APUSH Score Calculator: Estimate Your AP US History Exam Score (2025)
Use this free APUSH Score Calculator to estimate your AP US History exam score (1–5) by entering your raw MCQ, SAQ, DBQ, and LEQ scores. Updated for 2025, it helps you predict your APUSH results instantly and accurately.
Share This Calculator
What Is the APUSH Score Calculator?
The APUSH Score Calculator is an online tool that helps students estimate their AP US History (APUSH) exam score out of 5. By entering your raw scores for Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ), Short Answer Questions (SAQ), the Document-Based Question (DBQ), and the Long Essay Question (LEQ), you can instantly see what your potential AP score might be.
This calculator simplifies the complex scoring process used by the College Board, giving students a quick and realistic idea of how they might perform before official results are released.
How to Use the APUSH Score Calculator (Step-by-Step Guide)
Using the APUSH Score Calculator is simple, accurate, and student-friendly. Follow these steps:
Enter your Multiple-Choice score
- Input the number of MCQs you answered correctly out of 55.
- Example: If you got 42 correct, enter "42".
Enter your Short Answer Question (SAQ) scores
- There are three SAQs, each scored out of 3 points.
- Add your total or input each separately (for example, 2 + 3 + 2 = 7 out of 9 total).
Enter your DBQ and LEQ scores
- The DBQ is scored out of 7 points, and the LEQ is scored out of 6 points.
- Enter your estimated or practice test raw scores.
View Results Instantly
- The calculator instantly applies the official weightings used by the College Board (MCQ 40%, SAQ 20%, DBQ 25%, LEQ 15%).
Review your estimated AP Score
- You'll see a predicted AP Score from 1–5, along with your composite percentage and performance breakdown for each section.
Tip: You can also use the calculator in "target mode", select your goal (like "I want a 5") to see how many more MCQs or essay points you'd need to reach it.
How the APUSH Score Is Calculated (Official Breakdown)
The APUSH exam is designed to measure a student's understanding of U.S. history themes, historical thinking skills, and ability to write analytically. Here's how each section contributes to your total score:
| Section | Description | Max Points | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCQ (Multiple-Choice) | 55 questions testing historical reasoning and analysis | 55 | 40% |
| SAQ (Short-Answer) | 3 short questions requiring concise historical responses | 9 (3×3) | 20% |
| DBQ (Document-Based Question) | One essay analyzing 7 historical documents | 7 | 25% |
| LEQ (Long Essay Question) | One essay evaluating historical argument | 6 | 15% |
Each raw section score is first converted to a percentage, multiplied by its weighting, and then combined into a composite percentage score (out of 100%). That composite score is then mapped to the official AP Score scale (1–5) as follows:
| Estimated Composite | Predicted AP Score |
|---|---|
| 80–100% | 5 – Excellent mastery |
| 65–79% | 4 – Very good |
| 50–64% | 3 – Qualified pass |
| 35–49% | 2 – Needs improvement |
| 0–34% | 1 – Insufficient |
Note: The College Board does not publish exact cut-offs. These are estimated thresholds based on previous exam data.
Example Scenarios – How the Calculator Works
Let's look at real examples to see how the APUSH Score Calculator predicts your result.
Example 1 – Student A (Strong performance)
- • MCQ: 48 / 55 → 87.3% × 0.40 = 34.9
- • SAQ: 8 / 9 → 88.9% × 0.20 = 17.8
- • DBQ: 6 / 7 → 85.7% × 0.25 = 21.4
- • LEQ: 5 / 6 → 83.3% × 0.15 = 12.5
Composite = 86.6% → Predicted AP Score
Example 2 – Student B (Moderate performance)
- • MCQ: 38 / 55 → 69% × 0.40 = 27.6
- • SAQ: 6 / 9 → 66.7% × 0.20 = 13.3
- • DBQ: 4 / 7 → 57% × 0.25 = 14.3
- • LEQ: 3 / 6 → 50% × 0.15 = 7.5
Composite = 62.7% → Predicted AP Score
Example 3 – Student C (Needs improvement)
- • MCQ: 28 / 55 → 51% × 0.40 = 20.4
- • SAQ: 4 / 9 → 44% × 0.20 = 8.8
- • DBQ: 2 / 7 → 28.6% × 0.25 = 7.1
- • LEQ: 2 / 6 → 33% × 0.15 = 5.0
Composite = 41.3% → Predicted AP Score
These examples show how your performance in each section impacts your final predicted score, essays and DBQ can boost your total even if MCQs are lower.
Understanding the AP US History Exam Structure
According to the College Board, the AP US History (APUSH) exam assesses both factual knowledge and analytical writing. It lasts 3 hours 15 minutes and includes:
Section I: Multiple-Choice & Short-Answer (60%)
- Part A: 55 MCQs (55 minutes)
- Part B: 3 SAQs (40 minutes)
Section II: Free-Response (40%)
- DBQ (1 hour)
- LEQ (40 minutes)
The free-response section measures your ability to analyze documents, craft coherent historical arguments, and demonstrate synthesis, skills that carry heavy weight in your total score.
Historical Score Data and Insights
Here's how students performed in recent APUSH exams according to College Board data:
| Year | % Scored 5 | % Scored 4 | % Scored 3 | % Scored 2 | % Scored 1 | Average Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10.6% | 18.4% | 24.7% | 26.8% | 19.5% | 3.02 |
| 2023 | 11.0% | 17.9% | 23.5% | 25.2% | 22.4% | 3.01 |
| 2022 | 10.8% | 17.5% | 22.9% | 25.4% | 23.4% | 2.96 |
These numbers reveal that roughly one in ten students earns a perfect score of 5. With the right preparation, and by analyzing your practice scores through this calculator, you can better understand your current standing and target improvements.
