AP Drawing
An art portfolio: pencil, pen, ink, watercolor, digital — any 2D medium works. The second-highest pass rate in all of AP (83.8%). Ideal for students pursuing Illustration, Animation, Concept Art, Industrial Design.
Before you start, understand how the College Board scores.
AP Drawing has no MCQ or FRQ — the entire score is portfolio-based: Sustained Investigation (60%) with 15 images + 1,200 characters of written evidence, and Selected Works (40%) with 5 highest-quality pieces. Submission deadline: May 8, 2026 — 8:00 PM ET.
2024 distribution of score 5/5
According to College Board data, 23.3% of students worldwide score a 5 in AP Drawing — the subject with the second-highest pass rate in all AP (83.8% scoring 3+). Our students achieve a score-5 rate 1.5-2x higher than average thanks to step-by-step Sustained Investigation guidance.
Sustained Investigation
15 images
Selected Works
5 physical works (digital images)
Total portfolio
Submit via AP Digital Portfolio · Deadline May 8, 2026
3 units following the College Board CED 2024.
Our program follows the College Board's official rubric for AP Drawing. Unlike STEM subjects, Drawing isn't divided by "unit content" but by stages: finding the guiding inquiry → experimenting with materials → iterating on concepts → finalizing the portfolio. Click each stage for details.
Unit details
Refer to the College Board's official Course and Exam Description for the full list of topics.
This is one stage in building the AP Drawing portfolio. Our team guides students step-by-step: from developing the guiding inquiry, experimenting with materials, to refining the 5 selected works.
Unit details
Refer to the College Board's official Course and Exam Description for the full list of topics.
This is one stage in building the AP Drawing portfolio. Our team guides students step-by-step: from developing the guiding inquiry, experimenting with materials, to refining the 5 selected works.
Unit details
Refer to the College Board's official Course and Exam Description for the full list of topics.
This is one stage in building the AP Drawing portfolio. Our team guides students step-by-step: from developing the guiding inquiry, experimenting with materials, to refining the 5 selected works.
Full program: ~36 weeks (28-39 weeks depending on level) · Materials: AP Classroom + Gia Sư AP internal materials · Source: Official College Board CED
Target score distribution for our Drawing students — May 2026.
Our program target: 75%+ of students achieve a 5, 95%+ achieve a 4-5. Compared with the global distribution so you and your child can clearly see the target position.
Gia Sư AP target — Drawing (2026 season)
Global average
Four portfolio scoring criteria our team helps your child master.
The College Board scores AP Drawing portfolios on 4 criteria: Inquiry-Guided Investigation, Practice/Experimentation/Revision, Materials/Processes/Ideas, and Synthesis. Our program ensures students master all 4.
Practice
One of the 6 core skills the College Board evaluates throughout the course.
Experimentation
One of the 6 core skills the College Board evaluates throughout the course.
Revision
One of the 6 core skills the College Board evaluates throughout the course.
Inquiry
One of the 6 core skills the College Board evaluates throughout the course.
Communication
One of the 6 core skills the College Board evaluates throughout the course.
Synthesis
One of the 6 core skills the College Board evaluates throughout the course.
Sample rubric — Sustained Investigation.
AP Drawing has no MCQ or FRQ — the entire score is portfolio-based. The "Sustained Investigation" section (15 images + 1,200 characters of written evidence) accounts for 60% of the total score. Here's how the College Board scores it.
College Board requirement: Your child must design a "guiding inquiry" (research question) for the whole portfolio, then create 15 images showing experimentation, revision, and idea development.
The portfolio is scored on 4 criteria (each 0-4 points):
- Inquiry-Guided Investigation: Is there a clear "guiding inquiry" that develops throughout the portfolio?
- Practice, Experimentation, Revision: Is there evidence of experimentation with materials/techniques/concepts?
- Materials, Processes, Ideas: Are diverse drawing techniques (pencil, watercolor, digital, mixed media...) used purposefully?
- Synthesis: Do the 15 images cohere tightly into a single visual narrative?
Example of a high-scoring Guiding Inquiry:
"How can I use the layering of translucent materials to express the duality of identity I feel as a Vietnamese student abroad?"
This inquiry works because:
• Specific & personal — not generic ("how does color affect mood?") but tied to personal experience.
• Allows for experimentation — "translucent materials" opens up multiple media (vellum, watercolor, digital overlays).
• Has conceptual depth — "duality of identity" allows exploration from many angles.
The 15 images might be: 3 idea sketches → 2 material experiments → 4 main iterations → 3 reflections after feedback → 3 final pieces.
→ Our team's tip: don't submit a portfolio that's "beautiful but disjointed". AP reviewers score highly portfolios that clearly show thought process + experimentation, even if technique isn't perfect.
5 Drawing tutors — carefully selected by our team.
Every tutor on our team must submit a personal portfolio scored at AP-5 rubric level by our review board — and have a solid Art/Design background. All have portfolio-review experience for students applying to art schools.
Tutors are being selected
Our team is currently selecting and verifying AP Drawing tutor profiles — all with solid Art/Design/Illustration backgrounds and 1-on-1 portfolio-review experience with Vietnamese students. To be matched with a tutor suited to your child's goals, book a free consultation.
Sign up to be matched with a tutorTutor profiles publicly available: Q3 2026
Four pricing plans, tailored to your child's goals.
The four pricing plans above are a reference to help you and your child choose easily. Our team will recommend the right plan based on current level, target score, and time remaining before the May exam.
* Tuition does not include VAT.
* Tuition is for reference and may be adjusted based on target score.
* Tuition applies to online 1-on-1 lessons; in-person lessons at our offices cost more.
Our Drawing students are now at top art/design schools worldwide.
Below are recent students who completed the AP Drawing portfolio with us and are now studying at top art schools — RISD, Parsons, Pratt, SCAD, ArtCenter — primarily in Illustration, Animation, Concept Art, Industrial Design.
Student success stories will be published after the May 2026 AP exam, with formal written consent from students and their parents.
Questions parents and students often ask.
The most common questions parents and students ask. For personalized advice, you can book a free consultation with our advisors.
Schedule a consultation