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Is AP Calc BC Easy?

Author

Emily Ross

Published Jan 09, 2026

We surveyed 41 students about the difficulty of AP Calculus.

Of those who considered themselves a "math person," AP Calculus AB was not very difficult (average score: 2.04), and AP Calculus BC was slightly difficult (average score: 2.64).

Is AP Calc BC exam easy?

Taking the AP Calc BC exam can feel like a lot of pressure: you want to earn college credit for your AP class, but the test is pretty tough! But there are a few things you can do to make the AP Calculus BC exam a little easier, like understanding the exam's format, the topics it covers, and how it's scored.

Is AP Calc BC or stats harder?

The content covered in AP Statistics is generally considered easier and more manageable than that of the two AP Calculus exams. Many students have learned some statistical concepts in previous math classes, and they often find the concepts easier to understand than other math subjects such as calculus or geometry.

What is the easiest AP class?

Top 10 Easiest AP Classes by Exam Pass Rate

  • Spanish Literature. 75.1% 17.6%
  • Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. 74.4% 40.4%
  • Physics 2. 73.3% 14.0%
  • Computer Science Principles. 71.6% 10.9%
  • Psychology. 71.3% 22.4%
  • Computer Science A. 70.4% 25.6%
  • Comparative Government and Politics. 70.2% 24.4%
  • Music Theory.

Is AB or BC Calculus harder?

Of those who considered themselves a "math person," AP Calculus AB was not very difficult (average score: 2.04), and AP Calculus BC was slightly difficult (average score: 2.64). Of those who considered themselves somewhat of a "math person," AP Calculus AB was moderately difficult (average score: 3.42).

27 related questions found

Is it better to take Calculus AB or BC?

While different colleges have their own requirements, the general rule of thumb is that the AB exam counts as one semester of college calculus, and the BC exam qualifies as two semesters. Students who anticipate having to take two or more core math classes may be better off in the BC class.

What AP test has the lowest pass rate?

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. Physics 1 has the lowest pass rate of any AP exam (42.1%) along with one of the lowest percentages of students scoring a 5 (just 6.9%).

Is AP Calculus hard?

The AP Calculus AB exam is historically one of the hardest AP exams to pass. Its passing rate may look high at 58%, but that's because it's one of the less popular AP exams with a smaller self-selected group of students taking the exam. It begs the question of whether or not it's even worth taking AP Calc.

Is AP Psychology easy?

Compared to other AP® exams, AP® Psychology is considered one of the easier exams to pass in the AP® catalog for the reasons described below. In 2021, the AP® Psychology exam had a passing rate of 53.3% with a mean score of 2.71.

Is 2 AP classes enough junior year?

AP classes, while if you're aiming for less-selective schools, 2 or 3 would be enough. (This truly is the most important year to take the most rigorous classes that you can AND do well in them!!)

Is a 4 on AP Calc BC good?

The AP Calculus AB and BC exams, like all AP exams, are scored on a range from 1 to 5. These scores in turn tell colleges and universities how well you know the material. The better the score, the more likely that you can earn college credits or advanced placement. Basically, you should aim for a score of 4 or 5.

Is a 4 on AP Calculus good?

A score of 3 or higher is generally considered good, because that means you passed the exam! A 4 is considered very good, and a 5 is especially impressive since it is the highest score. Also keep in mind that every college sets its own policy about AP credit.

Can I skip AP Calc AB?

When it comes to the AP Calculus classes, you have three options: you can take AB and BC Calculus as a sequence, take AB Calculus only, or skip AB Calculus and go straight to BC Calculus. The reason you can take one or the other is because AB and BC aren't totally different classes.

Is AP Chemistry hard?

AP Chemistry consistently ranks as one of the hardest AP classes. In May 2020, less than 60% of students passed the AP Chemistry exam. But even in the face of serious academic rigor, more than 145,000 students enroll in AP Chemistry each year.

Is it possible to get a 0 on an AP test?

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. You should expect to receive exam results online in July.

Are AP tests curved?

No AP exams are scored on a curve, ever. On published exams, cut off scores for each grade varied from year to year based on question difficulty.

Is 3 a good AP score?

An AP® score of 3 is a respectable score. The College Board designates a 3 to be “qualified”. That means that you understood and executed the material to the point that you could pass the college class. While you did not receive the highest grade in the class, you did pass.

Is a 5 in AP Calc good?

What is a good AP® Calculus AB score? Receiving a 3, 4, or 5 is generally accepted as scoring well on an AP® exam. According to the College Board a 3 is 'qualified,' a 4 'well qualified,' and a 5 'extremely well qualified.

What is a 5 on the AP chem test?

Scores of 3, 4, or 5 are considered “passing” scores on the AP® Chemistry Exam. The College Board describes a 3 as 'qualified,' 4 as 'well qualified,' and a 5 as 'extremely well qualified.'

How do you get 5 on AP Calc BC?

To achieve a 5 on the AP® Calculus BC exam, you will need a combination of tenacity, commitment to learning the material, and a dedicated study plan.

What's the hardest AP class?

Top 10 Hardest AP Classes by Exam Pass Rate

  • Chemistry. 56.1% 10.6%
  • U.S. Government and Politics. 57.5% 15.5%
  • U.S. History. 58.7% 13.0%
  • Human Geography. 59.0% 11.8%
  • European History. 59.3% 13.7%
  • Statistics. 60.0% 16.2%
  • English Literature. 60.1% 9.3%
  • World History.

Are 5 AP classes too much?

You can definitely take 5 APs, but just make sure to stay on top of your work and spend a good amount of time studying to make sure you know the material.