APExam
5May 2027afternoon
Total time3 hr
Format42 Multiple choice + 4 Free response
Scored 3+ worldwide · 202668%
Portola High School Scored 3+ · 202697%197 exams

Algebra-based mechanics; three-week summer pre-study for grades 10–11. Next: AP Physics 2, AP Physics C.

Formats

6 to 8 student seminars with homework, 32 weeks, no spring break, ending before the AP exam; also 1-on-1, online or in person.

How to start

Start with a placement assessment. We use it to set the level and class, then confirm the year plan with the family. For schedules, tuition, and bundle offers, request the 2026-27 program guide through the form below.

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How the exam is built

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

SectionQuestionsTimeWeight
Multiple choice421 hr 25 min50%
Free response (math routines, representations, experimental design, qual/quant translation)41 hr 35 min50%

Calculator permitted

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. 1Kinematics10–15%
  2. 2Force and Translational Dynamics18–23%
  3. 3Work, Energy, and Power18–23%
  4. 4Linear Momentum10–15%
  5. 5Torque and Rotational Dynamics10–15%
  6. 6Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems5–8%
  7. 7Oscillations5–8%
  8. 8Fluids10–15%

Global score distribution 2026

Out of every 100 test takers.

68% scored 3 or higher

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.

Portola High School

Open to 11-12
Scored 3+ · 202697%197 exams

PrerequisitesConcurrent enrollment in Math 3 or above + teacher rec; recommended: completed Math 3 OR A in Math 2 and Honors A in Chemistry

Honors point; 3+ hr/wk; can be taken in 12th if not ready in 11th

Full school guide →

University High School

Open to 11-12
Scored 3+ · 202699%116 exams

Prerequisites≥ B- in Math III and concurrently enrolled in Pre-Calculus or higher

Year; one year prepares for BOTH AP Physics 1 and 2 exams; weighted ‡. (AP Physics C exams are taken by UHS students but no Physics C course is in the catalog)

Full school guide →

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.

Sources: College Board course and exam descriptions (2027 exam calendar, 2026 score distributions); school course catalogs and School Profiles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What grade should Irvine students take AP Physics 1?

Grades 9 through 12, with most students taking it in grade 10 or 11. The course is algebra-based and does not require calculus, but it does require fluent algebra and trigonometry. Students whose math is not yet there should strengthen Algebra II first.

Can a student with no physics background take it?

Yes. This is the first physics AP and it starts from kinematics. Content density is higher than a regular school physics class: forces and translational dynamics and work, energy, and power each carry 18 to 23 percent. A three-week summer pre-study is available for grades 10 and 11.

How is the exam structured?

The exam runs 3 hours, with 42 multiple choice questions and 4 free response questions each worth 50 percent, and a calculator is allowed throughout. Free response covers mathematical routines, translation between representations, experimental design, and qualitative-quantitative translation. Experimental design and written explanation are the common trouble spots.

How hard is a 5 for Irvine public high school students?

In 2026, 68 percent scored 3 or higher worldwide and 19 percent scored 5. Pass rates at each Irvine public high school appear in the At Irvine public high schools section above. The barrier to a 5 is written reasoning: formulas and numbers alone do not earn full credit, and students must explain the physical argument behind each step.

After finishing AP Physics 1 in Irvine, what comes next?

Students continuing in physics take AP Physics 2; students heading for engineering or the physical sciences take AP Physics C, which is calculus-based and requires calculus taken before or alongside it. For school physics grades, see high school science.