AP Latin Score Distribution 2026
AP Latin tests reading and analysis of Vergil's Aeneid (Books I, II, IV, VI, X, XII) and Caesar's Gallic War (Books I, VI, VII). The pass rate is approximately 65%, with about 15% of students earning a 5.
AP Latin Score Distribution 2026
| AP Score | Composite Score Range | % of Students |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 112–150 | 15% |
| 4 | 88–111 | 22% |
| 3 | 65–87 | 28% |
| 2 | 46–64 | 21% |
| 1 | 0–45 | 14% |
Composite max: 150 points · Overall pass rate (3+): ~65%
Use the AP Latin Score Calculator to predict your AP grade.
How the Composite Score Is Calculated
| Section | Content | Max Points |
|---|---|---|
| Section I — Multiple Choice | 40 questions (75 min): reading comprehension + Latin-to-English questions | 100 |
| Section II — Free Response | 5 questions (120 min): translation (2), short analysis (2), comparative essay (1) | 50 |
| Total | 150 |
Section I counts for ~67% of the composite; Section II for ~33%. This means the multiple-choice section has an outsized impact on your final grade. Strong reading speed and vocabulary recognition are critical.
What Score Do You Need?
| Target | Composite Needed | Rough Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 112/150 (75%) | ~30/40 MC + ~32/50 FRQ |
| 4 | 88/150 (59%) | ~24/40 MC + ~24/50 FRQ |
| 3 | 65/150 (43%) | ~18/40 MC + ~17/50 FRQ |
Vergil vs. Caesar: Point Weight
The AP Latin exam draws approximately equally from Vergil and Caesar, with some variation year to year. Both authors appear in the multiple-choice and free-response sections.
| Author | Genre | Key Themes | Hardest Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vergil, Aeneid | Epic poetry (hexameter) | Pietas, fate, Roman identity, the underworld | Complex syntax, indirect speech, ablative absolutes in verse |
| Caesar, Gallic War | Prose (commentarii) | Roman military expansion, ethnography, self-promotion | Indirect discourse (accusative + infinitive), military vocabulary |
Most students find Caesar's prose more straightforward to translate than Vergil's poetry because it uses more regular word order. However, Vergil offers more interpretive richness for the essay question, and students who know the Aeneid themes deeply tend to score better on the comparative essay.
Related Resources
- AP Latin Score Calculator
- AP Latin FRQ Guide 2026
- Is AP Latin Hard?
- AP Latin Cheat Sheet
- AP Latin Practice Test