Estimated Composite: / 100
Calculator Use
Use this apush score calculator to estimate your final score on the AP US History exam. By inputting your raw scores from practice tests, you can see how the College Board weights different sections of the exam. This tool is essential for students looking to identify which areas—multiple choice, short answers, or essays—require the most improvement to reach their goal of a 4 or 5.
- MCQ Correct (0-55)
- The number of correct answers on Section 1, Part A (Multiple Choice Questions). There is no penalty for wrong answers.
- SAQ Points (0-9)
- The total points earned from three Short Answer Questions. Each question is worth 3 points.
- DBQ Points (0-7)
- The score from your Document-Based Question essay, graded against the official 7-point rubric.
- LEQ Points (0-6)
- The score from your Long Essay Question, graded against the official 6-point rubric.
How It Works
The AP US History exam composite score is calculated by weighting each section according to its percentage of the total grade. The apush score calculator follows the official weighting provided by the College Board:
Composite Score = (MCQ Weighted) + (SAQ Weighted) + (DBQ Weighted) + (LEQ Weighted)
- Multiple Choice (40%): Calculated as (Raw MCQ / 55) * 40.
- Short Answer (20%): Calculated as (Raw SAQ / 9) * 20.
- Document-Based Question (25%): Calculated as (Raw DBQ / 7) * 25.
- Long Essay Question (15%): Calculated as (Raw LEQ / 6) * 15.
Once the composite score (0-100) is determined, it is mapped to the 1-5 AP scale based on historical curves. Note that curves change slightly every year based on exam difficulty.
Calculation Example
Example: A student takes a practice test and gets 42 MCQ correct, earns 6/9 on SAQs, 5/7 on the DBQ, and 4/6 on the LEQ.
Step-by-step solution:
- MCQ Weighted: (42/55) * 40 = 30.5
- SAQ Weighted: (6/9) * 20 = 13.3
- DBQ Weighted: (5/7) * 25 = 17.9
- LEQ Weighted: (4/6) * 15 = 10.0
- Total Composite: 30.5 + 13.3 + 17.9 + 10.0 = 71.7
- Resulting Score: 4 (Since 71.7 falls within the high-4 range).
Common Questions
What is a passing score for APUSH?
Most colleges consider a score of 3 or higher as "passing" and may offer college credit or advanced placement. However, some elite institutions require a 4 or 5 for credit.
How many MCQ do I need for a 5?
While it depends on your essay scores, most students who score a 5 get at least 45 out of 55 multiple-choice questions correct, combined with strong performance (5+ points) on the DBQ.
Is the APUSH exam curved?
Yes, the College Board uses "equating" to ensure that a score of 3 in one year represents the same level of mastery as a 3 in another year. This apush score calculator uses average curve data to give you the most accurate prediction possible.