@AP_Trevor Hi Mr. Packer - Will we also be shared the information of the number of people to earned perfect scores before the scores are released? I remember that you shared that information with us last year along with the distributions, and was wondering if you’d do the same this year!
The 2025 AP Chemistry Exam scores:
5: 17%; 4: 29%; 3: 32%; 2: 16%; 1: 6%
As a reminder, these data only include the results of the AP Chemistry exam taken on the standard testing date, Tuesday, May 6.
Multiple-Choice Questions
This year, the mean number of correct MCQs was 36.99, compared to 35.00 last year, and 33.65 in 2023. On the make-up date this year, for which I have the multiple-choice data (but not yet the free-response data), the mean number of correct MCQs was 35.82. Equating data, which looks at each group’s performance on re-used MCQs, also confirms that this year’s group, on average, was stronger than prior years’ groups, demonstrating stronger chemistry content knowledge and skills, so scores increased.
Setting aside Atomic Structure and Properties (Unit 1), which a massive 34% of AP Chemistry students aced by answering every such question right, students demonstrated strongest mastery of Thermochemistry (Unit 6); 18% earned every point possible for that unit.
By far the most challenging unit for AP Chemistry students was Acids and Bases (Unit 8); 7% of students earned every point possible for this unit, and 6% of students, generally those who are receiving 1s, were unable to answer any question about this unit correctly. So this is a good unit for further focus as next year’s AP Chemistry students and teachers seek to extend AP Chem’s super impressive, multi-year trend of stronger content and skill mastery.
Another rave for the AP Chemistry community: they have pulled off this year’s significant increase in student performance while also expanding this very challenging course to 18,000 more students, overtaking AP Economics to be the subject that has provided the most additional students with access to the learning environments of their classrooms. I hear and share concerns of school administrators rushing AP Chemistry teachers by cutting labs or not providing adequate instructional time, so there are certainly exceptions to the positive trend in performance over time, but it’s good to see that in aggregate, performance is improving alongside increased opportunities.
Free-Response Questions
https://t.co/9bSFBxvgCB
Question 7, the Glycolate question, is psychometrically pristine, the most statistically “perfect” question I’ve yet seen on this year’s exams, which means that each of the 4 points is significantly different in difficulty from every other point, so that the measurement value of the question is high, working well to differentiate between students who should receive 5s, 4s, and 3s. Students who can answer every part of this question are typically receiving an AP 5 for their overall work on the exam; students who can answer all but one part of the question are generally receiving an AP 4; and students who can answer 1-2 parts of the question are generally receiving AP 3s. Students unable to answer any part of this question correctly are typically receiving AP 1s and 2s.
The highest performance on this year’s free-response questions was on Q4, the Methanol and Formaldehyde question. 22% of students earned all 4 points on it.
The most challenging of all this year’s AP Chemistry free-response questions was Q6, the Zn and AI Galvanic Cell question, which identified the most advanced students in the course, generally helping to identify which would receive AP 4s and which would receive AP 5s. 5% of students earned all 4 points on it.
All subjects’ AP score distributions for 2025 will be posted here when available: https://t.co/72wX2xn52R
The 2025 AP Computer Science A (Java) Exam scores:
5: 25%; 4: 22%; 3: 20%; 2: 10%; 1: 23%.
AP Computer Science A MCQs: strong performance on primitive types, Boolean expressions, and if statements (units 1 & 3); 44% of students earned 7-8 of these 8 points.
The most challenging MCQs for AP Computer Science A students were questions on Arrays, ArrayLists, and 2D Arrays (units 6-8); 17% of students earned 11-12 of these 12 points.
AP Computer Science A FRQs: Superb work on #2 (class); 31% of students earned 8-9 of the 9 possible points. https://t.co/TitkPUDOwH
The most challenging AP Computer Science A FRQ was #4, the 2D array number puzzle; 19% of students earned 8-9 of the 9 points possible.
All subjects’ AP score distributions for 2025 will be posted here when available: https://t.co/20hYbyxwJh
The 2025 AP Chinese Language and Culture Exam scores:
5: 51%; 4: 19%; 3: 18%; 2: 5%; 1: 7%
(Total group scores, including heritage speakers)
~72% of students who took this year’s AP Chinese Exam were heritage speakers of the language.
AP Chinese MCQs: students generally scored higher on questions requiring reading Chinese than listening, and found questions about beauty/art less challenging than questions about science/technology.
AP Chinese FRQs: students generally scored highest on their email responses; 54% of students earned all 6/6 points possible. https://t.co/E5arFuGg0l
The most challenging AP Chinese FRQ for heritage speakers was the presentation about a cultural activity; the most challenging task for non-heritage speakers was the conversation about cell phone use.
All subjects’ AP score distributions for 2025 will be posted here when available: https://t.co/ASFLpxiPGB
The 2025 AP Japanese Language and Culture Exam scores:
5: 40%; 4: 12%; 3: 21%; 2: 8%; 1: 19%
(Total group scores, including heritage speakers)
~52% of students who took this year’s AP Japanese Exam were heritage speakers of the language.
Overall, a smaller percentage of students demonstrated the higher levels of proficiency in Japanese this year, so the percentage of 5s declined (from 47% last year).
AP Japanese MCQs: students generally scored higher on questions requiring reading Japanese than listening, and found questions about science/tech less challenging than questions about beauty/art.
AP Japanese FRQs: The most challenging task on this year’s exam was the text chat about famous Japanese places. https://t.co/XUKb1dqaAr
AP Japanese students generally scored highest on their presentations about the role of sports / recreational activities in Japan; 44% of students earned 5-6 of 6 points possible.
All subjects’ AP score distributions for 2025 will be posted here when available: https://t.co/c2buED4jDN