2026 AP Latin Exam Scores and Takeaways
Did you take the AP Latin exam this year or are you thinking ahead for next year? 2026 AP Latin exam scores were released this week and we now have fantastic analysis by College Board’s Trevor Packer, the head of the Advanced Placement program. I also have my own insight and takeaways having tutored AP Latin for many years and having had awesome students take this year’s brand new AP Latin exam.
First, a whopping 20% of the ~4.500 students taking the AP Latin exams this year received a 5 on their exam (full distribution: 5: 20%; 4: 29%; 3: 24%; 2: 17%; 1: 10%). Great job, everyone - this is a massive accomplishment! This percentage hasn’t been seen since 2012, with more recent numbers hovering in the 11-13% for an AP 5 score. 29% of students receiving an AP 4 is excellent news as well. I believe this could be due to a few factors - 1. fewer overall lines to translate allowing more time for contextualization and deep learning, 2. the removal of Caesar and the addition of Pliny the Younger (which seems to be a big hit - my students were very happy about this and enjoyed translating Pliny) plus the three checkpoint projects, 3. diligence in preparation since no one knew exactly what the new exam would entail, 4. a resurgence in interest and momentum around the study of classics and Latin in the US, and of course 5. high quality teaching (thank you educators!).
As Mr. Packer points out, “This is an especially high-ability AP population, as you’d expect of students who persist and thrive in the multiple years of Latin that preceded taking AP Latin. The average SAT score of AP Latin students who received an AP 5 last year was a…1500 (of all AP subjects, only students taking AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism have higher SAT scores, 1512).”
I’ve always known Latin students are a pretty incredible group - to work that hard in Latin for 4-5 years and excel on the AP is no small feat. My advice to all Latin students starting out is to build an unshakable foundation in grammar and translation skills early and don’t give up in Latin 3 - we all know this is the pivotal year where Latin students tend to either stick with it or drop out. I always tell my students that there is so much joy on the other side, once all the grammar is complete and they get to translate incredible primary prose and poetry by writers like Vergil, Horace, Catullus (my fave!), Tacitus, Martial, Cicero, and more. To be able to read these text without the filter of another’s previous translation is one of the most profound connectors to the past and a throughline to our shared humanity.
Happy translating! Elizabeth
