If your school offers an AP® class, or 2, or 3, of 4, then you need to be taking them. But, AP® courses also have a reputation for being overwhelming and stressful. So, to avoid this fate, you might be wondering what the easiest AP® classes are. “Easy” might be a somewhat relative term, because obviously someone who loves science is going to be more prone to excelling in AP® Chemistry than someone who is a complete history buff. However, we can still look at the overall pass rates for all the students that take the AP® exams, see which ones do well across the board, and make choices to suit our interests.
This article will break down the numbers for you. We’ll tell you how many students get 4s and 5s on particular AP® exams, as well as who achieves the passing rate of 3. We will also walk you through how to interpret these numbers, so you can take the AP® classes that are easiest for you.
Are you ready to pick your courses?
Well then, here we go!
Why Should I Take AP® Classes?
Your high school transcript is one of the most important, if not the most important, part of your college applications. This is because the wide scope of time that it covers paints the most realistic picture of you as a student.
Most college admissions offices are dived into regions. Because of this setup, the admissions officers who originally read through your application are familiar with your school and are interested to see how ambitious you were academically and what opportunities you took advantage of. This is special code for “if your school offered AP® classes, did you take them, and did you excel in them.”
AP® classes, while they require more concentration and commitment than academic courses, and also tend to push students to develop better critical thinking skills, collaborative abilities, and a passion for the subject. This can help you transition into the academic environment of college more easily, and can also make you an ideal hire once it is time for you to hit the workforce.
But AP® classes are also hard. Because of this, you might have wondered, “in the world of college admissions, is it better to get an A in an academic class, or a B in an AP® class.” You might not like the answer: to get into the best schools, you need to be getting an A in the AP® classes you take.
So, here’s a list of the AP® exams that the most number of students receive great scores on. After you’ve looked over it, pick out a couple that you think you’d enjoy and would be a good fit for your skillset. Then, go ahead and talk to your school’s guidance counselor to see if your school offers them.
Complete List of the Easiest AP® Classes*
*Based on the pass rate of the respective AP® exam.
| Exam Name | Passing Rate (3+) | 5 Rate | 4 Rate |
| Chinese Language | 93.40% | 62.10% | 16.60% |
| Spanish Language | 89.70% | 28.00% | 34.80% |
| Studio Art Drawing | 82.90% | 16.80% | 27.20% |
| Studio Art 2D Design | 82.40% | 14.30% | 33.00% |
| Calculus BC | 81.50% | 48.40% | 15.50% |
| Japanese Language | 79.80% | 52.90% | 7.10% |
| French Language | 76.40% | 17.30% | 26.50% |
| Physics C Mech | 76.10% | 30.20% | 27.40% |
| Studio Art 3D Design | 74.70% | 13.20% | 25.80% |
| AP® Seminar | 73.10% | 6.60% | 12.80% |
| Italian Language | 71.70% | 21.80% | 18.90% |
| German Language | 70.10% | 20.70% | 22.30% |
| Spanish Literature | 69.70% | 8.70% | 24.30% |
| Physics C E&M | 68.10% | 32.00% | 22.60% |
| AP® Research | 67.70% | 11.70% | 16.30% |
| Latin | 65.70% | 12.80% | 20.70% |
| Microeconomics | 65.60% | 15.30% | 27.30% |
| Computer Science A | 64.30% | 20.70% | 20.40% |
| Psychology | 64.20% | 19.00% | 26.10% |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 62.20% | 20.60% | 21.20% |
| Art History | 61.40% | 11.10% | 22.60% |
| Biology | 60.50% | 6.30% | 20.60% |
| Statistics | 60.30% | 13.90% | 21.70% |
| Music Theory | 59.50% | 18.10% | 17.20% |
| Physics 2 | 59.50% | 8.50% | 16.70% |
| Calculus AB | 59.40% | 24.40% | 17.40% |
| Macroeconomics | 55.70% | 16.10% | 23.40% |
| English Language and Composition | 55.30% | 10.60% | 17.50% |
| English Literature and Composition | 54.60% | 7.40% | 17.70% |
| European History | 53.60% | 7.90% | 16.20% |
| Chemistry | 52.30% | 9.70% | 15.10% |
| United States History | 52.10% | 11.70% | 17.90% |
| Human Geography | 51.70% | 11.90% | 20.00% |
| World History | 51.20% | 6.50% | 15.50% |
| US Government & Politics | 50.90% | 12.40% | 13.50% |
| Environmental Science | 45.20% | 7.40% | 23.00% |
| Physics 1 | 39.20% | 4.30% | 13.60% |
Source: Total Registration and the College Board
Some Things to Consider when Choosing the Easiest APs:
What types of classes do you enjoy taking?
If you’ve consistently struggled in math, taking AP® Calculus is pretty much the kiss of death to your GPA. Even if the pass rate is nearly 50% for both types, if eking out a solid B in academic Algebra II nearly cost you your life, then you probably should avoid this class at all costs.
There are so many different kinds of AP® classes across so many different disciplines that there is really a chance for every type of student to shine. If you are more “right brain” dominant, meaning you excel in the arts and abstract thinking, then you could take AP® Studio Art (drawing, 2D and 3d design) or AP® Music Theory. Even though their passes rates are slightly lower, you might even excel in a history or English class because you would enjoy the material, so it would be easier for you to understand and absorb.
Before you choose your course schedule, take some time to review your personal interests, the classes you’ve excelled in at school so far, and what new subjects you would like to explore. After you have considered these factors, it’s time to take the next step.
What are the easiest AP® classes like at your school?
This can be both a blessing and a curse. Maybe Mrs. Smith has been teaching AP® Chemistry at your high school for over 15 years. Even though the national average for students receiving a 5 is about 10%, Mrs. Smith’s average is about 15% because she is passionate about the material, always available to help her students, and knows how to teach to the test.
In this sort of situation, taking AP® Chemistry, even if you are not a science wiz, could be a great idea for both your GPA and college admission chances. Obviously, Mrs. Smith has an interest in her student’s success, and while the material might be tricky, it would be worth it to try your hand at the class because everyone loves this lady!
But there is also a second realistic situation, and here it is:
You love science! You’ve taken AP® Biology and are ready to continue your study of science in Mrs. Smith’s class. But, everyone knows that she is a terrible teacher. Her pass rate might be consistent with the national average, but everyone who takes her class is miserable because of her boring teacher tactics and huge workload. Unfortunately, this happens often at high schools across the country.
So, how do you make sure you end up with a teacher like the first Mrs. Smith?
You ask questions!
Talk to your teachers.
As you need their help to take AP® classes anyway, your current teachers are great place to get started. After you have thought about what kinds of AP® classes you want to take, bring your list to a teacher in that subject area and ask their opinion. While they might not be able to give you an opinion on their colleague, they can let you know which AP® classes they think would be the best fit, and therefore easiest, for you.
Talk to your friends.
This is where you will find the most unfiltered opinions about certain classes and teachers. If you have any older siblings, start by asking them which AP® classes they enjoyed and why. If more than one person teaches a particular subject, ask them which teacher they had, and if they wish they were in a different class.
You can also talk to upperclassmen at your school. Or, if the high school social hierarchy somehow prevents you from doing so, you can see if your school’s teachers are listed on Rate My Teachers.
Do keep in mind that when you are talking to students, you are going to get a large array of opinions and to take each with a grain of salt. That means that sometimes people leave negative reviews because they did poorly in the class, not because the teacher was mean or bad at his or her job. So use your best judgment when reading through these.
Talk to your school’s guidance counselor.
This is a great option because not only will this person know what kinds of classes you can excel in, they will also be able to give you candid feedback on different teachers are your school. For example, maybe you have a particular learning style (you like to be more hands on, you don’t respond well to sarcasm, etc.) your guidance counselor will be able to tell you which teachers fit your style and which AP® classes will therefore be easiest for you.
While teachers might not be able to speak “poorly” of their colleagues, in the confidential setting of a guidance counselor’s office, it’s okay to ask questions like “I heard Mrs. Smith picks favorites, is that true?” or “Mrs. Jones’ students always score higher than average on the AP® Chemistry exam. Why is that?”
Remember: don’t be afraid to ask questions about your school’s so-called easiest APs, because you want to make sure that they are truly the easiest classes for you.
How Hard will the Actual AP® Class be?
As a general rule, the classes with the least amount of material to learn before the AP® exam in May tend to be the easiest. This is because there is less to cram in, so they move at a slower pace. The classes with this reputation are AP® US Government, AP® Psychology, AP® Human Geography, and AP® Environmental Science. There is a set amount of information to cover for these exams, so your teacher can slow down or speed up the process as necessary. For example, many students also like taking AP® US Government because the information might already be familiar to them due to previous classes and experiences.
Here’s a sample question:
This question would be “easy” because the landmark case would have been heavily discussed in class, making it easy to recall. The correct answer, D, would all but jump out to you.
It’s the same thing with AP® Environmental Science: some of the material in this class might feel like a throwback to middle school Earth Science.
While this might be the first thing on your mind now, if you’re fresh out of the course, the answers, C, will be painfully obvious. The test is full of simple facts like this.
While these AP® exams seem to have low passing rates, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get an A in the class associated with them.
Another thing to consider is that nearly everyone who takes the AP® Chinese exam passes it. Not only that, but also more than half of the students earn a 5. Why is that? It is not because Chinese is an easy class – it certainly isn’t, but because everyone who takes the exam has a highly specialized interest in the subject as has put in many hours of hard work to succeed.
This is why it’s important to consider your own strengths and weaknesses when picking out the easiest AP® classes, and not solely rely on the average number of passing scores. If you do only that, and you don’t use any common sense, you’ll end up with a C- in AP® Chinese and failing score on the exam. Not so good for your college chances.
This is good advice to consider for any of the language exams. While their pass rates might seem initially high, to actually do well on any of them, you can’t just take one year of Italian and expect to snag a 5. These AP® tests require students to have near-fluent grasp of grammar, speech patterns, idioms, tonality, and more. Usually, students who do well on the AP® language tests either speak the language at home, have traveled extensively in the region where the language is spoken, or have studied the material for more than 3 years.
AP® Studio Art is another special case. Many students are earning high scores on these exams, but it is not because they are the easiest classes. It is because these kids are actually pretty great artists. The AP® Art exams are also not really an exam at all, but rather a submitted portfolio of the work they have been doing all year.
If you love art and can actually create proportional, rich images, then go for it! But if your artistic talent peaks at stick figures on napkins, AP® Art is not going to be an easy A or easy 5, for that matter. If you find yourself an art lover with no artistic talent, consider taking AP® Art History to put your skills to work.
Finally, remember that in the age-old “is it better to get a B in an academic class or an A in an AP® class” debate, it’s always better to get an A in an AP® class. However, you do need to remember that most schools weight AP® classes, so doing well in them can significantly increase your GPA.
Remember, when selecting the easiest APs:
- The AP® test with the highest pass rate might still be hard for you, because many of them are paired with highly specialized classes.
- Pick classes that highlight your academic interests and strengths.
- Ask around about specific classes and teachers before you commit.
- Hard AP® exams might be paired easy AP® classes, so if you want to boost your GPA, they could still be worth it.
- The easiest APs are the ones with the least amount of content to absorb before test day.
You need to use common sense when selecting your course load. Don’t take random AP® classes for the sake of beefing up your transcript. If your school has a wide array of courses, take the time to do your homework on each one and select the classes that fit your academic interests, your busy schedule, and your learning style.
Of course, you might attend a small high school that only offers a couple of AP® classes. In this case, you need to take them, no matter what they are. If you are truly concerned about your ability to do well, like if you are terrible at math and the only AP® at your school is AP® Calculus, talk to your guidance counselor ASAP® about your options. Sometimes, he or she can contact the College Board and arrange for you to take an AP® class through a licensed online provider.
Okay, what do I do next?
After you’ve decided which AP® classes are the easiest for you, you should read this guide about when you should start studying for the AP® test. Hint: it’s at the beginning of the school year.
After you have nailed down your AP® study timeline, take a look at this article on how to study for the AP® tests. You’ll be glad that you did.
Make sure to tell your friends about these resources as well. You’ll notice that if both you and your friends are succeeding in your AP® classes, life will be less stressful and better for everyone.
Good luck out there!
By the way, in case you’re curious, you can also read our post on the hardest AP® classes here.
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