AP Computer Science A Score Calculator
Enter your multiple-choice and free-response points
Frequently Asked Questions
42 multiple-choice questions make up 55% of the composite score (55 points). 4 free-response questions, worth 9 points each (36 raw), make up the other 45% (45 points), for a composite total of 100.
Roughly 78 or more out of 100 composite points typically earns a 5. Recent data shows about 25% of students scoring a 5, with a mean score around 3.2 — one of the higher-performing AP exams overall.
Typically: a methods/control structures question, a class design question, an array/ArrayList question, and a 2D array question. Each is graded on a 9-point rubric for correct Java logic.
No. College Board does not publish exact current-year cutoffs before scores are released. This calculator uses recent historical data for an estimate.
AP Computer Science A composite score formula
| Section | Questions | Composite weight |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice | 42 questions | 55 points (55%) |
| Free response | 4 questions, 9 pts each, 36 raw | 45 points (45%) |
| Total composite | — | 100 points |
Approximate AP score cutoffs (recent years)
| AP Score | Composite (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| 5 | 78+ |
| 4 | 63–77 |
| 3 | 48–62 |
| 2 | 35–47 |
| 1 | below 35 |
Example: 35 MCQ correct (out of 42) and 26 FRQ points (out of 36) gives a composite of (35/42)×55 + (26/36)×45 = 45.8 + 32.5 = 78.3 — just over the 5 cutoff.