<p>I prefer REA over Barron’s. I know there’s a PR French SAT II book. Fightchoke, I’ve heard of Dr Seuss in French :D</p>
<p>Okay, I’m thinking of minoring in French in college, but don’t know what to do as far as tests go. </p>
<p>I don’t feel I would be prepared for the AP exam, because I’ve had a god-awful French teacher for all four years of HS who I feel has kind of handicapped me. 
I’m in French V this year (I guess it’s considered AP/college level) and have covered mostly grammar this year (differentiating between passe compose/l’imparfait/plus que parfait, futur tenses, and we just finished a very unsuccessful unit on le subjonctif). We’ve only just started doing dictations and have done VERY few listening exercises, though I do listen to lots of French music! And have a ton of French podcasts that I haven’t listened to… We’re “required” to speak only French in class but only do so for projects where we have to speak in front of the class. Though we have done several essay projects and are required to write a short redaction for each chapter test, but I’m not sure if there’s a writing portion on the AP test. I’ve always been one of the better students in French and am very motivated to learn the language. I also have studied in France for a short while.</p>
<p>With an adequate at home study program, should I study for the AP test, or just see how I do on placement tests?</p>
<p>For the rest of you taking this test, how rigorous are your French programs, so I have an idea of the “norm” out there?</p>
<p>Merci! :)</p>
<p>Since you feel ‘handicapped’, as you said, anotherday28, you could take the placement tests…after you study at home, perhaps, and maybe see how you do on the SAT II? It’s significantly easier than the AP French exam. The SAT II has multiple choice reading comprehension questions (although you can take a test with listening exclusively in November). For AP, there is an essay portion, a fill in the blank portion (one for verbs and one for everything else, although the verbs are given to you and you have to conjugate them), a speaking portion, and a multiple choice reading comprehension portion.</p>
<p>How is the speaking portion conducted? Is is recorded, or how is it evaluated?</p>
<p>I’m a senior so it’s a little late for the SAT IIs, so I’m thinking of getting a review book and taking some practice tests to evaluate myself…</p>
<p>It is recorded and scored by french teachers throughout the nation.</p>
<p>I don’t suck at French, but I’m not exceptionally good at it, either. Je me debrouille comme ci comme ca (I get by okay) :). Is listening to French music a good way to improve your listening?</p>
<p>YES! Especially rap, since they speak rather quickly. Anotherday28, it’s recorded on a computer or cassette/CD/etc and sent to Collegeboard to grade.</p>
<p>We just started a unit on que, qui, dont, lequel, etc, and I basically want to jump off a bridge now. :|</p>
<p>Do any of you know the score cutoffs for past exams? Also do any of you know where I could find past exams? Thank you very much.</p>
<p>Thought I’d bump this thread with the curve info:</p>
<p>AP French Language:</p>
<p>Listening out of 42 questions: [#correct - (1/3)* # missed] * 0.9524
Reading out of 40 questions: [# correct - (1/3) * # missed] * 1
Word Fill-ins out of 15 questions: # correct * 0.5333
Verb Fill-ins out of 15 questions: # correct * 0.5333
Essay out of 9 points: score * 2.6667
Speaking out of 25 points: score * 1.6</p>
<p>Add all parts up, and this is your composite score</p>
<p>126-160 = 5
110-125 = 4
82-109 = 3
63-81 = 2
0 -62 = 1</p>
<p>Note: Test is curved by non-native speakers</p>
<p>(from a post by gblob331)
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/ap-tests-preparation/499244-thread-ap-exam-curves-2.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/ap-tests-preparation/499244-thread-ap-exam-curves-2.html</a></p>
<p>so with this curve here’s about the minimum you can get while still getting a 5! (not leaving any questions blank)
listening: 35/42
reading: (i put a super low score here because it’s hard!!) 30/40
word fill-ins/function words: 13/15
verbs: 14/15
essay: 8/9
speaking: 22/25
that’s not that hard i dont think. i’ve been speaking french since kindergarten so i really want to get a 5!!</p>
<p>I did it for myself,
listening 36/42
reading 30/40
fill-ins 10/15
verbs 8/15
essay 7/9
speaking 18/25</p>
<p>and i would get a 116. which is pretty much borderline a 3/4!! why does the 4 range have to be the smallest :(</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>What is this supposed to mean?</p>
<p>It’s just hitting me that this test is Monday…</p>
<p>Crap.</p>
<p>oh my god guys, it’s on monday @___@ cram cram cram</p>
<p>It’s monday…crap…i’m scared…i will be scar(r)ed after monday</p>
<p>40 hours and 5 minutes until the exam… O.o</p>
<p>Is anybody else taking government too? :(</p>
<p>pbbuff what version of the test are you taking,</p>
<p>US govt. so same day.</p>
<p>the collegeboard is really starting to tick me off… 78.5% for a 5?? really…for a French exam with a ridiculous reading part, and semi-hard listening, 67% should be 5 and and 57 should be 4…
6% non-natives (and out of this 6%, some have intense background in French) scoring a 5 seems harsh.</p>
<p>And it’s not really 78.5%, its actually a bit more if you get an answer wrong…
Either the negative penalty shouldn’t be there or the total score for 5 should be reduced.</p>
<p>J’aime pas du tout le Collegeboard, Je vais tuer le mec qui va me donner un 5/9 sur l’essai.</p>