How this calculator works
The AP Chemistry exam has two halves. Section I is 60 multiple-choice questions and section II is seven free-response questions: three long answers worth 10 points each and four short answers worth 4 points each, for 46 points. Each section contributes 50 percent of the composite, so the multiple-choice fraction and the free-response fraction are each multiplied by 50 and added. The composite out of 100 is compared with estimated cut points to predict the 1 to 5 score. The real boundaries are set after each exam and are not published in advance.
Formula
composite = (multiple-choice correct / 60) x 50 + (free-response points / 46) x 50. Estimated AP score uses cut points of 72 for a 5, 58 for a 4, 42 for a 3 and 27 for a 2; below 27 is a 1. These are practice-exam estimates.
Worked example
A student with 45 multiple-choice correct, long answers of 8, 7 and 6, and short answers of 4, 4, 3 and 3 has 21 + 14 = 35 free-response points out of 46. The composite is (45 / 60) x 50 + (35 / 46) x 50 = 37.5 + 38.04 = 75.54, an estimated 5. With 30 multiple-choice correct and 20 free-response points, the composite is 25 + 21.74 = 46.74, an estimated 3.
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Frequently asked questions
Are these official AP Chemistry cut scores?
No. College Board sets the boundaries for each administration and does not publish fixed raw-score cut points. The values here are the commonly used practice-exam estimates. A composite within a few points of a boundary could land on either side in a real year.
How many free-response points are there?
There are 46: three long questions at 10 points each and four short questions at 4 points each. The long questions carry 30 of the 46 points, so they matter more than the short ones, and each free-response point is worth 50 / 46 = 1.09 composite points.
Why is each section worth 50 percent?
The College Board weights both sections equally, even though the free-response section has far fewer points. One multiple-choice question is worth 50 / 60 = 0.83 composite points, while one free-response point is worth 1.09. That is why a few lost written points can outweigh several missed multiple-choice questions.
What composite do I need for a 4?
Under these estimates, about 58 out of 100 predicts a 4, and about 72 predicts a 5. With 45 multiple-choice correct, you would need about 20 free-response points for a 4 and about 33 for a 5. Because the cut point moves, aim above the estimate.