Is it really that hard to pass an AP test?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>I've been looking at statistics for AP tests, and usually there's around a 50% pass rate..and around 10-20% or so get 5's.
Is it really that difficult to earn a 5? I'm kind of frightened that I won't be able to earn 5's or 4's on any of my tests.
I've been trying to study really hard for all of my classes, but I don't know if any of my preparation is nearly enough.<br>
Is there a way to guarantee a 5 on exams? Can I just study really hard and gain complete mastery of all of the concepts? Or is there too much luck involved?</p>

2

<p>“Can I just study really hard and gain complete mastery of all of the concepts?”</p>

<p>All of them? Probably not.
Enough to get a 5? Yes.</p>

<p>And a lot of colleges accept a 3 anyway. It doesn’t look as thrilling but it’s not failing.</p>

3

<p>It’s not really that hard. Just remember that many schools encourage their whole student body, including the lower ones, to take AP test in order to boost their rankings. The kids that do not study tend to fail anyway, bringing down the AP pass rate.</p>

4

<p>It’s actually not hard to get a 4 or 5. These scores usually correlate to ~60% right raw score on each exam. If you think about it like that, it’s not as big a challenge.</p>

5

<p>Well, I would say it’s pretty hard, but if you study enough, you can get a 5. I took my first AP class last year and took my first AP test. Because I got an A in the class, I thought I would easily pass the AP test. I studied for the AP test for maybe two hours and ended up getting a 2.</p>

6

<p>Well, I’ve been reading a lot of review books. Mostly 5 Steps and Barron’s.
I’ve also been practicing a lot of DBQ’s and FRQ’s on the weekends, around 2-3 per class, and I’ve been doing a lot of practice tests. I hope that’s enough.</p>

<p>I’m thinking about self-studying some AP tests too by using the same methods that I’ve been doing for my regular AP classes. I’m not sure if that’s enough, though…</p>

7

<p>@ShadowMist:</p>

<p>This is why you should not allow your in-class grade to determine your study habits. Some teachers tend to inflate their students’ grades and make them seem more prepared for the exam. The best method to check your preparedness would be to use practice tests.</p>