calculating.
On the test, there are 45 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and 6 free-response questions (FRQs). Each section accounts for 54 points or half of the total points. This means that each MCQ is worth 1.2 points and each FRQ is worth nine points.
Scoring the MCQ
To grade the MCQ portion of the exam, simply add up how many questions you answered correctly and multiply that number by 1.2. This number is your MCQ score and represents half of your total score. Next, on to the FRQ.
Scoring the FRQ
For each year’s AP test, there are free-response scoring guidelines that you can use to score that portion of the test. Each part of every question will be assigned a point value with the guidelines for each point. For example, a question could have a part “A” where it awards one point for setting up correctly, one point for a correct answer, and one point for a justification. Click here for an FRQ scoring guidelines example from the 2022 AB test.
Go through all six of the free-response questions using this rubric and you will find your FRQ score out of 54 points. To find your total score simply add the value you got for the MCQ portion to that of the FRQ portion. You can use the attached form to keep track of your score and calculate your raw score.
You will see on the charts that they have a section in the bottom right. Now you have your raw score out of 108 points and the next step is to translate this into your final exam grade from one to five.
Curving the Score
For each year of the test, there is a curve that takes the raw score and puts out the exam score so by looking up this curve, you can find your final score. For example, in 2022 the curve for the BC Calculus test was as follows: zero to 36 points scored a one, 37 to 44 points scored a two, 45 to 56 points scored a three, 57 to 68 points scored a four, and 69 to 108 points scores a five.
| Raw Score (2022 curve) | AP Score |
| 0-36 | 1 |
| 37-44 | 2 |
| 45-56 | 3 |
| 57-68 | 4 |
| 69-108 | 5 |
Conclusion
With the help of this blog post you are now able to be your own AP Calculus AB score calculator and give yourself motivation to continue studying for these important tests! Good luck!
