What AP Precalculus is.
AP Precalculus is a College Board course. The first exam was in 2024 (score distributions). College Board says it is equal to “a college precalculus course or a college algebra with trigonometry course”. Students should first complete algebra and geometry courses, and be at ease with factoring, the quadratic formula and right triangle trig (AP Students). Ask the teacher if your child has those skills.
It has four units. Three are on the exam. For what precalculus is in general, see our guide What is precalculus?
Is AP Precalculus hard?
For some students, yes. How hard it feels depends a lot on the algebra your child already has.
The scores. In 2026, 82% of AP Precalculus exam takers scored 3 or more, and 29% scored a 5. In AP Calculus AB, 65% scored 3 or more, and 20% scored a 5 (AP Precalculus scores, AP Calculus AB scores). Different students take the two exams, so the scores do not tell you how hard your child will find the class.
Students do not all agree, either. One student on College Confidential wrote: “Honors PreCalc is known to be the hardest class in my entire school.” The same student found AP Calculus AB much easier.
What makes it hard for some students:
- Algebra 2 gaps. Factoring, exponents and fractions with x in them are inside every unit.
- Trig. Trig ties angles, circles and graphs together. Ask which part your child finds confusing.
- Explaining, not only computing. Students use equations and graphs to describe real situations, like how savings grow, and explain why their answer makes sense. The free response part is about 37% of the score (AP Students).
Struggle in this class is normal. If trig is the hard part, ask the teacher which skill your child should practice first.
Should my child take AP Precalculus?
Take it if:
- the teacher recommends it, from your child’s work this year and the math class they want next,
- AP Precalculus is the school’s main path to AP Calculus,
- your child is taking an AP class for the first time and wants one in a familiar subject (College Board blog),
- your child wants a STEM major and needs strong functions and trig before calculus.
Maybe skip it if:
- your child is ready to go straight to AP Calculus,
- your child’s year is already full of AP classes, and a regular class would leave room to fix Algebra 2 gaps.
About the critics. A popular YouTube Short is called “DO NOT Take the AP Precalc Exam”. Note that it is about the exam, not the class. Taking the class and taking the AP exam are two choices. Ask the school if the exam is required, and ask the colleges your child likes if the credit is useful. Also, Unit 4 (vectors and matrices) is not on the AP exam. Ask if your school teaches it (AP Central).
AP Precalculus vs Honors Precalculus.
| AP Precalculus | Honors Precalculus | |
|---|---|---|
| Topics | 4 units set by College Board. Units 1 to 3 are on the exam | Your school decides |
| Exam at the end | Yes, in May | No national exam |
| College credit | Possible, through the AP exam score | No AP exam, so no AP credit |
| GPA weight | Your school decides | Your school decides |
| Pace | Your school decides, with tested topics done before May | Your school decides |
Sources: AP Central for units and exam, AP credit policy search for credit.
Ask the school counselor
- Which class best prepares my child for the math class they want next?
- Does the AP or the Honors class get extra GPA weight?
- What did last year’s students score on the AP exam?
- Can my child switch between the two, and until what date?
College credit for AP Precalculus.
Each college decides what score it accepts and what credit it gives. Some give credit for college precalculus or college algebra. Some give only placement. Some give nothing.
Look up each college on its AP credit page, or with College Board’s AP credit policy search. Then ask one more question: does the credit count toward your child’s major, or only as an elective?
AP Precalculus units and exam format.
Units, and their share of the multiple choice questions (AP Central):
| Unit | Share of multiple choice |
|---|---|
| 1. Polynomial and Rational Functions | 30% to 40% |
| 2. Exponential and Logarithmic Functions | 25% to 40% |
| 3. Trigonometric and Polar Functions | 30% to 35% |
| 4. Functions Involving Parameters, Vectors, and Matrices | Not on the exam |
Exam format, from May 2027 (AP Students): 2 hours 55 minutes. Students answer the multiple choice part in the Bluebook app, and write the free response answers by hand on paper.
| Section | Questions and time | Calculator | Share of score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice, Part A | 29 questions, 65 minutes | No | About 44% |
| Multiple choice, Part B | 13 questions, 40 minutes | Graphing calculator, for some questions | About 19% |
| Free response, Part A | 2 questions, 35 minutes | Graphing calculator | About 19% |
| Free response, Part B | 2 questions, 35 minutes | No | About 19% |
College Board changed the number of questions and the timing for the May 2027 exam. The course content did not change (AP Central).
Next exam: Tuesday, May 11, 2027, in the morning (AP exam dates).
How to help a student who is stuck.
Free options first:
- The teacher. Office hours are free, and the teacher knows what is on the next test.
- AP Classroom. Once your child joins the class in My AP, AP Classroom has practice questions from College Board (AP Students).
- Khan Academy AP Precalculus. Free, unit by unit, with an Algebra 2 review (Khan Academy).
- Past free response questions. College Board publishes old exam questions with scoring guidelines.
Paid options:
- A human tutor. Prices vary a lot. See what a math tutor costs. Ask if the tutor has taught AP Precalculus.
- Sophie, our own tutor. From $8 an hour. About Sophie.
When a human tutor is the better choice: your child needs someone in the room, needs help to get organized, or needs help in many subjects.
After AP Precalculus comes calculus. See AP Calc AB vs BC and our AP Calculus page for parents.
