To Anyone Who Scored a 700+ in Latin

<p>Thanks to ProPiper for giving me the idea to make a thread like this.</p>

<p>I'm just wondering how you studied for this test, because it seems somewhat impossible to study for. I read part of the REA book (it's pretty long so I couldn't get through all of it) and took both of the practice tests (scored low, 610 & 620) and then I felt like I couldn't really do anything else, partially because it was Friday night, and also because there are only 2 practice tests. As far as I know, there's only the REA book. I took the real SAT Latin in June and got a 690, and I was a little disappointed. I'm going to take Physics in November, and possibly retake Latin in December before apply to colleges. Any tips on scoring in the 700s (preferably 750+, but I have to take whatever I get.)</p>

<p>Review your coursework. Practice with the College Board Subject Test Blue Book, which includes a previously issued Latin SAT II. Also try to find the older version of the book from the 90s (my library had it) – these tests don’t change much. A few of the questions were even repeated.</p>

<p>Also try the National Latin Exam if you haven’t. It’s somewhat similar.</p>

<p>I thought the passages were the easiest part. Just be able to translate parts of the sentence and use logic. However, don’t fall for traps! Some answer choices will include easily identifiable words from the passage that are unrelated to the real answer.</p>

<p>The first half of the test is very tricky. I don’t know how to help. Review mechanics and grammar. LOL, I think I got three of the four derivations wrong, which would irritate my teacher who loves to go on tangents about how English/Latin intertwine.</p>

<p>I ended up with a 750. I only left three blank. I wish I had omitted three or four more, rather than guessing for ten-fifteen. I’m too lazy to retake it for the 800. :)</p>

<p>For the subject test is it important to know the different noun endings or is it more important to just be able to understand the passages?</p>

<p>Well, it’s important to know the endings for nouns, since some passages ask for the cases of selected nouns. It’s also essential to know the different verb endings for the tenses, since the first ten or so questions are specifically about converting a verb to another tense or a noun to another case.</p>

<p>Xavier,</p>

<p>Thanks for the tips, espcially about the National Latin Exam! I’ve ordered the REA and the College Board Blue Book, so those three should give me plenty of practice. [For any others, the NLE site has all of the prior exams online, up to last year’s (2010). ]</p>

<p>To any who have taken it, what Latin program did you use in high shool (Wheelock, Cambridge, Oxford, or another?), and how did you feel the vocabulary you learned prepared you? Would you suggest learning extra Classical or Ecclesiastical vocab?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>