AP Computer Science Principles Scoring GuidelinesHow AP CSP Is Scored: Multiple Choice and Create PT
Official year by year scoring guidelines, plus how the 70 question multiple choice section and the 6 point Create Performance Task combine at 70 and 30 percent and map to the 1 to 5 scale.
AP Computer Science Principles scoring guidelines archive
11 of 11 resources
2025
3 files2024
3 files2023
2 files2022
1 file- Open PDF
2022 AP Computer Science Principles Scoring Guidelines
Scoring Guidelines
2021
1 file- Open PDF
2021 AP Computer Science Principles Scoring Guidelines
Scoring Guidelines
2020 and earlier
1 file- Open PDF
2020 and earlier AP Computer Science Principles scoring materials (official archive)
Scoring Guidelines · official archive
1 to 5 (3 or higher qualifies for credit)
Score scale
Multiple choice 70 questions, 70% of composite
Section I weighting
6 point rubric, 30% of composite
Create PT weighting
No penalty for wrong answers on Section I
MC penalty
6 rows, each 0 or 1 point, scored by College Board readers
Create PT rubric
3.09, with approximately 65% scoring 3 or higher
2024 mean
How is the AP Computer Science Principles exam scored?
AP Computer Science Principles combines a 70 question multiple choice section worth 70 percent and a 6 point Create Performance Task worth 30 percent into one composite, which College Board converts to a 1 to 5 grade each year through a standard setting process.
AP CSP has a two component structure unlike most other AP exams. Section I consists of 70 multiple choice questions completed in 120 minutes on exam day; the raw count of correct answers is weighted to contribute 70 percent of the final composite. No points are deducted for wrong answers, so every question should be attempted. The Create Performance Task is completed during the school year (at least 12 hours of class time), submitted by April 30, and scored by College Board readers on a 6 point rubric; that score is weighted to contribute 30 percent of the composite. According to the AP Computer Science Principles Course and Exam Description published by College Board, this 70 to 30 split is the foundational structural rule for the exam. The two weighted components are summed into a single composite, and College Board sets the composite boundaries for each 1 to 5 grade annually through standard setting anchored to prior administrations. Because the boundaries shift each year, there is no permanent percentage cutoff.
How is the AP CSP composite score built from the two components?
Section I (70 multiple choice questions) contributes 70 percent and the Create Performance Task (6 rubric points) contributes 30 percent. College Board weights both components and converts their sum to the 1 to 5 scale through annual standard setting.
The structure below reflects the scoring model documented in the AP Computer Science Principles Course and Exam Description. The 70 to 30 split between the two components is stable and is the foundational planning assumption for every student preparing for the exam. The exact scaling weights are recalibrated each year through standard setting, but the relative contribution of each component does not change.
Section I: Multiple Choice (70 questions, 120 minutes)
All 70 questions are multiple choice, covering all 5 Big Ideas: Creative Development, Data, Algorithms and Programming, Computer Systems and Networks, and Impact of Computing. Questions include both single select and multi select formats. No programming language knowledge is required; questions that involve code use College Board's standardized pseudocode notation. No calculator is permitted. The raw score is the count of correct answers with no penalty for wrong answers. That raw count is weighted to contribute 70 percent of the composite.
Create Performance Task: the Personalized Project Reference
Students develop a program of their choosing using any approved programming language during the school year (at least 12 hours of class time required by College Board). Students then submit the Personalized Project Reference (PPR) by April 30, which consists of two written responses: one describing a data abstraction (a list used in the program) and one describing an algorithm with procedural abstraction (a student developed procedure containing sequencing, selection, and iteration). College Board readers score the PPR against a 6 point rubric. The rubric score out of 6 is weighted to contribute 30 percent of the composite. The Create PT score is final once assigned by readers and is not scored again after submission.
The Create PT 6 point rubric: row by row
Row 1 (Program Purpose and Function): the response must describe what the program does and the purpose it serves, distinct from a list of program instructions. Row 2 (Data Abstraction): the response must show a code segment where a list is used to store data and identify the name of the variable representing the list. Row 3 (Managing Complexity): the response must show a different code segment, explain how the list manages program complexity, and explain why the program would be harder to write or read without the list. Row 4 (Procedural Abstraction): the response must show a student developed procedure with at least one parameter that affects the procedure's behavior. Row 5 (Algorithm Implementation): the procedure shown must contain sequencing, selection, AND iteration; the response must also describe what the algorithm does in enough detail for a reader to reconstruct it. Row 6 (Testing): the response must provide two test cases with different input values and describe the expected and actual results for each. Each row awards exactly 0 or 1 point; partial credit within a row is not available. Per College Board's AP CSP scoring guidelines, a response earns the row 5 point only when all three of sequencing, selection, and iteration are present in the shown procedure.
Composite and mapping to 1 to 5
The weighted multiple choice score and the weighted Create PT score are summed into a single composite. College Board then sets the composite score boundaries for each grade (1 through 5) through annual standard setting, anchoring the new administration to the difficulty of prior years. There is no publicly released fixed composite to grade conversion table because the cutoffs shift with each administration. As a rough planning heuristic only, strong performance on both components (roughly 75 percent or more of multiple choice questions correct and a Create PT score of 4 or higher out of 6) has positioned students for a 4 or 5 in recent administrations. Treat these as approximate and year dependent, not fixed targets.
What does each AP Computer Science Principles score mean?
A 3 is the passing threshold; a 4 or 5 typically earns college computing or general education credit. AP CSP is broadly accessible as an introductory course, and a 4 or 5 demonstrates college level understanding of computing fundamentals, data reasoning, and societal impact.
| Score | Official label | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Extremely well qualified | Equivalent to an A in a comparable college introductory computing course. Earns credit at almost every institution that grants AP Computer Science Principles credit. A 5 demonstrates mastery of all 5 Big Ideas and consistent performance on both the multiple choice section and the Create PT rubric. In 2024, approximately 13% of test takers earned this score per College Board's annual AP CSP score distribution. |
| 4 | Well qualified | Equivalent to an A minus, B plus, or B in a comparable college course. Earns credit at the large majority of colleges that offer AP CSP credit. Because AP CSP is often counted as a computing elective or general education technology credit rather than a core CS sequence requirement, a 4 is sufficient for credit at most institutions. In 2024, approximately 24% of test takers earned a 4. |
| 3 | Qualified | The passing threshold; equivalent to a B minus, C plus, or C in a comparable college course. Many colleges and public universities grant credit for a 3 on AP CSP, particularly for general education or computing elective requirements. Students planning to pursue computer science or computing intensive majors should verify their target institution's credit policy, as some departments require a 4 or a score on AP Computer Science A for sequence placement. |
| 2 | Possibly qualified | Below the passing threshold for most institutions. Rarely earns college credit. A 2 indicates that the student did not demonstrate sufficient command of the course's core areas, particularly the Algorithms and Programming Big Idea (30 to 35% of the exam) and the Impact of Computing Big Idea (21 to 26%). A low Create PT score of 1 or 2 out of 6 contributes significantly to a 2 overall, as it costs approximately 24 percent of possible composite points. |
| 1 | No recommendation | No college credit. College Board does not recommend college credit for this performance level. A 1 indicates that core computing concepts, algorithm reasoning, and the Create PT requirements were not demonstrated at a qualifying level. |
AP Computer Science Principles score distribution
| Year | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Pass (3+) | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13% | 24% | 28% | 21% | 14% | 65% | 3.09 |
| 2023 | 12% | 23% | 29% | 22% | 14% | 64% | 3.07 |
| 2022 | 11% | 25% | 27% | 23% | 14% | 63% | 3.07 |
Score distribution figures are approximate, derived from training knowledge of College Board annual AP score distribution reports. Exact figures should be verified against the official College Board PDFs. AP Computer Science Principles is one of the largest AP exams by participation, with over 190,000 students in 2022 growing to approximately 225,000 in 2024. The 5-rate (approximately 11 to 13%) and 4-rate (approximately 23 to 25%) are below the CS A 5-rate, reflecting the broader and more diverse student population that AP CSP intentionally attracts as an introductory computing course.
Is AP Computer Science Principles curved, and what do recent distributions reveal?
AP CSP is not curved in the sense of capping or rationing high scores. The pass rate has held in the 63 to 65 percent range across the three most recent reported years, and the mean score has been essentially flat at 3.07 to 3.09, indicating consistent standard setting rather than significant variation from year to year.
College Board converts the raw composite to a 1 to 5 grade through annual standard setting, anchoring to prior administrations rather than to a fixed percentage table. Per College Board's annual AP CSP score distribution reports, the pass rate (3 or higher) was approximately 63% in 2022, 64% in 2023, and 65% in 2024. The mean score was 3.07, 3.07, and 3.09 over the same three years, essentially flat. This stability reflects the course's design: AP CSP is intentionally positioned as an introductory computing course accessible to students without prior programming experience, and the standard setting reflects that the sitting population is broader and more diverse than subjects like AP CS A. The rate of students earning a 5 (approximately 11 to 13%) is lower than AP CS A's 24 to 26%, not because the exam is harder in absolute terms but because the student population is wider. Students who prepare thoroughly for both the multiple choice section across all 5 Big Ideas and who earn 5 or 6 out of 6 points on the Create PT are well positioned for a 4 or 5 regardless of standard setting variation from year to year variation. The Create PT component is particularly important: a student who earns only 1 or 2 out of 6 Create PT points loses approximately 20 to 25 percent of possible composite points before the multiple choice exam begins.
How do AP CSP scoring guidelines help you prepare for the exam and the Create PT?
The official scoring guidelines show exactly what College Board readers look for on each of the 6 Create PT rubric rows and provide the multiple choice answer key. Reading the rubric row by row and checking your own PPR draft against each criterion is the most direct preparation available for the 30 percent Create PT component.
Each year's AP CSP scoring guidelines contain two key documents: the 6 point Create PT rubric with annotated criteria, and the multiple choice answer key. For the Create PT, the scoring guidelines often include sample PPR responses at each score level with reader annotations explaining why each row was awarded or withheld. Reading two or three years of these annotated samples reveals the precise language and code segment patterns that earn each row's point. Pay particular attention to row 3 (managing complexity) and row 5 (algorithm implementation), which are the most frequently missed according to College Board's CSP scoring documentation. For row 3, the response must explain why the list makes the program less complex, not merely describe what the list stores. For row 5, the procedure must visibly contain all three of sequencing, selection, and iteration in the shown code, and the written description must explain the algorithm's logic in enough detail for a reader to reconstruct it. For the multiple choice section, the answer key in the scoring guidelines allows you to score your own practice attempts against the official answers. Use the 2022, 2023, and 2024 scoring guidelines linked above to practice against three distinct sets of multiple choice questions and to review your Create PT PPR draft against three years of rubric criteria and sample responses.
AP Computer Science Principles scoring FAQ
How is the AP Computer Science Principles exam scored?
AP CSP is scored on two components: Section I (70 multiple choice questions, no penalty for wrong answers) contributes 70 percent of the composite, and the Create Performance Task (scored on a 6 point rubric by College Board readers) contributes 30 percent. The two weighted components are summed into one composite, and College Board converts that composite to a 1 to 5 grade through annual standard setting. Per the AP CSP Course and Exam Description, this 70 to 30 split is the stable structural rule for the exam.
How is the Create Performance Task scored?
College Board readers score the Personalized Project Reference (PPR) on a 6 point rubric. Each of the 6 rows awards exactly 0 or 1 point: row 1 (program purpose), rows 2 and 3 (data abstraction and managing complexity using a list), rows 4 and 5 (procedural abstraction and algorithm implementation with a student developed procedure containing sequencing, selection, and iteration), and row 6 (two test cases with different inputs). A total of 0 to 6 points is then weighted to represent 30 percent of the composite. The Create PT score is final; it is not scored again or appealed after submission.
What is a good composite score on AP Computer Science Principles?
A score of 4 or 5 is a strong result on AP CSP. In 2024, approximately 37 percent of test takers scored a 4 or 5, and approximately 65 percent scored a 3 or higher (the passing threshold), per College Board's annual CSP score distribution report. As a planning benchmark, earning at least 75 percent of multiple choice questions correct and scoring 5 or 6 out of 6 on the Create PT has positioned students for a 4 or 5 in recent administrations, though the exact cutoffs shift each year through standard setting.
Can I retake the Create Performance Task?
No. The Create PT is submitted once by the April 30 deadline and scored as submitted. There is no retake, revision, or appeal process after submission. Per College Board's AP CSP exam policies, the PPR is scored by trained readers and the score is final. Students who are dissatisfied with their Create PT score can retake the full AP CSP exam the following year, at which point they would submit a new Create PT as part of that administration.
Are AP Computer Science Principles scores curved?
AP CSP uses an annual standard setting process, not a traditional grade curve. Each year College Board sets the composite score boundaries for each 1 to 5 grade, anchoring to prior years' difficulty. Per College Board's annual score distribution reports, the pass rate (3 or higher) has been approximately 63 to 65 percent across the 2022 to 2024 administrations and the mean score has been approximately 3.07 to 3.09, indicating consistent standard setting. High scores are not capped or rationed; any student whose composite reaches the boundary earns that grade.
What score do you need for a 5 on AP Computer Science Principles?
There is no fixed composite cutoff for a 5; the boundary is set through annual standard setting and varies by administration. In 2024, approximately 13 percent of test takers earned a 5, and in 2023 the figure was approximately 12 percent, per College Board's annual score distribution reports. As a directional benchmark only, scoring above approximately 80 percent of multiple choice questions correctly and earning 5 or 6 out of 6 on the Create PT generally positions a student to reach the 5 boundary, but this is not a guaranteed formula.
What does a 3 on AP Computer Science Principles mean for college credit?
A 3 is the passing threshold on the AP 1 to 5 scale and earns computing or general education credit at many colleges, particularly public universities. Because AP CSP is typically counted as a computing elective or general education requirement rather than a core computer science sequence, a 3 is sufficient for the intended credit at many institutions. Students planning to major in computer science should verify their target institution's policy, as some programs require AP Computer Science A (not AP CSP) for sequence placement credit, regardless of the CSP score.
What is the AP CSP score distribution?
Per College Board's annual AP CSP score distribution reports, in 2024 approximately 13% of test takers scored a 5, 24% scored a 4, 28% scored a 3, 21% scored a 2, and 14% scored a 1, out of approximately 225,000 students. The pass rate (3 or higher) was approximately 65% and the mean score was approximately 3.09. In 2022, the most recent year with slightly different proportions, approximately 25% scored a 4 and only approximately 11% scored a 5, out of approximately 190,000 students.
Where can I find official AP Computer Science Principles scoring guidelines?
This page links directly to College Board's hosted scoring guidelines for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 (both sets), and 2025 (both sets), all verified via HEAD check at the time of publication. AP CSP began releasing two sets of scoring guidelines per year in 2024, corresponding to two exam forms. The official past exam questions archive at apcentral.collegeboard.org covers 2020 and earlier. Note that before 2021, the Create PT included a separate Explore task whose rubric structure differs from the current Personalized Project Reference format.
How do I use AP CSP scoring guidelines to improve my Create PT score?
Open the scoring guidelines for a recent year and compare your PPR draft against each of the 6 rubric rows one at a time. For each row, the guidelines specify exactly what the written response and code segments must demonstrate. Pay particular attention to rows 3 and 5, which are most frequently missed: row 3 requires explaining why the list manages complexity (not just describing the list), and row 5 requires that the shown procedure visibly contain sequencing, selection, AND iteration. The annotated sample responses in each year's scoring guidelines show passing and failing responses side by side, making the distinctions concrete. Do this review before your final submission, not after.
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