AP US Government and Politics

How the exam is built

Sections drawn to their share of the score; the wider the block, the more practice it deserves.

Units and exam weighting

Each ruler segment equals the unit’s midpoint exam weight. The yellow unit carries the most points and gets the most class time.

1. 1Foundations of American Democracy15–22%
2. 2Interactions Among Branches of Government25–36%
3. 3Civil Liberties and Civil Rights13–18%
4. 4American Political Ideologies and Beliefs10–15%
5. 5Political Participation20–27%

Global score distribution 2026

Out of every 100 test takers.

76% scored 3 or higher · Beginning in 2026-27, four additional required foundational documents are added; students must also know the required Supreme Court cases.

At Irvine public high schools

Whether each school offers it, which grades can enroll, the gate, and last year’s results. Updates with the school guides.

IUSD course-selection rules

Which grade can take this AP at each school, what the prerequisites are, and how weighted GPA is calculated. Confirm with the school's current course catalog before choosing.

• Irvine High School: Grade 9 may take AP World History, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A. AP Precalculus and AP Art History open in grade 10. AP Physics 1 is taken in grade 11 and the remaining AP science courses in grade 12; AP Psychology and AP Macroeconomics require enrollment in grade 11 or 12.
  Only AP courses and the honors courses starred on the School Profile add 1 point, and only when the grade is C or higher. Weighted, an A counts 5 points, a B 4, a C 3, and a D still 1.
• Northwood High School: No AP courses are offered in grade 9. Grade 10 is limited to four: AP Art History, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Music Theory, and AP Precalculus, assigned as seats allow. The remaining AP courses are concentrated in grades 11 and 12, and most require a current teacher's signed recommendation on the course request form.
  Only honors and AP courses whose names carry a plus sign (+) on the transcript add 1 point to the GPA (A counts 5, B 4, C 3, and D adds nothing). Embedded Honors courses in grades 9 and 10 do not add a point.
• Portola High School: Grade 10 has a single AP option, AP Human Geography, which the school calls the "grade 10 choice." The large majority of AP courses are for grades 11 and 12. AP Precalculus, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A open from grade 10 subject to math prerequisites. Restricted to grade 12 are AP Physics C, AP English Language, AP United States Government together with Honors Political Economy, AP 3-D Design, and Honors Engineering Design and Development. Grade 9 students may not sit an AP exam at the school unless they have taken the course or the Irvine Unified School District GATE office approves it on the basis of existing preparation.
  Unweighted courses are scored A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1; the 28 AP courses and 11 weighted Honors courses are scored A=5, B=4, C=3, D=1. Weighted Honors courses are electives in grades 11 and 12; core courses in grades 9 and 10 are not weighted.
• University High School: No AP courses are offered in grade 9. From grade 10, students may take AP Precalculus, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Statistics, and AP Cybersecurity. AP United States History is offered in grade 10 on the condition that the student earned Honors Distinction in both semesters of World History. Most AP courses are concentrated in grades 11 and 12.
  Only AP courses and fourth-year world languages (French 4, Latin 4, Spanish 4, American Sign Language IV) add 1 point to the GPA, and the grade must be C or higher.
• Woodbridge High School: Grade 9 may take one AP course, AP Human Geography, the only AP course open to grade 9 at any of the five comprehensive high schools in the Irvine Unified School District. Grade 10 may take AP World History, AP English Language, AP Precalculus, and AP Computer Science Principles. From grade 11, AP United States History, AP Physics 1, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus AB and BC, and AP Statistics open. AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, AP United States Government, and AP Macroeconomics are taken in grade 12.
  The GPA is calculated on a 4.0 scale without +/- distinctions. Only Honors courses taken in grades 11 and 12 and all AP courses add 1 point, and only when the grade is C or higher. The added point depends on the grade level: the same Honors course adds nothing in grade 10 and adds a point in grade 11.