<p>Well, I don't really want to take AP Lit next year. Part of it is that people seem to have having extreme trouble getting an A in the class and the teacher is seen by many as essentially apathetic and lazy; part of it is that it's going to be senior year and I'd like to focus on things like piano a bit more before heading off to college.</p>
<p>Problem is, I really need those credits from the AP test for the college I intend to get to (and yes, in terms of stats, it's a safety, so I'm pretty much guaranteed to get in).</p>
<p>I'd like to take regular non-AP English, maybe, and self-study for the AP exam. How hard do you think it would be to get a 5? A 4 would also work, but I'd rather prefer a 5.</p>
<p>If it counts for anything, I got 800 CR, I read a lot, and I'm expecting around a 770 on SAT 2 Literature after looking at the CC thread with answers after about half an hour of studying. Considering those, I'd like to know how feasible it is to self study Lit and what I need to do in order to do so--best review books, etc.</p>
<p>It’s statistically pretty hard to get a 5. Without learning how to write an AP Lit essay well (very different than typical essays), I don’t think you will get one. You can get some review books I guess, but you won’t be able to get stuff graded, you won’t really know if what you’re doing is right… Eh. I think you’ll probably get a 4 without the class and too much studying, but a 5 is definitely not out of the question.
Also, you should know that SAT 2 Lit is far easier than AP Lit multiple choice questions. I mean good job on the test, you don’t really need me to tell you that you did well, it’s just that it’s not so rigorous compared to the AP Lit exam.</p>
<p>In terms of review books-- Princeton Review is best.</p>
<p>^Lol really? I heard from my friends that the SAT II Lit was a lot harder than the AP Exam. I skipped out on taking the SAT II last minute, so I don’t know for myself, though.</p>
<p>Anyway, I got a 5 last year with minimal essay practice (especially in-class), so you should be fine. What I would do is talk to your classmates who’re in the Lit class and get the reading list, so you can read the same books. Read as much classic literature as you can, because it’ll really help a) with your literary analysis skills (try to read the books in looking at the author’s diction, tone, imagery, etc. and what that all does for the story), b) with your third essay topic, that requires you to write about a book of great literary merit.</p>
<p>But 800 CR won’t help at all; this is nothing like SAT reading…
770 on the SAT II will help with the MC, but not the essays. For those, you’re obviously going to have to write your own, and I would compare those to the “9” examples in review books. It’s not the best method, I know, but it’s not like you’re gonna have a teacher around who can review them for you (unless, of course, you can think of one who’d be willing to help XD).</p>
<p>^Agreed. As long as you’re well-read in literature (look at examples from previous tests) and can write coherently, you’ll be fine. I was in IB English last year, which (obviously) didn’t teach us to write AP essays, but I used the same books we read in class and a few I’d read on my own and got a 5. If you’re good at critical reading, you’ll be fine.</p>