<p>So the AP French exam is about two months away, and at this point, I can probably get a low 3. I've been taking french for four years, but my teachers didn't do a great job at preparing us for the AP test.
Is it still possible for me to self-study to get a 5 if I spend around 2 hours a day reading articles, watching videos, practicing writing, etc.? Or is it probably best to give up?</p>
<p>I can’t give you a great answer, since I can’t gauge your level of French even from the description you gave. However, if you were really to put all that practice in, then I don’t see why you shouldn’t at least get a 4.</p>
<p>At this point, it’s probably good to practice to the test, but make sure you’re getting as well-rounded an exposure as you can, to be ready for anything.
-Watch videos/listen to radio broadcasts/read articles about French and Francophone culture to practice not just comprehension, but also to gain some insight for the culture parts of the exam. I know last year, having read lots of articles about immigration to France helped me immensely on the oral presentation. I don’t quite remember the prompt, but I remember it was quite general; however, being able to hone in on specific cultural events and points was quite helpful, and, I think, impressive to the rater.
-Practice the specific writing tasks you’ll be given on the exam. You’ll just be so grateful to have a few things memorized that you don’t have to worry about. Practice writing a letter or email to the president of an organization, to a friend, to a stranger, to an advertiser…practice it all, and have appropriate greetings/register for them all. For the essay, have in mind a few phrases for starting, ending, and transitioning. Master these things so that you’ll just have less to worry about on test day. And, again, practice the actual things from the exam; at this point, general practice in writing and comprehension will be less effective.</p>
<p>Hope this helps! I know self-studying for the brand new AP French exam last year was scary, but I got through it with a 5, so with enough studying, you can, too! Best of luck!</p>