With AP season just around the corner, it is inevitable for students to stress about upcoming exams and last minute studying, but what if I told you that AP exams are becoming easier to pass? Over the past several years, the rigor of AP exams has become the subject of recent debate. While the organization that administers AP tests, the College Board, maintains that standards remain consistent and constant, speculation suggests that AP exams may be getting easier (specifically in terms of scoring and pass rates). By examining trends in the score distributions and the policy changes, it can be seen that AP exams are becoming more accessible for the average student. 

Several major history and social science exams have seen dramatic increases in pass rates (scores of 3+) in the past few years. The AP exams that have been affected by this are AP US History, AP European History, AP Government and Politics, and AP Human Geography. The most prominent change occurred in the grading of AP US History, where the pass rate soared from 48% to 72% in 2024. This change was largely due to less strict scoring on the DBQs, LEQs, and SAQs.

Other subjects, such as math and English, have also been affected! Some of the AP exams that have been re-calibrated include AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Pre-calculus, AP English Literature, and AP English Language.

But what might be a reason for AP exams getting easier? Since the 1990s, school systems have grown accustomed to low achievement and poor performance, so some have speculated that schools would start to justify failing performances. One of the strongest pieces of evidence comes from changes in the scoring practices. The College Board has transitioned to an Evidence-Based Standard Setting model, which shifts from small expert panels to analyzing vast data sets from AP classrooms. This new approach attempts to make the scoring align with college grading patterns, which resulted in higher pass rates: more 3’s, 4’s, or 5’s in many subjects. 

Some critics have also pointed out that the exams have flat out been simplified. Some reports claim that the College Board has heightened passing thresholds and made questions easier on specific exams. For example, reporters state that the multiple choice questions on the AP Language and Composition exam have been getting easier and less rigorous. These changes have sometimes been noted as necessary in order to be more inclusive, but they also address concerns of declining academic performance throughout America.

Additionally, a larger and more diverse group of students have been taking AP courses in more recent years. While the expansion is often viewed as a positive step toward being fair in education, it may also contribute to pressure on the College Board to maintain higher pass rates. If more students take AP courses, the College Board is incentivized to ensure that a larger percentage of students succeed. 

But it’s important to also acknowledge College Board’s statements. The College Board insists that AP exams are not becoming easier, emphasizing that statistical adjustments ensure consistent difficulty over the years. Some experts argue that AP courses have shifted toward critical thinking and real world applications, which may make them feel different to the exam taker but not necessarily easier than in the past. 

So if you’re stressing about the scoring of your exams, just remember that the scoring this year may not be as strict as in the past! I hope that this article helps you feel more at ease about your exams. You’ll do great!

References:

AP Score Scale Table – AP Students | College Board. (n.d.). Apstudents.collegeboard.org. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores/ap-score-scale-table

2025 AP Exams: Scoring, Standards, and Security in a New Digital Era – All Access | College Board. (2025). Collegeboard.org. https://allaccess.collegeboard.org/2025-ap-exams-scoring-standards-and-security-new-digital-era

Finn, C. E. (2024, July 19). Are AP Exams Getting Easier? Education Next. https://www.educationnext.org/are-ap-exams-getting-easier/

College Board. (2022). AP Score Distributions – AP Students | College Board. Apstudents.collegeboard.org. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores/score-distributions