Is AP Environmental Science Hard? A Complete Guide

Before enrolling in an AP Environmental Science course, students need to do their research and make sure taking the class is a good decision for their current and future academic career. Because environmental science is considered one of the more challenging AP subjects, it may not be a great fit for every student.

Nearly 150,000 learners took the exam in 2021, but 51% failed to earn a score of 3 or higher. Keep reading to learn about the subject matter covered in the course, the exam format, and the scores most colleges require for the class to count as credit.

Designed to mimic the academic level of a foundational environmental science college course, the AP Environmental Science class designed by College Board looks at principles and concepts related to the natural world.
Students consider big ideas such as energy transfer, interactions between Earth systems, relationships between different species and the environment, and sustainability.

The course is divided into nine units across the class. These include:

Before enrolling in an AP Environmental Science course, students must consider several factors so they can make an informed decision. Keep reading to learn about some of the components to think about before enrolling.

The difficulty level of the AP Environmental Science exam is generally considered higher than that of other AP exams, as demonstrated in the following table.

While more than 71% of students received a passing score on average across all AP exams in May 2020, only 53% passed the AP Environmental Science exam. Similarly, while about 20% of students earned a 5 across all AP tests, less than 12% received a perfect score on this exam.

Source: College Board

While the statistics shown above are a good place to start when figuring out whether the AP Environmental Science exam will be difficult, the strength of the school and teacher plays a significant role as well. Students can ask for pass rates for previous classes to better assess their odds.

When ascertaining the difficulty of an AP Environmental Science class, students must also consider the amount of material covered in the curriculum.

For instance, classes focused on less course content allow students to home in on particular topics.

Because AP Environmental Science contains nine different units covering a wide variety of topics about the natural world, students will need to study many different sections to adequately prepare.

How well a student does in an AP Environmental Science class also depends on their subject skills. College Board recommends students possess certain prerequisites, including two years of high school laboratory science: one life science class and one physical science course. Learners should also complete at least one year of algebra, and Earth science, if possible.

Students who have not completed these prerequisites — or who did not do particularly well in these classes — should carefully consider whether AP Environmental Science is right for them.

According to College Board, most students take the AP Environmental Science course in their junior or senior year. Because learners need to complete certain prerequisites in order to prepare for this AP course, College Board typically dissuades first-year and sophomore students from taking this class.

That said, it is not uncommon for students to pair their AP Environmental Science class with other AP classes throughout the term.

As long as students have a good handle on the material, they should be able to juggle other advanced topics simultaneously — especially if they are in the same academic area (e.g., AP Biology or AP Chemistry).

To pass the AP Environmental Science exam, students need a score of 3 or higher. As evidenced by this table, 46% of students who take the class fail to achieve this score. Consider this factor when deciding how to proceed.

Source: College Board

The AP Environmental Science exam comprises two sections. Section one includes 80 multiple-choice questions and lasts 90 minutes. Section one includes individual and set-based questions and assesses each of the nine units from the course.

Section two includes three free-response questions and lasts 70 minutes. Tasks in this section include designing an investigation, analyzing an environmental problem and proposing a solution, and analyzing an environmental problem and proposing a solution by doing calculations.

The AP Environmental Science exam is scored from 1-5. A 3 or higher is a passing score. The multiple-choice section accounts for 60% of the overall score, while the free-response questions in section two account for 40% of the overall score.

Students should keep the score breakdown in mind and play to their strengths. For instance, those who struggle with essays may want to spend extra time preparing for this section. However, they must also make sure they do well on the multiple-choice component.

Source: College Board

In most cases, colleges and universities require students to score at least a 3 on their AP Environmental Science exam for it to count toward college credit.

Students who score a 5 are considered extremely qualified, while those who score a 4 are considered well qualified. A score of 3 indicates qualified, meaning students have proven themselves knowledgeable on the subject.

Students considering the AP Environmental Science class — and by extension, the exam — need to carefully consider whether the AP class is worth their time and effort. Students should ensure taking the course contributes to their goals in college and make sure they have a decent chance of passing the test.

Speaking to teachers and past students who took the class can be a great way to learn more about what to expect and how to best prepare for the rigors of AP Environmental Science. Students should also consider which AP classes they want to take in total and how AP Environmental Science fits with their other courses.

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