<p>I’ve been considering that, the only problem with that is that kids typically know how hard a class actually is. When teachers have a joke class, they often think it’s harder than it actually is. So I wouldn’t find out the truth most likely.</p>
<p>If you are good at languages, you might not find it difficult, but these classes differ from school to school and the best judge of whether you could handle it is the French teacher. Perhaps he/she can let you attempt a typical French IV exam to see whether you’re on par with the students who have gone through the usual sequence in your school. If he/she knows you are interested in joining the French AP class and supports this plan, he/she might help you get up to speed. After all, you have over six months yet to prepare for that class. Plenty of time to learn if you just know what it is you need to do.</p>
<p>My daughter took three language courses her senior year–French V (AP), Latin IV (she’d taken Latin I the year before and taught herself the rest–her Latin teacher supported her in skipping from Latin I to Latin IV and gave her the materials to do so), and Russian I. They were very, very easy for her, because that’s what’s easy for her. </p>
<p>You could also check a prep book for the AP French exam out of the library and see whether it’s way over your head or not. </p>
<p>Note that the format and content are changing this coming year, so the nature of the course might change as well. I believe the listening was notoriously difficult in years past–you had to listen to news broadcasts and whatnot and talk about topics in French. My daughter’s teacher said that a 5 on the AP exam in French was considered “la bete” (devilishly hard to attain). This may change with the new format.</p>
<p>Alright, I think I’ll try contacting a student from the school and then a teacher. I’d like to her the student’s opinion first about whether it’s hard or not, because typically, AP teachers don’t admit that their class is a joke even if it is… But that’s a really good idea. I appreciate your response. Thanks. (:</p>
<p>Well, you wouldn’t ask the teacher “Is it hard?”</p>
<p>You’d ask the teacher: “I’m thinking of signing up for AP French, but up to now my French studies have been self-taught. Do you have any materials I could look at to see if I’m on pace with the French IV students, or what I might have to do to catch up so I could succeed in AP French? Also, can you give me a sense of the workload in the AP class, because I’m trying to decide if I can handle it along with X, Y, and Z.”</p>
<p>Yes, you also want to ask kids what the workload is like, but you would also have to know how that kid’s talents and challenges compare with your own, KWIM? Are you a hear-it-once-and-you-know-it language learner who will never study for a vocab quiz?</p>
<p>Oh, yes. I was just sort of paraphrasing. I would definitely ask about materials before asking about the workload. Like when I asked my teachers last year if I’d be able to handle AP Biology without prior biology knowledge, they said yes but talked about how ridiculous the workload would be. Yet I don’t do anything for that class and I have a higher grade than all the juniors… I’m afraid that would be how it would work.</p>
<p>And at my new school French III is what precedes AP French. That sort of tips me off that it can’t be that difficult… </p>
<p>That’s another good point. I’ll be careful about who I speak with… I’m sort of like that. I hear words and get most of them, but I typically review my vocabulary before quizzes and tests to be safe.</p>
<p>i think it really depends on how you work and how much you think you can take on. personally i think its a bit much fro you to take it on your junior year amidst all of your other aps - but its really up to you</p>
<p>Okay. Thanks for your input, LaPrincesa. (:</p>