Here at Ballard we have a vast number of different AP classes available for students, but it can be hard to know what these classes are or how hard the test is going to be. This can make picking which class to take somewhat stressful for students and might turn students away from taking AP classes in general. So, I have decided to compile a list of the top five easiest AP classes and the top five hardest AP classes to take.
Easiest AP classes by pass rate:
The easiest AP class that Ballard offers is AP Seminar. The pass rate of this class is 89%. The College Board describes this class as “an interdisciplinary course that encourages students to demonstrate critical thinking, collaboration, and academic research skills on topics of the student’s choosing.”
The next easiest AP class is AP Research, which most students take after AP Seminar. The pass rate of this class is 85%.
Number three on the list is AP Studio Drawing. The pass rate of this class is a whopping 84%. This class consists of students creating a portfolio of work to demonstrate their skills in art design and development.
The fourth class easiest class is AP Studio Art 2-D. The pass rate of this class is 83%. This class deals with two-dimensional art such as graphic design, photography, weaving, or collage.
Last but not least is AP Spanish Language and Culture. This class has a pass rate of 83%. This class helps students to improve their proficiency in Spanish across three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal and presentational.
These are the five easiest AP classes that are offered to students at Ballard.
Hardest AP classes by pass rate:
The most difficult AP class that is offered at Ballard is AP Physics 1. The pass rate of this class is a staggering 46%. College Board informs students that “AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course. Students cultivate their understanding of physics through classroom study, in-class activity, and hands-on, inquiry-based laboratory work as they explore concepts like systems, fields, force interactions, change, and conservation.”
Next on the list is AP Environmental Science. With a pass rate of only 54%, this class is designed to provide students with scientific knowledge necessary to comprehend the natural world.
The next hardest class is AP English Language & Composition, often abbreviated as AP Lang. The pass rate of this class is a scary 54%. This class helps students become skilled readers of rhetoric and skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes.
The following class is AP Human Geography, which is one of the only AP classes offered to freshman (the other is AP Computer Science Principles with counselor permission). The pass rate for this class is 56%. In AP Human Geography, you can expect to investigate populations, diverse cultures, and spatial patterns.
Last but definitely not least is AP Psychology. The pass rate of this test is 61%. This class includes the exploration of behaviors, relationships between an individual and their environment, and psychological disorders.
This list shows the multitude of AP classes offered at Ballard and the varying levels of difficulty involved in each. Taking an AP class at Ballard could be difficult or easy, but nonetheless these classes will help to prepare students for college.
