<p>i know i want to take one of them this year, but my school has stopped offering courses so it has to be on my own, but I don't know which one I should take! Does anybody know what the major differences are/ if one is easier than the other? I heard lit is a lot of analytical critical reading stuff while language is more like how well you can write?</p>
<p>gracias</p>
<p>At my school the IB kids take Lit and the normal kids take Lang...I don't know much besides that.</p>
<p>most schools (especially the top tier ones) only take the literature exam as credit. the language exam isn't too important quite yet (probably due to its senseless prompt essay (#3) that tests your ability to make an argument, where as the lit exam's #3 essay actually tests your knowledge of books and weaving that knowledge into your argument). so unless you're shooting for a state school, take the lit exam.</p>
<p>EDIT: and if you were to take the language exam, you wouldn't find too many prep books that would help you with the new synthesis essay they've added.</p>
<p>synthesis essay? what is this syn essay u speak of</p>
<p>From what my lang teacher has told me, the new Synthesis Essay is like a DBQ. </p>
<p>Personally I would take the Lit exam if your school doesn't offer the courses.</p>
<p>it depends. are you good at writing or lit? ap lit test is all about how much you've read. basically they ask you specific questions from a wide range of books and the only way you can answer them is if you have read the book. its a pretty scary test and i dont know many people who take it. however, ap lang is all about writing and you need to get really good at writing all sorts of essays in a short period of time. so i guess its whatever your strenghts are.</p>
<p>
[quote]
ap lit test is all about how much you've read. basically they ask you specific questions from a wide range of books and the only way you can answer them is if you have read the book.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>now I'm scared.</p>
<p>The way they phrased it is definitely off and makes it sound harder than it is.</p>
<p>For Lit:
The multiple choice and first two essays provide you with passages (both prose and poetry), and then you must analyze them, either by answering the questions of responding to the essay topic. Obviously, a string background in analyzing literature helps for this, one that a classroom would probably help for, but if you read a lot, it should be ok.
The third essay is open ended, about themes or diction or symbolism or whatever of a book. Only, you have to write on a book you've already read from memory, they don't give you the passage. And the book has to live up to a standard of literary merit...don't write on a kids' book oven if it fits. They do give you a list of works that would be applicable for the topic, to get your mind going, but you aren't limited to those books if you've read another that works. There are certain works that are really useful in terms of being able to fit a wide variety of the topics/almost always show up on the lists...you probably want to try to read those if you don't have a teacher telling you what to read.</p>
<p>In terms of Lang...I took it back in sophomore year...but I don't remember much about it. Plus, as people have said, it's changing this year.</p>
<p>Lang is generally considered the easier one (most people take it first, etc etc) and my experience and that of my friends backs this up. However, if you think you can do lit, that will be looked more highly upon.</p>
<p>so are the number of essays required per ap eng the same? or does lang have more than lit? and when u say "writing fast" do u mean like SAT1 writing fast (5 para essay in like 25 min...?) or like regular AP exam kinda writing time (like in Euro where ur supposed to write 3 essays and they give u like an alotted time so u can spend more time on one or whatevs)</p>
<p>AP Literature is how well you analyze text</p>
<p>AP Language is how creative and good you write</p>
<p>So go with what you are good at. Personally I suck at both, but I'm still required to take both :/</p>
<p>At my school, the students who aren't smart enough to take AP Lit take AP Lang.</p>
<p>If you're good at the CR section of the SATs and a decent writer, take Lang. I took it last year without having taken the course and with no outside prep and got a 5.</p>
<p>AP Lang is so much easier. Like Saucy, I didn't take the class or do any prep and got a 5 as a sophomore, whereas a test prep thing for AP Lit (didn't take the class either) predicted I'd get a 1. Ha, ha, ha. It's a lot of terminology you need to know, plus it's just plain ugly and boring. Lang is a lot easier to wing.</p>
<p>I think Lit is a lot easier to wing, although I did do well on the Lang test. And Lang normally comes before Lit at most schools.. Just so you know though, the curve for Lang is a little harder..</p>