How hard is the AP US government and politics exam?
With a solid understanding of how the exam is structured and what will be expected from you as an AP® US Government student, anybody can score a 5 when it comes to exam day. Unlike many other AP® exams, the structure of the AP® US Government and Politics exam is not that complicated.
What are the hardest AP exams to pass?
But when you look at the data, the exams with the highest passing rates (Chinese, Spanish, Physics C: Mechanics) are often considered among the hardest. We're not including AP Seminar and the AP Studio Art scores in this assessment, since those grades are all portfolio-based, rather than exam-based.
What is the hardest part of AP Gov?
AP Gov was the first AP class I took that involved any kind of heavy reading so for me this was a major shock and I was overwhelmed. The hardest part was reading 50 pages and not remembering a word or even comprehending what the chapter was about.
Is the AP Gov test changing its format?
The AP Gov test hasn’t changed its format. Really know the basics of the amendments and articles of the constitution, for they are the foundation of the whole class. The same for the structure of the American government.
Which AP exams are the hardest?
The Three Hardest AP ClassesAP 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.
What percent is a 5 on an AP Gov exam?
What percent is a 5 on an AP Gov Exam? Students have to score an 80% or above to get a 5 on the exam. This would be scoring 96 or more points out of 120 on the test.
What is the pass rate of AP Gov?
57.5%Students need strong essay-writing and critical thinking skills to succeed in this course. The AP Government exam features multiple-choice and free-response essay questions. AP Government has an exam pass rate of 57.5% — a bit lower than that for all other AP tests.
What is the easiest AP exam?
The five easiest exams for self-study are as follows: AP Human Geography. AP Psychology. AP US Government and Politics. AP Comparative Government and Politics.
Is AP Gov easy?
When it comes down to the numbers, the AP® United States Government and Politics exam proves to be one of the most difficult exams offered by the College Board. It has one of the lowest percentages of test-takers that received either a 5 or a 4 on the exam and also has one of the lowest mean scores across the board.
Can you get a 0 on an AP exam?
AP tests are scored on a scale of 0-5, with 5 being the highest score you could get. Most schools will give credit for scores of 4 or 5, and some even accept the occasional 3.
Is it OK to fail an AP exam?
What happens if you fail an AP exam? If you fail an AP exam, you will not receive college credit for that course. The good news is that a failed exam does not affect your GPA. In addition, you can retake the AP exam the next year.
What is the hardest AP test to get a 5 on?
What are the Hardest AP Classes and Tests?Exam NamePassing Rate (3+)5 RateUnited States History52.10%11.70%Chemistry52.30%9.70%European History53.60%7.90%English Literature and Composition54.60%7.40%33 more rows•Mar 1, 2022
What is a 5 on AP Gov?
The College Board specifies a score of 3 as “qualified”, 4 as “well qualified” and 5 as “extremely well qualified.” Depending on the specific colleges you apply to, a passing score on an AP® exam could also qualify you to receive college credit.
What grade is a 5 on an AP Exam?
AP Exam scores of 5 are equivalent to grades of A+ and A in the corresponding college course.
How do you score a 5 on AP Gov?
How Can I Get a 5 in AP US Government?Know what your test is going to look like 🔎 ... Use the content breakdown to guide your studying 📅 ... Know your Supreme Court cases ⚖ ... Know your Foundational Documents 📄 ... Practice your writing skills and make a study plan ✍
What is a 75 on an AP test?
Here are the basics of the AP English exam: it has 55 multiple-choice questions, worth 45% of your score, and three essays, worth 55% of your score. Each essay is graded between 1 and 9....Step 3: Use the Chart to Estimate Your Scaled Score.Composite Score (0-100 or 0-150)Scaled Score (1-5)76-91350-7520-4912 more rows•Mar 21, 2020
What percent is a 4 on the AP Gov exam?
12% 11%AP U.S. Government and Politics score distributions, 2019 vs. 2021AP Score20192021412%11%330%27%225%27%120%23%1 more row•Jul 16, 2021
What Does AP U.S. Government and Politics Cover?
AP U.S. Government and Politics delves into the topic of American democracy, focusing on political ideology and the branches of government. This co...
When Should You Take AP U.S. Government and Politics?
Students typically take AP U.S. Government and Politics in their junior or senior year of high school.While some schools may allow students to take...
Should I Take AP U.S. Government and Politics?
AP U.S. Government and Politics requires students to learn and understand a moderate amount of material compared to other AP courses. That said, so...
Is AP U.S. Government and Politics worth it?
Students seeking to bolster their academic resumes should consider enrolling in AP U.S. Government. Juniors and seniors in high school can use foun...
Do colleges care about AP U.S. Government and Politics?
Yes, they do. When reviewing applications, colleges take AP courses into account. Because AP course material is standardized, it allows colleges to...
How many credits do you get for AP U.S. Government and Politics?
AP U.S. Government and Politics often fulfills requirements for a history or social science course. This means that students who receive credit for...
Why is calculus harder?
Also, it's harder in Calculus because the use of calculator is timed, problem-solving is timed. You can't always use the calculator. I didn't take AP Calculus in high school but some of my friends did and they recalled the collection of calculators in a basket each time the time for "calculator permit" ended.
What are the two parts of the AP exam?
The AP U.S. Government and Politics exam has two parts - multiple choice and free response . For the multiple choice, there are some questions that require content specific knowledge (i.e. names of court cases, vocabulary, etc), but there are also a good amount that you can answer based on reading a graphic or a chart.
Is the GOPO hard?
If you pay attention in class, do the reading, and understand the concepts , then the AP GOPO test is fairly easy and the course shouldn’t be considered “hard” when compared with other AP tests.
Is AP government easy?
But compared to other AP courses, AP Government is a relatively easy course in which you can score well if you are well prepared.
Overview
Welcome! You're probably wondering: should I take AP® Gov? Hopefully, after reading this blog, you can make the right decision for yourself 🎉
To Take or Not to Take?
"AP Government was a great class to have the opportunity to gain greater exposure into the world we are constantly surrounded by everyday.
What should students be aware of when taking the digital exam?
Taking the Digital Exam. Students should be aware of some aspects of testing digitally that they’ll encounter —in the Digital Practice and on exam day: As a reminder: Students will answer all multiple-choice questions and type all free-response answers directly in the digital exam application.
When can students try out the test day experience?
Starting April 8, students can try out the test-day experience by answering example questions in the digital testing application. See the Digital Practice page for general information about practice options.
Can you read the directions on a digital exam?
While students should read the directions, they should be aware that the timer will be running while they do so. Teachers and students can view the full text of the exam and section directions in advance of the exam. More information about taking digital exams is available in the Digital Testing Guide.
Can you handwrite scratch paper?
Scratch paper is permitted for notes or planning, but students cannot handwrite or otherwise upload responses. Students cannot go back to questions they’ve already answered, and cannot skip ahead. Exam directions and section-specific directions will not be read by a proctor–they’ll appear entirely in the application.
Can you take the digital practice multiple times?
We highly recommend all students take the Digital Practice, and strongly advise that if they can’t take the Digital Practice, they at least take the App Demo. Both can be taken multiple times, and can be accessed directly in the digital testing application.
How to get info on AP classes?
To get info about an AP class, first talk to your guidance counselor. Ask for the class's syllabus, the class's passing rate on the AP exam for the last few years, and what other students tend to say about the class. This will give you an idea of how well-taught a class is. Your guidance counselor can also recommend good prerequisite classes and teachers.
What high school did Halle Edwards graduate from?
Halle Edwards graduated from Stanford University with honors. In high school, she earned 99th percentile ACT scores as well as 99th percentile scores on SAT subject tests. She also took nine AP classes, earning a perfect score of 5 on seven AP tests. As a graduate of a large public high school who tackled the college admission process largely on her own, she is passionate about helping high school students from different backgrounds get the knowledge they need to be successful in the college admissions process.
What do you need to know for history class?
For a US history class, you would need to know the dates of the civil war, the exact year of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the dates and content of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. You would also be expected to know about the major leaders and law-makers involved. The more detail you can remember, the better!
What is the 5 rate for AP English?
The 5 rate, in fact, a decent way to spot some difficult exams, including AP English Literature and Biology. They both have very low 5 rates (9.3 for English Lit, 9.5% for Bio). But on the flip side, a relatively easy exam, AP Environmental Science, has a low 5 rate of 11.8%.
Is AP Calculus BC hard?
Finally, AP Calculus BC is the toughest AP math exam, if not one of the hardest AP exams period. AP Calculus AB is also challenging, but covers less material and moves more slowly. AP Calculus BC often covers everything taught in Calculus AB in just the first semester of school —revealing one reason why it's so hard: intense pacing.
Do you have to take calculus before taking physics C?
Because of this, you should definitely have a physics prerequisite under your belt before taking Physics C, and you should have either already taken calculus or be taking it at the same time. You can read about Physics C at the course home pages for Electricity and Magnetism and Mechanics.
Is physics C hard?
Physics C is especially tough because not only are you learning physics material, which can be hard, you also need to know calculus alongside it. While AP Physics 1 and 2 are algebra-based, both Physics C courses (Electricity & Magnetism and Mechanics) are calculus-based, meaning students need to know calculus well enough to apply it in physics. Some consider it "two classes in one" due to the necessary calculus knowledge.

Exam Structure
- Unlike many other AP® exams, the structure of the AP® US Government and Politics exam is not that complicated. There are only two major sections: Section I —Multiple Choice— 55 questions; 45 minutes 1. Demonstrate understanding of major course concepts, policies, and institutions. 2…
Content
- Politics is messy. If you haven’t already heard this kind of a statement, you will by time you finish up with just about any AP® Gov study guide. Our point is that the US government is a complicated thing, full of contradictions, frustrations, successes, and failures. All of this leaves a little bit of a mess when it comes to content. Unlike AP® European History, for example, there is no real start …
Skills Required
- According to the AP® US Government and Politics Course Overview, all you need to take this class is to be “able to read a college level textbook and write grammatically correct, complete sentences.” As far as requirements go, that isn’t too bad. But in order to successfully pass the AP® Gov course and ace the exam, you will have to have a solid grasp on a few skillsets. The Co…
Is AP® Us Gov Worth It?
- Taking the AP® US Government and Politics course and exam is totally worth it. AP® Gov actually offers you some unique benefits that other AP® exams cannot. Students will develop key skills and experiences that will become hugely beneficial during their college years. First, AP® Gov encourages students to work on their essay-writing and critical-thinking skills. In order to succes…
Next Steps
- Once you’ve decided that you want to take the exam, the best thing to do is ask your school about taking the AP® US Gov course. Make sure that you’ve met all of the requirements that your school has set into place. Every school’s requirements are different so don’t assume that you automatically qualify to take the course. It’s also important to remember that every AP® US Gov…