Challenging. Difficult. Hard. You know what those words have in common? They’re all subjective. So, when you ask, “What are the hardest AP classes?” we have to be honest and give you what might seem like a boring answer: it depends. What’s challenging for you might be a piece of cake for your classmate.
So, here’s a better question: “How do I choose or avoid (depending on my goals) the AP classes that will be the most difficult for me?” And although we can’t give you the answer (only you can do that!), we can help point you in the right direction by sharing information on:
The 2022 AP exam pass rates
Student reviews of the hardest AP classes and exams
What to consider when evaluating the difficulty of an AP class
Answers to common questions about how to choose the best AP classes for you
And those are exactly the topics we’ll cover in this blog post. So, let’s jump right in!
Hardest AP exams by pass rate
Heads up: AP exam pass rates aren’t a conclusive way to determine the difficulty of an AP class. But exam scores can give you an idea of which AP classes might have challenging material to master. So, we’ll start there.
According to data from the College Board (the organization behind AP curriculums and exams), the following exams had below a 60% pass rate (meaning below a score of 3):
AP Calculus AB
AP Chemistry
AP Economics—Macro
AP Economics—Micro
AP English Language
AP Environmental Science
AP European History
AP Government & Politics United States
AP Human Geography
AP Latin
AP Physics 1
AP Psychology
AP United States History
Is an exam pass rate a direct reflection of the difficulty of an AP class? Not necessarily. If you take a look at our post on the easiest AP classes, you’ll see students frequently say that AP Environmental Science is ‘easy’ despite the exam pass rate for this class being one of the lowest.
What causes this discrepancy? We’ll answer that question in a minute.
But first, we’ll indulge your curiosity for data. Here’s a full list of all the 2o22 AP exam pass rate percentages and median scores.
Student Score Distributions for May 2022 AP Exams
| AP Subject | Pass Rate (Exam Score of 3+) |
Median Score |
|---|---|---|
| AP Art & Design: Drawing | 88.3% | 3.54 |
| AP Art & Design: 2-D | 86.6% | 3.43 |
| AP Art & Design: 3-D | 73.6% | 3.12 |
| AP Art History | 61.5% | 2.99 |
| AP Biology | 67.9% | 3.11 |
| AP Calculus AB | 55.7% | 2.91 |
| AP Calculus BC | 76.9% | 3.68 |
| AP Chemistry | 54% | 2.73 |
| AP Chinese Language | 86.9% | 3.97 |
| AP Computer Science A | 67.5% | 3.2 |
| AP Computer Science Principles | 63.5% | 2.91 |
| AP Economics - Macro | 51.8% | 2.71 |
| AP Economics - Micro | 59% | 2.93 |
| AP English Language | 55.7% | 2.83 |
| AP English Literature | 77.9% | 3.31 |
| AP Environmental Science | 53.8% | 2.79 |
| AP European History | 58.9% | 2.95 |
| AP French Language | 71.6% | 3.16 |
| AP German Language | 65.5% | 3.13 |
| AP Government & Politics Comparative | 70.5% | 3.14 |
| AP Government & Politics United States | 48.6% | 2.58 |
| AP Human Geography | 53.2% | 2.7 |
| AP Italian Language | 70.5% | 3.26 |
| AP Japanese Language | 75.5% | 3.65 |
| AP Latin | 57% | 2.77 |
| AP Music Theory | 61.9% | 3.03 |
| AP Physics 1 | 43.3% | 2.47 |
| AP Physics 2 | 69.7% | 3.14 |
| AP Physics C E&M | 69.4% | 3.44 |
| AP Physics C Mechanics | 73.4% | 3.41 |
| AP Psychology | 58.3% | 2.71 |
| AP Research | 82.7% | 3.3 |
| AP Seminar | 82.6% | 3.19 |
| AP Spanish Language | 81.7% | 3.54 |
| AP Spanish Literature | 64.2% | 2.91 |
| AP Statistics | 60.5% | 2.89 |
| AP United States History | 48.2% | 2.57 |
| AP World History | 62.1% | 2.96 |
Hardest AP exams by student reviews
Since exam pass rates are just one (incomplete) factor to consider, your next move might be to read online student reviews to get unfiltered feedback before picking your AP class list.
Is this your best option? No, probably not. But it can help. For example, we looked at r/APStudents on Reddit and found that students generally considered the following AP classes to be among the hardest:
AP Biology
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
AP English Literature
AP Latin
AP Physics 1
AP Physics C E&M
AP Physics C Mechanics
AP US History
Notice there is some overlap between this list and the one based on exam pass rates. But do you know why the lists are not exactly the same? Because, again, the “hardest AP class” is subjective.
The answer will always depend on things like the student’s teacher, interest in the subject, and background knowledge before taking the course. Look at these example reviews from Reddit, and you’ll see what we mean:
How to determine which AP classes will be “hard” for you
What may be challenging for one person may be easy for another. However, some key considerations include the following:
How much you already know about the subject
Whether it's AP Art History or AP Statistics, if you've never studied the material before, then it's likely to be a challenge. Now, this doesn't mean you can't excel in the class—it simply means that you will have to put in extra time and effort. But if you have prior exposure to the material, you already have an advantage.
For example, few students will mention AP Japanese Language as one of the hardest AP classes. And you might even think the class is easy since the exam pass rate is 75.5%. But if you have never studied Japanese, you'll probably find it at least a tad more challenging than, say, AP English Literature.
It's also important to note that the exam pass rates and student reviews for AP language classes can be misleading. Why? Some students are native speakers of these languages. Similarly, some students have exposure to the language outside the classroom. That's why, if you remove those students from the data, the exam pass rate for AP Japanese Language drops from 75.5% to 53.5%. A similar drop occurs for nearly all the other AP language exams.
How interested you are in the subject
If you find a class boring, it's going to be much more challenging to stick with it and learn the material well than if you are genuinely interested in the subject. On the other hand, a tough yet interesting course could become the easiest AP class for you to give your best effort.
For example, if you're interested in the physical sciences, a class like AP Chemistry could be one of your favorite classes—even if your classmates think the course is brutal. Similarly, you might find a class like AP Government & Politics Comparative difficult because the material bores you to tears—even if your classmates think the course is easy.
How well your teacher covers the AP curriculum
A good teacher will have a deep understanding of the content and curriculum of the course and also effectively convey the material in a way that is engaging and understandable. This can significantly affect how well you understand the material and perform on the exam.
The opposite is also true. A bad teacher can make even the “easiest” AP class feel frustrating and overwhelming, especially if they lack effective teaching strategies to help you grasp and retain complex concepts.
How many AP classes should I take?
There is no definite answer for how many AP classes you should take. The decision should come down to your individual goals, strengths, and interests.(Side note: some schools are even dropping AP classes entirely, and others have restrictions on whether or how many AP classes students can take.) Still, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind.
Before deciding on any course load, you should ensure you fully understand the requirements and expectations of each AP class you’re considering. Will you have the time and energy to commit fully to multiple AP classes? If not, starting with one or two AP classes or exploring ways to improve your time management skills is best.
You’ll also want to consider the competitiveness of the colleges you’re applying to. AP classes can help demonstrate to admissions officers that you can handle a challenging college course load.
For some students, one or two AP classes may be sufficient to demonstrate their academic abilities and readiness for college-level coursework. However, other students may find they thrive with a rigorous class schedule and would benefit from taking more AP classes.
Which AP classes should I take?
Ultimately, it's important to be thoughtful and strategic when choosing AP classes. You should consider your interests and strengths, not just the potential benefits for your college applications.
For example, if you're interested in art, you might consider taking AP Art History or one of the AP Art & Design classes. Similarly, suppose you excel in math and science. In that case, you may benefit from taking AP Physics 1 or AP Calculus BC—even if students generally consider these classes to be two of the hardest AP classes.
You should also consider which classes will support your intended major on college applications. For example, if you plan on applying as a pre-med student, consider taking AP Biology or AP Chemistry classes. College admissions will view your participation in these classes as an indication of your academic interests and aptitude, which can help set you apart from other applicants.
Can I self-study for AP exams?
While it is possible to self-study for AP exams, this can be challenging. To successfully self-study for AP exams, you need to be highly motivated and disciplined to stay on track with the curriculum. You’ll also need to be able to juggle self-study with your other academic and extracurricular commitments.
How AP grades and test scores affect college admissions
Many colleges pay special attention to the difficulty of your high school course load. For example, if you look at the MIT admissions requirements, you'll see they regard the rigor of your high school coursework as "Very Important." Why is course rigor so important? Because it shows admissions you’re willing and capable of managing a demanding college class schedule.
So, if you’re considering applying to schools with highly competitive admissions like MIT, you should take at least a few AP classes. Of course, you can also demonstrate academic rigor through other means, such as taking college-level classes online or at a local community college. Still, the benefit of AP classes is that their rigor is highly regarded and respected by admissions officers across college campuses.
On the other hand, if you’re thinking of applying to colleges with less competitive admissions, AP classes might not be as important. However, the other benefit of taking AP classes is that you may be able to receive college credit if you receive a passing grade on the AP exam. Policies for assigning credit for AP exam scores vary from college to college. But, if you attend a college that gives credit for passing AP exams, you’ll begin college with a head start toward graduation.
Final thoughts
There’s no way of creating a universal list of the easiest or hardest AP classes. There are too many subjective factors to consider. Instead, use what you’ve learned here to pick the AP classes you’re most interested in that also support your college applications.
Also, remember that AP classes aren’t the only way to prepare for college applications! Make sure to also focus on things like writing exceptional application essays, picking the best teachers to write your recommendation letters, and excelling in your extracurricular activities.
If you need support with any of that, check out our College Application Hub! There, you’ll find free resources and guides that walk you through the entire college application process.
Special thanks to Ameer Drane for writing this blog post.
Ameer is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about college admissions and career development. Prior to freelancing, Ameer worked for three years as a college admissions consultant at a Hong Kong-based education center, helping local high school students prepare and apply for top colleges and universities in the US. He has a B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Chicago and an M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from UCLA. When he’s not working, Ameer loves traveling, weight lifting, writing, reading, and learning foreign languages. He currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
Top values: Growth / Diversity / Empathy
