AP Scholar with Distinction Question

To be an AP scholar with distinction, do I have to take 5 full length APs with an average of 3.5 on scores, or just 5 ap exams in general? I ask bc I am taking 4 ap tests this year, one of them is ap gov, and last year I took apush.

From the AP section of the college board website: the ap scholar with distinction is…
“Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, AND scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.”

(Also from experience, I got the award last year after taking 6 total exams in HS and getting 3s 4s and 5s but a 1 on a math AP)

@igotsunshine111 so it isnt 5 full year length exams? by the end of this year, i will have ap english lang, apes, apush, ap gov, ap human under my belt. That techniclly counts as 4 and a half ap classes, but 5 exams total. If I average a 3.5 on all these exams, will I earn ap scholar with distinction?

@igotsunshine111 also I wanted to ask, I am cramming for apes, ap gov and human right now, I want to know if knowing the vocabulary and skimming through barrons review books are enough to land me at least a 4 on these exams?

@dalyakanani123 yeah the number of AP classes or the class length is not at all related to the exams and awards (I only took like 3 actual AP classes) so you’re fine on that front. To the best of my knowledge, if you get a 4 or better on the exams you take this year, you should qualify for APwD.
With regards to studying, Barron’s books were always my first choice go-to for studying, and I found them helpful for both tests that I had and hadn’t taken the classes for (as a condensed presentation of info). I’ve only taken us gov of the ones you mentioned, and I do remember that the book from Barron’s was very useful there, especially as that specific test was pretty fact-based/vocab heavy.

@igotsunshine111 do you have any advise on studying for ap gov, to get at least a 4 or 5? Should i focus alot on vocabulary?