AP English Language vs English Literature ?

[MarkT]

My son's school told him he could take AP English Language and Composition or AP English Literature and Composition as a Junior. I am trying to convince him that he should take AP English Language and Composition first. He is STEM kid who is a good "technical" writer but does not particularly like creative writing.

 

He has not taken any AP classes yet.

[Mom22ns]

Language and Composition is typically taken before Literature. It isn't required, but since most do, I think it is a disadvantage to be in Lit without having taken comp. AP Lit classes generally make the assumption that the student is already an excellent writer.

[Luckymama]

Will he have to take both? If there are no other options, I would have him take Lang before Lit. It would make the writing portion of Lit go more smoothly.

 

Lit involves so much analysis. When dd learned from her older sister that there is always a poetry FRQ (one of the three, I believe) she informed me that she will not be taking Lit. Never ever ever, was her exact wording :lol:

[yvonne]

I wonder if a student takes AP Lit and earns a 5 on the exam (indicating that he actually mastered the material), would he really need to take a separate AP Lang & Comp course to do well on the AP L&C exam?  

 

It seems like the skills required for the lit exam would be a super set of the skills required for the lang & comp exam, no?

Edited January 28, 2016 by yvonne

[MomsintheGarden]

I wonder if a student takes AP Lit and earns a 5 on the exam (indicating that he actually mastered the material), would he really need to take a separate AP Lang & Comp course to do well on the AP L&C exam?  

 

It seems like the skills required for the lit exam would be a super set of the skills required for the lang & comp exam, no?

 

I would say this is a fair assessment.  Two of my children (so far) have successfully self-studied for both English APs.  We've found that the terms and skills needed for the Language are a subset of those for the Lit.  The Language has the synthesis essay, but that essay is not so bad if you practice to make sure you can get through the material in the time allowed.

 

Dd did Lang in 11th and Lit in 12th.  That is the most natural progression.  Ds did Lit first because we had to travel for his sister's college graduation on the day of the Language exam that year.  He did fine, but definitely found the Lang easier after studying for the Lit.

 

 

[Penguin]

Huh. Thanks for the enlightenment. I had the idea that the lit exam was easier than the language exam. But I don't know why I thought that.

[JoanHomeEd]

My STEM kid who took the AP Lit exam (5, Mrs Green, PA Homeschoolers) told me creative writing is not required.

Also, AP Lit and AP Lang scores are worth differently at different universities.

For example, at U of I, AP Lit would give 7 hours vs 4 hours for AP Lang (2015-16).

https://admissions.illinois.edu/Apply/Freshman/college-credit-AP

But U of A granted the same number of units (2014-15). 

http://catalog.arizona.edu/2014-15/policies/apexam.htm

[KarenNC]

My STEM kid who took the AP Lit exam (5, Mrs Green, PA Homeschoolers) told me creative writing is not required.

Also, AP Lit and AP Lang scores are worth differently at different universities.

For example, at U of I, AP Lit would give 7 hours vs 4 hours for AP Lang (2015-16).

https://admissions.illinois.edu/Apply/Freshman/college-credit-AP

But U of A granted the same number of units (2014-15). 

http://catalog.arizona.edu/2014-15/policies/apexam.htm

 

I've also seen colleges that say they will give credit for one or the other but not both, so it definitely pays to check with the colleges the student might have in mind.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

FWIW-my nieces in public school always referred to AP Lang as 11th grade AP English and AP Lit as 12 grade AP English.

I can only assume this is a common perception.  

 

If I were only planning on taking one course I would choose Lit.  Both courses seem heavily focused on writing but lit seems to offer a broader range of analytical skills.  In terms of reading and analysis assignments they use different materials.  

Edited January 30, 2016 by JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst

[Luckymama]

Lang: mix of nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, essays/speeches, novels, short stories

Lit: mix of novels, short stories, plays, poetry

 

Lang works better for the kid who, shall I say, despises literary analysis and who just needs a 5 (or 4) to place out of the lit requirement at college (most schools we've looked at over the past seven years still had a mandatory writing class even if the student scored a 5 on Lit/Lang).

[MarkT]

Lang: mix of nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, essays/speeches, novels, short stories

Lit: mix of novels, short stories, plays, poetry

 

Lang works better for the kid who, shall I say, despises literary analysis and who just needs a 5 (or 4) to place out of the lit requirement at college (most schools we've looked at over the past seven years still had a mandatory writing class even if the student scored a 5 on Lit/Lang).

I think my DS would like to skip Lit based on above!

[Luckymama]

I think my DS would like to skip Lit based on above!

I have promised dd that if she scores a 4 or 5 on Lang (which she should--80% of her teacher's students score 4/5) that she will not have to take Lit next year. Let's just say she's motivated and working hard at her least favorite subject ;)

[DebbS]

I would decide based on whether the college that your son might attend gives credit for a required course or just an elective.  My son was received credit for a required course with the A/P lit exam but my daughter, who will be attending a different campus in the same system, can only receive a required course credit with the A/P language and comp exam. She already passed the lit exam so she'll be taking the language and comp. exam in the spring.

[yvonne]

Debb S. -  Is your dd doing additional preparation for the AP Lit exam, over & above what she's already done for the Lang & Comp exam?  Or just reviewing and/or practice L&C exams?

[G5052]

I would decide based on whether the college that your son might attend gives credit for a required course or just an elective.  My son was received credit for a required course with the A/P lit exam but my daughter, who will be attending a different campus in the same system, can only receive a required course credit with the A/P language and comp exam. She already passed the lit exam so she'll be taking the language and comp. exam in the spring.

 

Yes, and just to show you the insanity.

 

At the community college where I used to work you get 6 credits for freshman English if you get a 3 or above on the AP Lang exam. If you take the AP Lit exam with a 3 or more, you get 6 credits of 200-level literature.

 

BUT if you transfer to the nearest 4-year school with the transfer agreement, they offer credit for freshman English with either AP English exam for a 4 or 5. No other English transfer credit.

 

One of my oldest's friends is working on an application to transfer into one of the engineering programs under guaranteed admission, and he only needs the freshman English. So he can use his AP Lit score there, and he's finished everything else.

 

HOWEVER, the community college won't graduate him without freshman English even though they gave him 6 credits of 200-literature with a prerequisite of freshman English. He's gone around and around with them, and it finally looks like he'll just take the Composition CLEP. The school he's transferring to says he's done with English, but the community college says no. Go figure.