Students hoping to get a head start on earning college credits in high school by taking the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams are checking their scores this month.
Those who earn a score of 3 or higher on their AP exam out of a 1-5 scale might be eligible for cost-saving college credit. Student participation in AP courses and exams grew by 7% between 2024 and 2025, according to the nonprofit College Board.
But there’s another scale the organization monitors: how students feel about the AP courses they offer.
“We do collect that data every year. This is the first time we’ve ever reported it, and I kind of thought, why not, it’s interesting, let’s get it out there,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program.
At the end of the school year, students taking AP courses can submit a course satisfaction rating on a scale of 1 to 10, and can offer comments about their experience.
Here are the results of this year’s scoring:
Students’ least satisfying AP courses of 2025
5. AP Latin (an average rating of 5.98)
In this course, students “gain a deeper understanding of [the] long-lived language from which all the modern Romance languages (such as French, Spanish, and Italian) arose, while reading the original works of Vergil, Pliny the Younger, and more.”
4. AP French Language and Culture (5.92)
In this course, students “explore the many ways that French speakers and countries are influencing the world in areas such as international relations, aeronautics, medical research, and sustainability.”
3. AP German Language and Culture (5.68)
In this course, students “explore German civilization and technology, current events and politics, music and art, and learn how to express … ideas and opinions in German.”
2. AP Japanese Language and Culture (4.07)
In this course, students “cultivate their understanding of Japanese language and culture by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication in real-life situations.”
This course is undergoing revisions for the 2026-27 school year, including adding a course project “where students use source materials in the target language to prepare for authentic speaking tasks on exam day.”
1. AP Italian Language and Culture (3.68)
In this course, students “cultivate their understanding of Italian language and culture by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication in real-life situations.”
Like AP Japanese, this course is also undergoing revisions for the 2026-27 school year, including adding a course project.
Students’ most satisfying AP courses of 2025
5. AP United States History (an average rating of 7.68)
In this course, students discuss “the ways in which Americans have debated their values, practices, and traditions since even before the country’s founding.”
4. AP European History (7.76)
In this course, students “study the rich history of countries such as France, England, Spain, and many others from c. 1450 to the present.”
3. AP Calculus AB (7.77)
In this course, students “develop a deeper understanding of mathematical principles.”
2. AP United States Government and Politics (7.91)
In this course, students “examine the relationships between the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court, and explore how different political ideologies and opinions shape American politics.”
1. AP Calculus BC (8.00)
In this course, students build on the mathematical principles covered in AP Calculus AB and students “prepare for further study in mathematics and other disciplines, such as engineering, computer science, or economics.”
Calculus AB and BC always rank high for student satisfaction, Packer said, with Calculus also ranking high for teacher satisfaction—though he’s unclear why these courses are so regularly beloved by teachers and students alike. It’s also unclear why some world languages ranked so low for student satisfaction this year.
Some of the most satisfying courses were also among this year’s most requested course exams.
