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How do you know your kids are ready to take AP Tests for Foreign Languages?


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When you have AP Foreign Language test scores, some colleges may give you enough credits to be equivalent to 2 years of language study in colleges. I am wondering if it means that AP is at the level of 2 years of language study in college. Conversely, I wonder if someone with 2 years of dual language study in college will be ready to take AP successfully when they need AP scores. BTW, my kids have chosen German to study.

 

What's your kids' experience on AP tests if they have?

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because he had to sign up in Feb here...

 

Since he'll need AP tests in the future, I thought he might as well try - that way he would have one less to worry about.

 

As a homeschooled student in Geneva, he needed to take the 9th grade French test that all the other students in the canton were taking - like a Swiss student in the US would have to be tested in English probably.

 

So I was just giving an educated guess that the level was equal to 2 years of college....Now that I've looked through the prep book extensively and he's taken the test, I'd say it is about equivalent to 8th or 9th grade (in Geneva which might be different for a different country or canton). While the grammar, conjugation, etc might be easier, the speed of answering and analyzing multiple choice answers and the essay, might be harder for younger students.

 

The only tricky parts are the open ended (oral answer) questions and the essay section. Sometimes the questions are about aspects of life that a 9th grader has not thought that much about....

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Thank you very much, Joan !!!

 

Indeed it was quite easy decision for you as he is where he is now!!! He may go after tackling extra languages too!

 

You mentioned looking through the prep book. Do you mean study guide books are available in AP Language subjects?

 

You mentioned that your 9th grader had to face one tricky parts in AP due to his young aged life. That a nice point to hear! Hope your son handled such parts nicely.

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You mentioned looking through the prep book. Do you mean study guide books are available in AP Language subjects?

 

 

 

Yes, if you have a B&N or Borders (or some other large-ish bookstore) nearby, I suggest spending a chunk of time in their test-prep section. You'll see where a good chunk of my dh's paycheck has gone this last year :lol: Between SAT, SAT subject tests, and APs, I've bought 12 test prep books since September - for one student. But as of today, she's done till she takes more SAT subject tests in October.:001_huh:

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You'll see where a good chunk of my dh's paycheck has gone this last year :lol: Between SAT, SAT subject tests, and APs, I've bought 12 test prep books since September - for one student.

HHAHAHA...12 prep books for one child !

 

Thank you for letting me know that AP language prep books are available. Do you personally feel AP is harder than SAT foreign language tests, or just same?

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When you have AP Foreign Language test scores, some colleges may give you enough credits to be equivalent to 2 years of language study in colleges. I am wondering if it means that AP is at the level of 2 years of language study in college. Conversely, I wonder if someone with 2 years of dual language study in college will be ready to take AP successfully when they need AP scores. BTW, my kids have chosen German to study.

 

What's your kids' experience on AP tests if they have?

 

No specific answers for you, but I did want to encourage you to check with the college or university your dc will attend to find out what the options are there. At some colleges students can be given credit for all prior classes simply for taking a free, school-sponsored placement test and then earning an A in the next class taken.

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Do you personally feel AP is harder than SAT foreign language tests, or just same?

 

I would definitely think it is harder. But my son will take the SAT II French in June, which I signed up for as back up, not knowing how he would do on the AP and had to sign up before the AP was taken.

 

Just to give an idea - the SAT II is only 1 hour long I believe...I'm not sure exactly how long the AP was because time was spent teaching them how to use the microphones, etc...but he was in there 4:20...and there is an essay and verbal response on the AP. You can take a verbal SAT in Nov...not sure how that compares...if you take both SAT II French tests...

 

Anyway, I'll give you more info in June...

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Joan,

I personally thank you to bring your thought on between AP Language vs. SAT Language. Foreign Language is the one really new area to my son as he was in public middle school until last year. They taught only 1 year language then. So I am just curious on this subject. BTW, when your son is so advanced in French already, he should take an advantage of learning extra languages if he likes.

 

Just to give an idea - the SAT II is only 1 hour long I believe...I'm not sure exactly how long the AP was because time was spent teaching them how to use the microphones, etc...but he was in there 4:20...

 

I am not aware about SAT II yet. Is it that short, just a hour long? I previously read your post on AP Test experience. You mentioned that your son's AP French Test was very long (longer than supposed), 1 to 4:20pm. I guess it is happening to others too. In fact it happened to my son's AP Calculus too. He began it at 8am, but I met him out of building was at 12:20pm.

 

Anyway, I'll give you more info in June...

 

Yes, hope to hear from you again soon.

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Yes, each SAT subject test is ~ an hour. The AP for foreign language is ~ 3 hours, and the student might be in the test center longer depending on how many students are taking it, because of the speaking audio prompts. This year the French exam had a fiasco with the listening part, I believe the timing was off so it moved too quickly. Students have the option to retake the test at a later date.

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HHAHAHA...12 prep books for one child !

 

Thank you for letting me know that AP language prep books are available. Do you personally feel AP is harder than SAT foreign language tests, or just same?

 

My dd hasn't taken the AP foreign language yet. She felt the SAT French was the hardest SAT subject test she's taken (she's also done Lit, Math and Chemistry).

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the student might be in the test center longer depending on how many students are taking it, because of the speaking audio prompts. This year the French exam had a fiasco with the listening part, I believe the timing was off so it moved too quickly. Students have the option to retake the test at a later date.

 

Thank you for sharing your information on AP. Hmmm, so if there are more kids in the test room, we can expect some delay in finishing? Right, my son was with many kids in the AP Calculus test room. The test lasted 4 hour 20 min(8am to 12:20pm). His AP Music Theory test also had lots of audio part. He was the only one testee but the test still lasted 3 hour 40 min (8am to 11:40am).

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This is a wonderful link that has been posted on the WTM Forum before -- and it is well worth bookmarking for all future AP endeavors. It gets you to many years of actual tests and sample answers/evaluations:

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/exam/exam_questions/index.html

 

I have no experience with the foreign language APs, but we have found the published exams on the College Board's AP Central to be a great way to practice. The only thing that is lacking is the multiple choice portion -- the multiple choice questions are closely guarded by the College Board. You can purchase past mc tests, but we have never done that -- and I'm not sure how hard it is to do that.

 

I would not think that you would need a current prep book -- unless there have been changes in the exam structure. I have noticed that many of the SAT/ACT prep books are identical year to year. I'll bet that's the same for AP.

 

Good luck!

~Brigid

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BTW, when your son is so advanced in French already, he should take an advantage of learning extra languages if he likes.

 

1 to 4:20pm.

 

Yes, hope to hear from you again soon.

 

Well he's been learning German and before that Mandarin...But now that I'm thinking of him doing the Swiss Maturite (like the French Bacc)...he would need to drastically increase his German capabilities.....we're going to go to a homeschool camp in German (here in CH) in June to try a little immersion. :)

 

The AP lasted 4 hr 20 min...Thanks readwithem for the official time - I thought it was 3 hrs but wasn't sure since it took SOOO long...My ds says there was no problem with the listening part...I wonder if that was just in the US...He even had time to read the next question...

 

Anyway, I've been looking through the SAT II prep book...it is a lot easier than the AP...Even for the French with Listening test (which also lasts only an hour), there is no free answer, verbal response, or essay to write.

 

It makes sense that it is harder...Since both SAT II and AP are by the College Board, it would not make sense to make two different tests at the same level.

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My dd took both the Latin AP exam (Aeneid) and the SATII. She actually found the AP exam to be easier, and her scores reflected that!!!

 

I can't explain it -- the AP exam should be harder. It may be dd is just unusual or it could be that for whatever reason the Latin SAT2 is just really hard.

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My dd took both the Latin AP exam (Aeneid) and the SATII. She actually found the AP exam to be easier, and her scores reflected that!!!

 

Just curious here...it doesn't seem like there would be a spoken or essay part to this - is that true?

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