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AP Bio Score Calculator
Enter multiple-choice questions correct and the six free-response scores. The 1–5 estimate uses the conversion chart on the College Board 2013 AP Biology practice exam.
Estimated AP score
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Cut points are the College Board 2013 AP Biology Practice Exam scoring worksheet: composite out of 120, with multiple choice and free response each scaled to 60. That form had 58 multiple-choice questions multiplied by 1.0344. The current exam has 60 multiple-choice questions worth 50%, so each correct answer is 1 point on that 60-point section. The 2013 free-response section had eight questions. The current exam has six, worth 34 raw points, and each raw point is multiplied by 60/34 so the section still totals 60. College Board has not published a chart for the current six-question form.
| AP score | Composite |
|---|---|
| 5 | 93–120 |
| 4 | 75–92 |
| 3 | 54–74 |
| 2 | 30–53 |
| 1 | 0–29 |
Source: College Board, 2013 AP Biology Practice Exam scoring worksheet.
How this exam is entered
The current AP Biology exam is 60 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, worth 50%, and six free-response questions in 90 minutes, worth 50%. Questions 1 and 2 are long: interpreting experimental results, and the same task with graphing, 9 points each on this calculator. Released long questions have been scored out of 8, 9, or 10, so each one has a rubric total you can change, and the score is scaled to 9. For example, 8 out of 10 counts as 7.2. Questions 3 through 6 are short, 4 points each: scientific investigation, conceptual analysis, a model or visual, and data analysis. A calculator is allowed on both sections.
The only College Board conversion chart located for a 50/50 biology composite out of 120 is the 2013 practice exam. On that sheet, 93 to 120 was a 5, 75 to 92 was a 4, 54 to 74 was a 3, 30 to 53 was a 2, and 0 to 29 was a 1. The 2013 free-response section had eight questions, so each point on today's six questions is scaled so the section still totals 60.
How the 2013 AP Biology worksheet fits today's exam
The table in the calculator is the 2013 chart: College Board, 2013 AP Biology Practice Exam scoring worksheet.
Of the five worksheets, the 2013 Biology sheet is the furthest from today's exam. It had 58 multiple-choice questions and eight free-response questions. The current exam has 60 and six. The multiple-choice change is small, but each free-response point is now multiplied by 60/34, about 1.76, so one rubric point moves the composite nearly twice as far as one correct answer. Read a composite of 91 or 92, just under the 93 that was a 5, as either a 4 or a 5.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percent of AP Biology is multiple choice?
50%. The other 50% is the six free-response questions. On this calculator both sections are scaled to 60 points, which is the split on the 2013 worksheet's 120-point composite.
What composite was a 5 on the 2013 Biology worksheet?
93 to 120. A 4 was 75 to 92, and a 3 was 54 to 74.
Why are free-response points multiplied by 60/34?
The six current questions are worth 34 raw points and need to fill the 60-point free-response section on the 2013 worksheet. 60 divided by 34 is that multiplier. The 2013 form itself used different multipliers because it had eight questions.
Is a 3 on AP Biology usually enough for credit?
College Board describes a 3 as qualified. Many colleges grant credit or placement for a 3, and some require a 4 or 5. The college's own AP credit policy is the list that matters.