The Advanced Placement Calculus BC Exam is given each year in early May.  The exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long covering topics typically included in a two-semester college-level calculus sequence.  The exam contains 105 minutes of multiple-choice questions and 90 minutes of free-response questions.  Both the multiple-choice and free-response sections contain parts where a graphing calculator is required and parts where calculator use is prohibited.  Students receive a score of 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 about the middle of July.  A student can receive two semesters of college calculus credit at most colleges and universities with a score of 3 or higher.  Advanced Placement grading standards are set by the College Board so that a grade of a 5 is comparable to a college grade of A or A+, a grade of a 4 is comparable to a grade of B to A-, and a grade of 3 is comparable to a college grade of C to B-. 

Results

In 2001 through 2006 more than 100,000 AP Exams were taken by Oklahoma students.  Less than 50 percent of these exams received a 3 or higher and less than 8 percent received a 5.  On the 2001 through 2007 AP Calculus BC Exams, 93 percent of the exams taken by OSSM Autry Tech students received a 3 or higher and 60 percent received a 5.

Measuring Up

A study by the TIMSS International Study Center shows that AP students rank with the best math and science students in the world.  AP Calculus students with grades of 3 or better on the AP Exams outperform advanced or honors students from each of the 18 countries that participated in the study.  AP Physics students were almost as impressive.  Those who received a grade of 3 or better on the AP Physics B or C Exams performed as well as physics students from the top performing nations of Norway, Sweden, and the Russian Federation.  "These results demonstrate that students who do well on the AP Calculus and Physics Exams are indeed at top of the world in academic achievement. They reinforce how vitally important it is to provide students with access to the challenging academic opportunities provided through AP," said Lee Jones, executive director of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. Click here for more on this study.