How accurate is this AP Physics 1 estimate?

The composite follows the official 50/50 weighting exactly. The 1 to 5 mapping is an estimate because the College Board sets and doesn't publish yearly cutoffs.

AP Physics 1 Score Calculator

Enter your multiple-choice count and free-response points to estimate your AP Physics 1 composite score and predicted 1–5, using the updated 2025 exam format.

Multiple choice correct (out of 40)

Free-response points (out of 40)

Starting with the 2025 exam, AP Physics 1 has 40 single-select multiple-choice questions and four free-response questions, with each section worth half of your score. The multiple-choice section is worth 40 points and the four free-response questions total 40 points, so your composite is simply the two added together on an 80-point scale. This calculator adds them and maps the total to an estimated 1–5.

How AP Physics 1 is scored (2025 format)

Each correct multiple-choice answer is worth one point out of 40. The four free-response questions carry different maximums — 10, 12, 10 and 8 points — for 40 points in total. Because the sections are equally weighted and both out of 40, no scaling multiplier is needed.

MC points = correct answers (max 40)
FRQ points = free-response raw points (max 40)
Composite = MC + FRQ (out of 80)

Section	Raw	Weight
Multiple choice	40 questions	50%
Free response	4 questions (10 + 12 + 10 + 8 = 40)	50%

Composite score to AP score (estimated)

The College Board doesn't publish official cut scores, and they move each year. These commonly cited estimates are what this calculator uses.

AP Score	Composite (out of 80)	Approx.
5	55 – 80	~69%+
4	43 – 54	~53%+
3	31 – 42	~39%+
2	21 – 30	~26%+
1	0 – 20	below

Worked example

28 of 40 multiple choice and 26 of 40 free-response points:

MC = 28	28
FRQ = 26	26
Composite = 28 + 26	54 → score of 4

What changed in 2025

The exam moved to 40 single-select questions in 80 minutes, dropping the old 50-question set and removing the multi-select items entirely. The free-response section is now four questions in 1 hour 40 minutes, using the standardized AP Physics question types: mathematical routines, translation between representations, experimental design and analysis, and a qualitative-quantitative translation. Multiple choice and free response are weighted equally.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need for a 5 in AP Physics 1?

Roughly 55 of 80 composite on these estimates — about 69%. You can lose around a quarter of the points and still reach a 5, though the exact line shifts each year.

Is there a guessing penalty?

No. Wrong answers aren't penalized, so answer every multiple-choice question even if you have to guess.

How many questions are on the 2025 exam?

40 multiple-choice questions and 4 free-response questions, each section worth 50% of your score.

How accurate is this estimate?

The composite follows the official 50/50 weighting exactly. The 1–5 mapping is an estimate, because the College Board sets and doesn't publish yearly cutoffs.

Related calculators

Unofficial estimate for study planning. Composite uses official section weights; the 1–5 cutoffs are estimated and not published by the College Board. AP is a trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with and does not endorse this tool.

Written by the CalcPine team · Reviewed for accuracy · Last updated 12 July 2026 · Method: MC + FRQ on an 80-point composite (50/50); estimated cutoffs.