<p>did anyone here on CC take the AP Spanish LANGUAGE exam who is a non-native ?? is it impossible to get a 4 or higher if you're not a native?! would you recommend this course / test to other non-native speakers?</p>
<p>Of course it's not impossible! Most people who take the test are not native. I got a 5 and I am non-native. To get a 4 or 5 you just have to be really good at Spanish grammar.</p>
<p>hmm thanks for that mallomar
any other thoughts? bumpp</p>
<p>I agree with mallomar. At my school (public btw), AP Spanish is after four years, and usually a quarter of the kids get fives every year. Spanish grammar and the ability to read decently quickly (maybe 2/3rds as fast as you read in English) are key. You also need to be able to construct a solid essay using semi-advanced grammar like "lo que quiero hacer es..." and "Al amanecer, me levanto...". Vocab and oral comprehension are semi-important, and speaking ability not that important.</p>
<p>I'm a native speaker, so if u need help with ur spanish, just PM :d</p>
<p>It is definitely possible! I got a 4 my junior year, and I consider my Spanish skills to be pretty poor. I think it depends on how your school sets up AP Spanish- my school you are allowed to take the course after finishing Spanish 1-4 and we take a LOT of practice tests and do a lot of practice speaking tests (which was my weakness). Give it a try-what do you have to lose?</p>
<p>the AP spanish test changed though. and it's hard. :(</p>
<p>^^ it hasn't changed TOO much.</p>
<p>It's difficult, as all the language tests are -- think about it: it's a different language! Of course it's not going to be easy, but if you studied throughout the year, it's definitely doable.</p>
<p>What your prep should've been like:
-reading and writing every day
-speaking it to yourself and others
-hearing it every day (for a good amount of time -- an hour or so)
-learning words each day
-studying grammar each day</p>
<p>Obviously, the four modes of language + the elements/principles of language. Doing well on the AP Spanish exam is as much about being proficient in the language as it is about knowing the exam structure and approaches well. Get Barron's 2007-2008 prep book with CDs.</p>
<p>Look at the breakdown of last years scores:</p>
<p>Score Percent
5 23.4%
4 24.5%
3 27.9%
2 15.3%
1 8.9%</p>
<p>~76% passed the exam. ~50% got a 4 or a 5. I know many non-native speakers who got a 4 or a 5.</p>
<p>Here's what a friend who took the exam last year told me: he was always behind in readings; he procrastinated on the assignments and projects; and he didn't prepare a whole lot for the exam. He didn't STUDY a lot, either, and he's no prodigy in language (but he gets Spanish). The class wasn't rigorous (I'm taking it this year) at all. He says his vocab was and is weak, but he knew the grammar well. But above all, he used a lot of logic on the test: he knew what couldn't go, he used process of elimination, he thought critically. And he got a 5.</p>
<p>Of course, the exam has changed, but it's still possible to get a good score on it. See the breakdown for the exam here:</p>
<p>Yeah, I got a 4 on it and I'm not native. I took it last year as a sophomore, but my school doesn't have an AP class so I sort of self studied. Regardless, I really didn't know what was going to be on it. Know your subjunctive, be able to write with it, and you'll be fine.</p>
<p>The test has changed a great deal for this year. My teacher usually has about a 80% 5 rate, and he is freaked out. We've been practicing, and the formal speaking is going to be a *****.</p>
<p>I heard that since this is the first year of the test the graders will be more lenient then in future years? Anyone else heard this?</p>
<p>^No I haven't heard this, and yes the test has changed a lot this year but last year it changed a lot from two years before that and before that too. The test is constantly changing and I don't think graders are going to be more lenient. They will just grade the differences differently. </p>
<p>And I'm a non-native and I got a 5 last year. Just practice!</p>
<p>It hasn't changed A LOT this year, but it's changed a bit (new "fill in the blank" section, etc.).</p>
<p>anyone have any released old ap spanish exams?</p>
<p>btw what's the best book to purchase for spanish? barron's maybe?</p>
<p>The AP Spanish teacher at our school has been really frustrated at the lack of information and materials available to prepare for the test this year. She wasn't able to get curricular materials in the classroom until halfway through the school year, and is not requiring the kids to take the exam this year, even though she historically has LOTS of 5's. She feels she wasn't able to adequately prepare them for the changes that were made-- I think there is a lot more listening required and less time given to respond. We'll see-- my son is going to give it a shot.</p>
<p>only 8% of non-native speakers (native speakers includes people who have lived in a spanish speaking country for more than 3 months) got a 5.</p>
<p>I would say its pretty hard. Check out the stats here. </p>
<p>People are liars. It is going to be impossible this year. Last year, all but two kids at my school who took it (30ish people) got a 3 or higher, and more than half of them got 5's. But they changed it, and we didn't find out until January, and it's impossible now. Formal oral is...killer..the whole thing is wacked out, they score essays differently...I'm not even sure if you still get a score out of 5, my teacher was going on about how you get either high/medium/low's now. Basically, I'm not expecting to pass it, but the county pays for it so I have to take it. Good luck.</p>
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<p>this is the reason they changed the test. my teacher said many colleges felt the test was too easy. my ap teacher, even though pretty new, has already developed a rep as a great AP teacher. last year, 12 out 18 kids got 5. this year, she is also freaked out but she got the new AP Spanish book from Prentice Hall which is updated for this test. the colleges forced collegeboard to increase the difficulty of 4 or's 5. im mad but i totally understand the reasons for the change. honestly, if you are not a good speaker, you're not dead. however, one must be spot on with the reading sections (i believe 5-6 in 45 mins), the two fill in sections, and the formal essay section. the formal speaking isnt too hard since one of the sources is a written article. increased level of vocab and use of advanced grammar (all forms of subjunctive, gerunds, past participles, and futuro/condicional) is being stressed everyday in my class. all in all, the test is more difficult, yet if one focuses on the certain aspects they look for, a 5 is possible.</p>