[2024-25] How Hard Is AP Chemistry? Answer: ‘Very Hard’ (Real Student Reviews + Pass Data)

Is AP Chemistry easy or hard? Read on to discover why we’ve given AP Chem a difficulty rating of “Very Hard”, based on our unparalleled, deep-dive analysis of 2024 (and historic) pass rate data and over 3200 course reviews from alumnae.

An overview of the data: how difficult is AP Chemistry?

Here’s an overview of all the data we’ve analysed on AP Chem, from both 2024 pass rates and alumnae reviews:

• AP Chemistry is considered very hard, with class alumnae rating it 7.4/10 for overall difficulty
  • That makes it the 3rd-most-difficult out of the 28 large AP classes we surveyed
• The pass rate is higher than other AP classes, with 75% graduating with a 3 or higher
• AP Chemistry is quite widely-taken (151,000 entries last year)
• And 87% would recommend the class, which is slightly lower than other AP classes

Alumnae recommendations: the tl;dr

Whilst AP Chem is rated as very hard, alumnae reviewers did enjoy the subject. They found it was manageable with regular study throughout the year, good review resources, and a thorough understanding of underlying concepts and particularly tricky topics.

Taking a visual comparison:

Here’s a fun visual on how AP Chemistry compares to other classes, by difficulty, the amount of study time required, and class size:

We’ve only highlighted AP Chemistry and the related scientific classes (Biology, Environmental Science and Psychology).But you can see the full multi-coloured version of this chart in our popular, definitive difficulty ranking of ALL the AP classes!

Psst: we’ve also got deep-dives into AP Biology, AP Environmental Science and AP Psychology if you want a full comparison of these science tracks!

Behind the scenes: our Data Analyst and methodology

Analysing AP class data: the methodology

We want to be transparent about how we research, collect and analyse the AP data we use to provide you with our assessments and recommendations. This methodology gives a brief outline of our source material and analytical processes:

Please click here to learn more about our rigorous editorial policies here at Exam Study Expert.

Source material for AP data:

We use two primary sources of data:

1. Pass rate data from College Board itself, including the proportion of students who pass overall (3+ score) and the proportion of students who score a 5. This data is taken from the College Board website plus tweets from Head of AP Trevor Packer, which include the score breakdown and numbers of students taking each class.
2. Student reviews posted by users from r/APStudents who actually took the AP courses (as of 2024 the dataset includes 3,295 reviews). These reviews include a rating for:
   • Overall difficulty rating
   • Difficulty if self-studying
   • How much time is required

The data we post is based on College Board’s June data release and may shift slightly as late-arriving exams are scored. This shift has historically been negligible.

How we evaluate and use the data on AP classes:

We consider class alumnae’s difficulty ratings to be the most reliable indicator of difficulty, more so than pass rate.

Pass rate, or percentage of students scoring a certain grade, is a misleading metric for two main reasons:

1. Some classes attract highly able students, so may have a high pass rate, but this is more a reflection of the calibre of students taking the class. This particularly applies to language classes.
2. Research has shown that popular, widely taken AP classes tend to have lower passing rates. So, a low passing rate could indicate a larger variety of student skill, not necessarily class difficulty.

Our assessments of course difficulty

We have given each every AP class a graded ranking of difficulty, primarily based on class alumnae difficulty ratings. Many other important factors are taken into consideration when making our recommendations for how easy or hard you may find the AP course.

The rankings are determined as followed:

• Very Easy – scores less than 4.0
• Quite Easy – scores between 4.0 and 4.9
• Moderate Difficulty – scores between 5.0 and 5.9
• Quite Hard – scores between 6.0 and 6.9
• Very Hard – scores more than 7.0

You should take every available metric into account when making your choice of AP classes. Remember that some students tend to find certain fields easier or harder than others, based on pre-existing experience.

And remember, as College Board’s Trevor Packer reminds us, an AP score is only one indicator of student learning and achievement.

A deep dive into the 2024 exam data on AP Chem

If you want to know more about how AP Chemistry stacks up against the average AP class, and against previous years’ results: read on for five charts that set out all the data you could want.

1. Difficulty: a look at the ratings

AP Chemistry is considered very hard, with class alumnae rating it 7.4/10 for overall difficulty, making it the 3rd-most-difficult course out of the 28 large AP classes we surveyed.

2. The AP Chem pass rate in 2024

The AP Chemistry 2024 pass rate was 75%, higher than the all-AP average.

The highest percentage of students (31%) achieved a 3, followed by the 27% who attained a 4. Both scores sit well above the all-AP average. Only 7% of students failed with a 1 – very impressive!

3. So, how does this compare to the last five years?

Over the many years we’ve been doing this analysis, we’ve learnt that AP pass rates can fluctuate wildly – although some subjects remain steady. So to get a better picture, let’s examine the score distribution for the past five years of exams – all the way back to 2020.

The AP Chem pass rates are a great example of this. Between 2020 and 2022, pass rates remained low, under 55%. However, in 2023 there was a notable increase in passing grades of 22%. And the pass rate stayed at 75% in 2024.

4. How time consuming will AP Chemistry be?

AP Chemistry is rated as quite time-intensive relative to other AP classes.

N.B. A survey of AP alumnae asked for a rating out of 10 for time needed to study each class, with 1 = least time needed, 10 = most time. The average rating for AP Chemistry was 7.0/10 (vs the average across all AP classes of 5.4/10).

5. How hard is it to self-study for AP Chem?

AP Chemistry is rated as very hard to self-study relative to other AP classes.

N.B. A survey of AP alumnae asked for a rating out of 10 for how easy each class is to self study, with 1 = easiest to self study, 10 = hardest to self study. The average rating for AP Chemistry was 8.4/10 (vs the average across all AP classes of 5.7/10).

Reviewing the course: 175 alumnae share their experiences

If you’re looking forward to taking AP Environment, it’s important to take both the positive and negative feedback in context. There are multiple factors that could contribute to a great or poor experience of the class, such as your teacher, struggling with science, and your personal preferences as a learner.

87% of alumnae would recommend the class, which is slightly lower than other AP classes.

The majority of the reviews focus on course enjoyment, the importance of underlying concepts, the need for basic math (and a calculator), and helpful study methods.

1.      Many students really enjoy AP Chem …

“The concepts may seem easy/simple at first glance, but there are a myriad of applications that you need to be familiar with to pass the AP exam. I know it’s a difficult process trying to wrap your head around a million new things, but I’m really glad I took it since AP Chem provides a very solid foundation for more advanced chemistry in college.” – Score: 5

“AP Chemistry is too dense of a subject to not study. You will have to put in extra time to truly capture the many concepts and strategies that go with the class. However, I really enjoyed the labs, and AP Chemistry provides a look in life that can’t be found in any other class.” – Score: 5

“Oh man, you’re in for a treat with this one. Use the Princeton review book to study for tests and the AP Exam, make sure you do your labs correctly and have data for the lab reports, teach yourself electrochem if you have a bad teacher. That’s all” – Score: 3

“’Every day was constant learning and moving on to the next topic. i had a strong understanding of regents chem that helped me but it required a lot of group thinking” – Score: 5

“It was a great class and I loved it! Talk to the other students in your class and work together to understand the material.” – Score: 4

“Class is awesome (dependent on teacher), probably the most you’ll learn in any ap. Do a ton of frqs, multiple choice, UNDERSTAND instead of memorize – a 5 is totally doable – topics are difficult but so gratifying to learn” – Score: 5

2. … despite finding it a difficult class

“Very interesting class, but difficult subject material” – Score: 5

“AP Chem is maybe the most heavy class I took in high school, and was rather stressful at times. However, I had a great teacher and class, and I genuinely enjoyed the class content, so that helped me pull through the course.” – Score: 3

“Review books won’t help as much as direct review from a teacher, I’ve found. This course is difficult but so rewarding. I would highly recommend taking a class rather than self studying.” – Score: 5

3.      AP Chemistry requires some proficiency at math

“Understanding the math behind the chemistry is critical to this class. If you can go back and forth between equations and chemical concepts in the larger picture, you’ll be much better off.” – Score: 5

“If you’re good at connecting mathematical relationships with actual atomic/chemical behaviors, you’re golden” – Score: 5

“Don’t take it if you’re not good at math” – Score: 4

4.      You need a good base of knowledge and understanding

“Make sure you know your chem fundamentals or have taken a chem. course before this – class moves very fast and assumes you have prior chem knowledge” – Score: 5

“If you try to memorize everything you’re gonna have a bad time. Rather you should focus on understanding the material.” – Score: 5

“Practice, practice, practice! … You don’t need to be amazing at math since you have the help of a calculator, but you still need to be very familiar with all relevant equations and how they work. Good luck with this class.”- Score: 5

“The content covers a vast amount of concepts, many of which are challenging to get your head around. The class is difficult, but the amount you learn about the universe and how it works is so great that the class is worth taking. Very fun.” – Score: 5

“Know mechanical aspects of chemistry (dimensional analysis, stoichiometry, nomenclature) so that you don’t need to worry about them during the year” – Score: 5

“Memorize your facts as fast as possible, and it helps to know the periodic table very well.” – Score: 5

“If you try to memorize everything you’re gonna have a bad time. Rather you should focus on understanding the material.” – Score: 5

5.      Some topics require extra attention

“Spend extra time studying thermo, equilibrium, acids/bases (especially titration), and electrochem because these topics almost always come up. Try not to rely on review books too much. Instead, work on past FRQs and MC questions to prep for the exam.” – Score: 5

“It’s tough. please please please understand equilibrium well. no hope of acid/bases if you don’t understand equilibrium to its fundamentals. also get familiar w/ polyatomic ions the summer before!!!!” – Score: 5

“Acids and Bases might be underplayed by your teacher, but definitely not by Collegeboard.” – Score: 4

“Make sure to have a solid knowledge of acid-base reactions and all relevant topics including titrations, indicators, etc.” – Score: 5

What does it take to succeed in the AP Chem exam?

Well, a good starting place is knowing what’s required of you – and what the experts say went well (or not!) this year:

What is AP Chemistry? Course Outline & Requirements

According to College Board:

“The AP Chemistry course provides students with a college-level foundation to support future advanced coursework in chemistry. Students cultivate their understanding of chemistry through inquiry-based investigations”.

Prerequisites for AP Chem are the successful completion of a general high school chemistry course, and Algebra II.

AP Chemistry has a lab requirement: “25 percent of instructional time engages students in lab investigations. This includes a minimum of 16 hands-on labs (at least six of which are guided inquiry). It is required that students keep a lab notebook throughout.”

You will develop skills in:

• Describing, analyzing and interpreting models and representations
• Determining scientific questions and methods
• Creating models of chemical phenomena
• Solving mathematical problems
• Developing scientific arguments

The exam consists of one 3 hour 15 minute exam, with 50% (90 minutes) of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and 50% (105 minutes) with 7 free-response questions.

For more details, see: College Board’s AP Chemistry course page.

Takeaways for success from the Head of AP

Every year as the exam results come out, College Board’s Head of AP, Trevor Packer, offers an update on what’s gone on in each subject this year, including what people found easy and hard.

In 2024, Trevor made the following comments about the AP Chemistry exam results:

• “This year’s AP Chemistry students demonstrated mastery similar to last year’s strong group, with 75% earning scores of 3 or higher.”

• “14 AP Chemistry students, out of ~129,000 worldwide whose exams have been scored so far, earned all 100 points possible across the 7 free-response questions and the MC questions covering all 9 units of the course. We’ll notify them and their schools in September.”

• “AP Chemistry MC section: students performed least well on questions about thermodynamics and equilibrium (Unit 6, 7, 9: 20% of students earned most or all of these points).”

• “AP Chemistry FR section: many students scored very well on Q4 (specific heat capacity); 26% earned every point possible there; many also did well on Q2 ( the maleic acid / sodium bicarbonate reaction): 33% earned high scores on it. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap24-frq-chemistry.pdf“

• “AP Chemistry FR section: the two most challenging questions were Q1 (lactic acid titration) and Q3 (sterling silver structure); students able to get 8-10 points on both are typically receiving an overall AP score of 5.  https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap24-frq-chemistry.pdf“

How to (self) study for AP Chem, with advice from alumnae

Let’s turn back to those alumnae reviews. Many students who’ve taken the course also have great advice on how to study – and self-study – for the exam, including what to practice and the best resources. We’ve collated a selection for you:

1. Practice tests and problems will be a great help …

“Take mock exams, and try to avoid using a calculator whenever possible throughout the year.” – Score: 5

“Always do the homework, Webassign if possible, study for the AP exam by looking at past exams” – Score: 5

“The best way to study for tests and quizzes is to go through released AP exams and do questions which are relevant to the material.” – Score: 4

“Doing a [ton] of practice problems is more useful than memorization.” – Score: 5

“Takes more practice than the other AP tests I’ve taken.” – Score: 5

“Studying will make your life easier. Before the exam, make sure you do a [ton] of practice tests, it helps alot’ – Score: 5

“If you want to do well on the AP Exam do the practice tests on the CollegeBoard website and use a review book. I got an A in the class but didn’t do as well on the AP Exam because I didn’t prepare properly.” – Score: 3

“Do practice problem after practice problem. If you get a bad grade on something, don’t let it discourage you as this will cause you to do bad on the next test, too. It is very possible to succeed in this course with hard work and diligence.” – Score: 4

2. … especially when it comes to free-response questions

“Do a lot of FRQs. A BUNCH. Like 6-7 per unit, it will save your ass many times. Chemistry FRQs aren’t too hard, but they’re usually tedious and/or time consuming, so understanding what you’re supposed to do in a short amount of time will help you complete sections more quickly. Also practice MC, and don’t forget to study up on your polyatomic ions and charges for each column of the periodic table. Electron configurations and stuff. DON’T GET OVERWHELMED. The FRQs look hard, but they’re not bad. One step at a time.” – Score: 4

“Take LOTS of practice tests and do AP FRQ’s” – Score: 5

“Make sure you understand the concepts and read the textbook thoroughly, also be sure to do plenty of practice free response questions to understand the general format and types of questions” – Score: 4

3. AP Chem requires dedication throughout the year!

“Self-study is the most important way to succeed on the test and in class.” – Score: 5

“Do the work. Don’t slack off, especially on all the base concepts. Do lots of practice problems (FRQ and MC) to prep for the exam and familiarize yourself with the format if your teacher doesn’t use the same style.” – Score: 3

“STUDY STUDY STUDY!!!! There is absolutely no chance of doing well on this test if you do not STUDY!!! IMO review books are a must. 4-6 weeks beforehand skim through a review book and figure out which topics you need to review. Review those topics and do LOTS of practice problems with them until you can do the problem before you actually do it. Practice tests also help immensely, especially with timing and getting a feel for the style of the test.” – Score: 4

“Study over AP questions when studying for tests throughout the year. Learn how to do math without a calculator. Look over and correct any and all tests or quizzes afterward.” – Score: 4

“Study topics often throughout the year so they’ll stick. A month or two before the AP test, go through as many FRQs and released multiple choice questions as you can and learn from your mistakes. Make sure you understand the concepts and can apply them appropriately. I recommend watching Bozeman Science and following the one-month study guide from Albert.io.” – Score: 5

“Utilize you time at home wisely. The moment you are shaky with a topic READ the textbooks at home for more clarification. Don’t let yourself fall behind” – Score: 3

“DO YOUR HOMEWORK! You cannot cram for this test in the weeks prior as it is a whole lot of information to understand. Make sure when your teacher goes over the information that you thoroughly understand every part of it as things you learn later may build upon it. It is very easy to get lost so you need to keep up.” – Score: 4

Best books and test prep resources for AP Chemistry

If you’re looking for the best books to study to help you ace AP Chemistry, we’ve crunched the numbers on the available textbooks. Check out the winners, according to reviews from successful AP students, in our overview of the best AP study guides for every subject.

Where next?

Find out how AP Chemistry compares to other classes: click here for our popular, definitive overview of all AP Classes ranked by difficulty.

Or compare how AP Chem compares to the other science courses with our deep-dive into AP Biology.

If you’ve found our analysis helpful, have a question for our Data Analyst and AP expert, William – or just have some thoughts to share: please leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Good luck!