AP® CSP Score Calculator 2027 (AP® Computer Science Principles)
Guesstimate what score you'll get on each section of the exam and Pep will predict your AP score 🪄
Official structure reflects current College Board course and exam materials. Fiveable estimates the 1-5 score cutoffs.
Section I: Multiple Choice
MCQs – Single-Select
possible score: 5728
MCQs – Single-Select with Reading Passage
possible score: 52
MCQs – Multi-Select with Two Answers
possible score: 84
Section II: Free Response
Video, Program Requirements, and Written Response 1
possible score: 3Video demonstrates input, functionality, and output (1)
1
Code includes a list, a use of the list, a student-developed procedure, a call to it, selection, and iteration (1)
1
Written response identifies an example output and explains how it shows program functionality (1)
0
Written Response 2
possible score: 32a Algorithm Development: identify the Boolean expression in the first selection statement, a value that makes it true, and why (1)
1
2b Errors and Testing: describe a modification that introduces a logic error and how the procedure's behavior changes (1)
1
2c Data and Procedural Abstraction: explain how the code using the list would change if elements were added, or why it would not (1)
0
Multiple Choice
Free Response
Composite
3
4
53
65
YOU · 54
30% of students achieved this score last year.
You're doing great! Let's boost your confidence even more
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this Fiveable AP Computer Science Principles Score calculator work?
Adjust the sliders to guesstimate which rubric points you think you'll get. The calculator will apply the accurate score weights + give you an estimated final score! (Pep's final form will change depending on your score 🌶️)
Exam sections and scoring
- Every AP subject has standardized sections on the exam. They usually include multiple choice and free response questions.
- Each section is worth some number of points based on 1) the number of questions and 2) sometimes a scoring rubric. Each section also has a different weight on your final score.
Are the Fiveable AP Score Calculators accurate?
Official structure reflects current College Board course and exam materials. Fiveable estimates the 1-5 score cutoffs.
(If you notice any errors, please email us at help@fiveable.me so we can fix it!)
The final predicted scores of 1-5 are Fiveable estimates, not official College Board cutoffs. Exact AP® cut points are not published for every subject and year.
We use released exams and historical scoring information to estimate which raw-score ranges may correspond to each AP score. Treat the prediction as a planning benchmark, not a guarantee.
How are the AP Computer Science Principles exams scored?
- Multiple-choice responses are machine scored when the subject includes them.
- Free-response work is scored by trained AP Readers using the current subject rubric. Scoring procedures vary by subject and task.
- The official weighted section scores are combined, then College Board converts the result to the 1-5 AP scale.
What is a good score on the AP Computer Science Principles exam?
It's all relative (really). We tend to think your score matters far less in the long run, so there really isn't such thing as a "bad score". Taking the test and going through the process is correlated with going to and doing better in college.
Technically, a "3" is considered passing because it's the lowest score that can earn college credit. Some colleges require 4s or 5s. And some (elite) colleges don't give credit at all.
You can search all colleges for their AP Credit policy here: (https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-credit-placement/search-policies)
What were last year's AP Computer Science Principles scores?
College Board publishes the distribution of scores for every subject so you can see what % earned each score on the 5-point scale: (https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores/score-distributions)
We listed these on the calculator as well :)
How can I improve my AP Computer Science Principles scores?
This calculator is useful because it's a baseline. Once you know your strengths and weaknesses, you can make a plan to improve!
In the weeks leading up to the exam, you should do a few things:
- Take the time to review all the content. Don't reread the textbook or anything, but remind yourself of all the key topics.
- Go through the study guides and find areas where you remember less content: (https://fiveable.me/)
- Start practicing questions on topics that you know the least. You can do easy, medium, hard, or extremely hard questions to test yourself: (https://fiveable.me/guided-practice)
When do AP Computer Science Principles scores come out?
The scores are usually released the week after the 4th of July. You can get them by signing into your College Board account. Instructions are here: (https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/view-scores)
How is the AP® CSP score calculated?
Your AP® Computer Science Principles score combines two parts. Section I is 70 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, worth 70%. Section II is worth 30% and is scored out of 6 points: 2 points come from the Create performance task you submit before exam day (your video and your program requirements), and 4 points come from the two written response questions you answer in the last 60 minutes of the exam. Enter your expected points for both sections in the calculator to see your predicted score.
Does the Create Performance Task count toward my AP® CSP score?
Yes. The Create performance task and the written responses about it together make up 30% of your AP® CSP score. You get at least 9 hours of class time to build the program, record the video, and write your Personalized Project Reference, and you submit all three through the AP Digital Portfolio before exam day. Two of the six Section II points are scored from that submission. The other four come from the Written Response 1 and Written Response 2 questions you answer on exam day, with your Personalized Project Reference in front of you.
Is AP® CSP the same as AP® Computer Science Principles?
Yes. AP® CSP (sometimes written APCSP) is the abbreviation for AP® Computer Science Principles. If you are looking for the Java-based course, use the AP® CSA score calculator instead.