<p>How hard is the AP German exam? Ive heard is almost impossible to get a 5..</p>
<p>How good is your German? My teacher doesn't advise anyone to take it unless they have a really strong background (more than 4 years). I probably don't plan to take it. Look at the sample MC questions given at apcentral.collegeboard.com and see what you think.</p>
<p>I'll try and give you a good idea of what it is like for me (I took it this year). </p>
<p>I took German for four years, ending in AP IV. I was the type of student who would half-ass study for tests the night before and do just enough to get As and Bs (though mostly Bs). I think my average in AP IV was like an 83. OUR class wasnt too bad given that all homework was a completion grade and the only grades that really affected your grade, assuming that you did all of your required work, were tests and quizes. My teacher knew I wasnt a great speaker and I couldn't do anything amazingly sophisticated. I was the kinda "Ich mag Geige spielen, weil ich Musik mag." type kid. I was pretty sure my teacher didn't want me to take the AP exam but I did anyway (I figured I'd wasted four years, I'm going to take it no matter what). </p>
<p>Thus being said, I came out of that exam wishing I knew how to actually speak German. I found it EXTREMLY hard. This isn't to say however that you should not take it, I'm just trying to give you a good idea of what it was like for a person like me (an average student who wasn't fully enamored with the language). I'm expecting a one, would like a two, and would have a heart-attack if I got a three or higher.</p>
<p>Hope this did something for you.</p>
<p>I thought it was very hard. I'm not that good at german though.</p>
<p>I haven't yet looked at the exact exam format. What type of questions were on it? I personally enjoy foreign languages and am particularly good with grammar, I can imagine the most difficult aspect of the exam is vocabulary, but I have not taken the exam so I do not know.
I think one good way to test ones ability in reading comprehension is to get a book written in that language. For aural comprehension, I think something like a dubbed TV show or movie is nice.
bis spaeter!</p>
<p>It all depends on your background and what kinds of classes you've had. All my classes were very heavy on speaking (spoke exclusively german since german I actually) and writing so I was well-prepared, plus I did spend a month in Germany sophomore year. There is speaking and writing on the test along with reading and listening so it basically tests everything. If you haven't spoken german much in your classes or heard another person speak if often, you will have trouble with this test.</p>
<p>crap, violinguy1234 sounds just like me.
I blame the sum of all idiots I've met since German I.</p>
<p>The curve is in the high 70%s (like 75% or more) to get a 5 which is higher than most AP Tests. it's definitely hard. Only about 7-8% of non-native speakers get a 5. Getting a 4 is definitely attainable. </p>
<p>I learned German last summer when I went to Germany for 6 weeks. I took AP German this year and didn't really learn anything. I am expecting a 4 on the exam, although it seemed harder than the practice we took, so maybe I could get a 3. </p>
<p>They just changed the reading section this year, and it is harder and longer. I found that I could understand the reading passages pretty well, but it was the questions that got me. (What is that asking??) But, the speaking and listening are pretty simple. My worst section was the fill in the blanks section. That probably killed me. For the essay, just put in everything you know about German. I wrote mine mostly in past Subjunctive II and threw in some Subjunctive I for quotes.</p>
<p>Here is the format</p>
<p>It goes,</p>
<p>-----MC------
Listening (2 Parts)</p>
<p>Reading (just like the sat reading, except the questions are probably easier :) )</p>
<p>-----Free Response------
Writing: You have one block of time to complete both the essay and the fill in the blank. You have plenty of time for this. </p>
<p>Speaking: You have to speak for 20 seconds in response to 5 prompts. Then, you have to speak for 2 minutes describing a series of pictures.</p>
<p>My classes have all stressed reading, at the expense of speaking and gramamar. I did well on the reading and writing portions, but not so well on the listening and terrible on the speaking. I'm hoping for a 4; probably got somewhere close of the 3-4 cut-off...</p>
<p>I thought it was really easy, and my ap class was a joke (and it was only my fourth year taking German). We never had homework, and we had four tests all year (midterm, AATG, AP, and final).</p>
<p>That said, I don't know what I got on it. I don't care if I got a 5, if I get a 4 I'm exempt from my foriegn language requirement.</p>
<p>AATG tests are a joke, i hate taking those.</p>
<p>haha, yes, I love it when they print the listening questions in the book and then the ones they ask you aren't the same...</p>
<p>Or maybe you didn't take that one?</p>
<p>I think a lot of it depends on your instructor...I had an AMAZING German teacher for four years, and she taught me everything I needed to know. I also spent a month in Germany my sophomore year (I won a study trip), so it's fair to say that I am at least better than average. However, I think if you have had a strong German class for four years, getting a 5 shouldn't be insanely difficult.</p>
<p>I have lived in Germany for the past 5 years and studied German for all five of those. I am not native, but I had a good teacher. I had all A’s up until I took AP, then I got one B. I took the test and got a 3. I know they revised the test this year, I don’t know if it will be harder or easier, I have heard both. Best thing to do for you to get a gauge on what your chances of passing are is by taking the old tests that have been released and grading yourself. My teacher has us do 5 or so of those before the real test. Hope I could help.</p>