AP World History Score Calculator
Enter your MCQ, SAQ, DBQ and LEQ points
Frequently Asked Questions
55 multiple-choice questions make up 40% of the composite (52 points). The essay section is 60% (78 points), but the three parts aren't weighted equally: the 3 Short-Answer Questions (3 points each) share 20% of the composite (26 points, about 8.7 each), the Document-Based Question (DBQ, 7 raw) is worth 25% (32.5 points), and the Long Essay Question (LEQ, 6 raw) is worth 15% (19.5 points). Composite total: 130.
Roughly 102 or more out of 130 composite points (about 78%) typically earns a 5. A 4 usually starts around 86, and a 3 around 68.
They share a very similar format (MCQ, SAQ, DBQ, LEQ), but AP World covers a much broader span of global history. Pass rates and 5-rates are roughly comparable between the two exams.
No. College Board does not publish exact current-year cutoffs before scores are released. This calculator uses recent historical data for an estimate.
AP World History composite score formula
| Section | Raw points | Composite weight |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice (55 questions) | 55 | 52 points (40%) |
| 3 Short-Answer Questions (SAQ) | 9 (3 each) | 26 points (20%, ~8.7 each) |
| Document-Based Question (DBQ) | 7 | 32.5 points (25%) |
| Long Essay Question (LEQ) | 6 | 19.5 points (15%) |
| Total composite | — | 130 points |
Approximate AP score cutoffs (recent years)
| AP Score | Composite (out of 130) |
|---|---|
| 5 | 102+ |
| 4 | 86–101 |
| 3 | 68–85 |
| 2 | 50–67 |
| 1 | below 50 |
Example: 38 MCQ correct (out of 55), 2+2+2 points across the 3 SAQs (6 of 9), 5 DBQ points (out of 7) and 4 LEQ points (out of 6). Since each part is weighted separately: SAQ = (6/9)×26 = 17.3, DBQ = (5/7)×32.5 = 23.2, LEQ = (4/6)×19.5 = 13. Composite = (38/55)×52 + 17.3 + 23.2 + 13 = 35.9 + 53.5 = 89.4 — in the 4 range.