most/least difficult AP exams?

[daijobu]

Yeah, I know, it depends on the student and their interests and strengths, but generally speaking/on average/everything else being equal, what is your vote.

 

Most difficult AP:

 

Easiest AP:

[Lori D.]

No personal experience with APs, but from what I've seen of comments about the tests:

 

"soft" AP tests:

History (all 3)

Art History

Psychology

Micro and Macro Economics

Government

 

"hard" AP tests:

Calculus (both)

English (both)

Physics

 

 

I often see the Environmental Science AP done as an early (like 9th grade) test, and it is definitely a "soft" science compared to the Physics.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Lori D.

[3andme]

I've read through a number of the threads on College Confidential discussing this issue and there doesn't seem to be a great consensus. A few things I've learned though that may help winnow down the specific exams:

 

• AP score distributions can be misleading - They represent a broad spectrum of students and preparation. Here's a table of score distributions for 2015.  A few of the most common first APs offered in High School are AP Env. Science, AP Human Geog & AP World History. If you go by the score distributions, they would appear to be hard but many freshman/sophomores take these exams and they are often perceived as a good starter AP for a weaker student so this impacts the pass ratios. On the other hand, Physics C and Calculus tend to have a high pass ratio probably because of self selection and school prerequisites - only students with good prep tend to sign up for these courses. Anyway, I would focus on the content and your student's strengths and weaknesses in addition to the score distributions.

 

• Writing Skills & Type of FRQs - The History and English lang/lit frq's require a more structured essay demonstrating more sophisticated writing skills with the formulation and support of a thesis. On the other hand, many of the other exams, such as the Gov and Econ exams, require only short sentence responses or calculations. 

 

• Revision date - Many of the exams have been revised in the last several years or will be revised soon. The results of the revised formats can be unpredictable. You can check here to see planned revisions. Especially if you are self-studying, I would stick with exams that have not been recently revised. It's much easier to find support materials and previous exams for review.. 

 

• Breadth of content - While all APs are supposed to be college equivalents, some are generally covered in 1 semester course while others would be more comparable to 2 semesters. For example, Human Geography or Government are usually solid 1 semester courses while US & World History cover a much broader scope which in some cases might be closer to 2 semesters. 

• Memorization - Traditionally, the History courses including Art History, and Biology had a reputation for requiring heavy duty memorization.. I believe they have recently been revised to diminish the memorization in favor of conceptual understanding. Some students excel at these type of exams but others find this to be an obstacle.

 

I'm not familiar with the science/math and language courses so perhaps there are some other things to keep in mind for those courses.

Edited November 30, 2015 by 3andme

I find it interesting that the UK college admittance system divides the AP tests into two categories, "A" and "B", and weighs the "A" tests up to three times as valuable for entry as the "B" tests:  https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/entry-requirements/tariff/tariff-tables/966

 

And, it has always bugged me that the foreign language tests require at least four years of study, but something like "Human Geography" has no prereqs at all, and is commonly taken by freshmen.

 

 

[Brad S]

I find it interesting that the UK college admittance system divides the AP tests into two categories, "A" and "B", and weighs the "A" tests up to three times as valuable for entry as the "B" tests:

Many or most selective US universities also consider AP classes and scores differently.  Some AP courses receive credit and some don't, varying somewhat by university, although there are some general patterns.  To receive credit, sometimes the score varies by course.  And I've also heard that some courses are viewed more favorably than others for admissions, although that may vary depending upon college and major as well as other individual factors.

[Lori D.]

...A few things I've learned though that may help winnow down the specific exams...

 

3andMe -- thanks! Your post was a SUPER way of breaking it down for deciding what's "hard" and what's "easy". :)

Edited November 30, 2015 by Lori D.

[GoodGrief]

Oddly enough, a lot of students, even those who studied music for years, seem to find the AP Music Theory exam to be tough. That was definitely true for my daughter!

[Mom22ns]

I find it interesting that the UK college admittance system divides the AP tests into two categories, "A" and "B", and weighs the "A" tests up to three times as valuable for entry as the "B" tests:  https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/entry-requirements/tariff/tariff-tables/966

 

I agree with these divisions. However, I also think that 3andMe's post is probably more valuable for deciding what test will be difficult for an individual child.

 

I have one who memorizes super easily and one who doesn't

The non-memorizer is much better at application and general comprehension.

The memorizer is much better at writing in pre-prescribed ways to score points.

 

When I look at their individual strengths and weaknesses against each test, I get a very different list of which test would be easy for each child.

[FaithManor]

Oddly enough, a lot of students, even those who studied music for years, seem to find the AP Music Theory exam to be tough. That was definitely true for my daughter!

The AP music exam is quite plainly, ridiculous.

 

It is harder than ANY final exam I took in four semesters of music theory at Oberlin!

 

I would much rather see students take music theory 100 level at a good community college than the AP. it moves way too fast through critical concepts where students should be spending a significant period of time. It is extremely difficult to get a 4 or 5 on the exam, crazy difficult and especially for band and choir students who do not receive private instruction. On top of which, I hate to say this but many of the high school band and choir teachers I have met who teach the class have allowed their skills to get rusty, very rusty and frankly shouldn't be teaching the course. It should be done only by college music professors or music professionals who still have their "hat in the ring" so to speak in terms of musical composition and analysis. Even having started my master's in musicology, I found that I was stretching myself after all of these years to teach AP music theory to ds.

 

For homeschoolers, I'd much rather see them just get a decent 100 level text, go about half way or less through it slowly and methodically with an excellent private instructor, call it Honors Music Theory, and then have the student take it again in college if necessary because it will be more nuanced, and well, let me just say that the average music composition PH.D is going to take it to an amazing level of depth that no AP teacher is likely to ever do. Going from the AP then to the next level of theory without re-taking becomes an absolute leap of faith and practically avarice for most music students. Not all, but most, and the ones that make it area nearly always ones that had top notch private instruction on top of the AP coursework.

 

The very last time the local band director taught AP music theory, he had 17 students from his band. Not a single one scored above a two. I know this because I have friends that teach in the school. The thing is, the kids learned a lot, there is no doubt about that. It's just a crazy difficult exam, high school teachers tend to be a bit rusty in it, and it goes too fast for a lot of the teens who don't have private instructors to tutor them.

[Dmmetler]

Not to mention that every music school I've worked for has their own placement exam for theory and doesn't accept the AP for credit for music majors anyway!

[Arcadia]

It is extremely difficult to get a 4 or 5 on the exam, crazy difficult and especially for band and choir students who do not receive private instruction. On top of which, I hate to say this but many of the high school band and choir teachers I have met who teach the class have allowed their skills to get rusty, very rusty and frankly shouldn't be teaching the course. It should be done only by college music professors or music professionals who still have their "hat in the ring" so to speak in terms of musical composition and analysis.

 

I agree that the kids who do well locally for the music theory exam have private instruction from a very young age and have private tutors that do nothing but test prep for the exam. The private instructor who taught my oldest for music theory group crash course does nothing but teach(test prep) music theory and composition for ABRSM exams and AP.  It is his bread and butter.

[GoodGrief]

FaithManor, interesting to read your insights. I am not a music person at all. My daughter took the AP Homeschoolers course, and it was extremely time consuming. She did seem to learn a lot, and in the end got a 5 overall on the exam (4 on one of the sections; can't remember if it was aural or nonaural, but I do remember thinking that I wished I had gotten a local instructor to help her with some of the singing bits.) Originally she was supposed to take it at the local high school with a choir teacher. The class ended up being cancelled, and after reading your post, I think it was for the best.

 

She will not be a music major; she was taking it just for fun.  Turned out to be educational, but fun and easy, not so much, lol.

Edited December 2, 2015 by Gr8lander