<p>Is Barron's or REA more accurate?
I'm using both and Barron's seems to rely more on idioms and phrases that a Frenchie would know, whereas REA has more grammar that the English-speaking layman would know. I'm doing so much better on the REA tests but I've read on a couple of posts that Barron's was easier than the real thing, which makes me really worried...</p>
<p>the French SAT was very hard- I am learning things right now in my AP French class that were on the test in October. So my advice would be- do every practice test from both books :) Bonne chance!!</p>
<p>:( so both are easier than the real thing itself?
Is the test hard in that it asks for little nuances in grammar, or that it requires a lot of vocabulary?</p>
<p>Bump? (10 char)</p>
<p>there was a lot of grammar- 'laquelle' vs. 'dont' vs. 'que', pronouns, etc. I am not amazing at this, so maybe it was more difficult for me. But make sure to study those- the vocab wasnt too bad. The grammar was like getting hit in the head with a tree made out of stale baguettes.</p>
<p>Here's my advice: Read a lot of French books and magazines and you'll be fine. Perhaps it will better for you to learn the grammar by starting with the basics. Did you learn COD and COI in your AP classes? If you can master them, French will become easier for you. Good luck anyway!</p>
<p>I teach French and my D took both SAT II (with listening-- 670) and AP (3) last year. They are both pretty hard. There is no real need to do Fr w/List. Besides, that test is only given in November. There is also no real need to do French SAT II at all, unless you need it for a second (or third) SAT II, which my D did. Either one can be used for college placement, and taking the AP will give you practically a whole year of study more, since there is a deadline for which schools will accept SAT II scores. What's more, you don't even have to report AP scores, which you do with SAT II, if you are reporting any SAT scores. The one thing to watch out for on the AP is that there is listening comprehension and an oral part, both of which can be quite difficult if you haven't practiced using the CDs that are included in the above-mentioned books. As far as your question about Barron's being easier than the real test, I can't remember what my D said! There are, though, a couple of practice SAT II on the college board web site, both with and without listening. Bonne chance!</p>
<p>What is the curve of French (without listening) SAT II like?</p>
<p>My son is currently doing a year abroad in France -- total immersion, French public high school etc. He's registered to take the SAT II before he comes home. He's working out of the college board prep book and on his practice test got at 670. Any suggestions for studying for this exam?</p>
<p>This test is hard...I can only think that there are native speakers (e.g., Quebecois who want to go to the States for college) who are taking up the high end of the curve...As is the case with the Asian languages.</p>
<p>My daughter has been tutored in French, by native speakers, since the age of 4, has won Bronze Medals on the national French, exam, and spent six weeks over the last two years in intensive French language immersion programs in France...She speaks French fairly fluently. Last fall, she received only a 660 on the French with listening...Which is on the low side for the colleges she wants to apply to. She continues to take French (she's a junior) and will take the exam again come November.</p>
<p>Your son may do much better on the French w/listening (offered only in fall) given his background. Certainly that was the case with my daughter; the listening section pulled up her score.</p>
<p>We plan on spending two weeks in France at our language school before the exam, where she can get intensive tutoring focussed toward the exam...
Hoping it helps. French is really a strong point for her, and it bugs me that she did so much better in biology than French!</p>
<p>HTH...</p>
<p>My D took a CB practice test from the Official Subject Test book and got a 760. (without listening). She too has place in national french exam in the top 6 for 3 years and is French IV Honors. </p>
<p>Your two children have way more exposure to French than my D's classroom exposure. Have they tried the one without listening? Or is my D score a complete fluke? She should probably take a couple more from the same book to ensure the consistency in her score.</p>
<p>What books would you recommend for someone like her who may need a brush up/review course.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>What's the curve for the SAT II French?</p>
<p>bump......</p>
<p>D (junior in AP) took the French Sat II in January and did well (760) - has spent a total of 5 weeks in her life in France. I wonder if the SAT isn't heavy on the grammar, so it's not so much about fluency as the sticking points of the language? I don't remember what book she used to prep, but she did say her score was higher on the actual exam than on the practice ones.</p>
<p>I'm in the same situation as the OP. I'm socring in the low 700s on the REA pratice tests but 600s on Barrons. which tests are more accurate? I agree with the OP about the different apporaches. I'm in French 3 by the way and have learned the language exclusively in the classroom, although I have one of the highest grades in my class.</p>
<p>the grammar is very hard.</p>
<p>ok…i have princeton review and took a practice test and got a 770…is this accurate? (I HOPE SO)</p>
<p>With the money, time, and resources people are claiming to have spent on this while producing only meager below-700 results, this test is looking very difficult. I’m wondering what chance I have without so many opportunities.</p>
<p>All language tests are DIFFICULT for non-native speakers, by design. Four years of HS French or Spanish might result in a ~600 score to an average B+/A- student, and maybe 700+ to an AP student. Strong AP students tend to perform extremely well on the language subject tests.</p>
<p>The local owner of the PR test prep counsels students to skip the language tests unless they are in AP or the family speaks it at home.</p>