language AP as a sophomore?

[Anonymous]

Wondering the pros/cons of this. My kid is in the 5th year of language, so it is the AP level, but is only a sophomore. Doing okay in class, but definitely not fluent or anything. Most kids seem to be taking the AP this year. Kid will take the 6th year of language next year, so could wait, but kid's attitude is might as well take it this year and then retake it next year if the score is less than desired. Kid thinks college board won't report both scores if you tell it not to. The AP is 5 days after the other AP kid is taking, so I think kid would likely start studying for it after the other AP. The $96 isn't a big deal. There definitely will be more APs junior year, so maybe it makes sense to get this one out of the way?
Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

DD went to an American/French grade school and took the French AP as a freshman but started taking Latin as a freshman as well so she’d have four years of a high school language.

[Anonymous]

In my son's private HS if you take an AP class and don't take the AP Exam in May you fail the class for the semester.

If you can't afford the price of the exam and submit paperwork they will provide the payment.

He is taking AP Euro History Sophomore year, but it is the same for languages.

[Anonymous]

I’d go for it. Per College Board, “AP Exams are only given once a year, but you may repeat an exam in a subsequent year. If you do, both scores will be reported unless you request that one be withheld or canceled.”

Even if first score got reported because he forgot to withhold, it’s language and an improvement would be expected.

[Anonymous]

My kids are in public and I am not following this - if the school offers the language through a sixth year, wouldn’t that final year be the year to take the AP test? For example, in my kids’ mcps HS, French 5 and Spanish 5 are offered, and then you can take the AP class (and test) the following year.

[Anonymous]

My DS is in 9th grade now taking Honors French 4. Next year I expect he'll take AP French language (the only AP offered for French - literature has been abolished it seems).

I don't think this is unusual for kids who started their FL study in 6th grade, is it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is in 9th grade now taking Honors French 4. Next year I expect he'll take AP French language (the only AP offered for French - literature has been abolished it seems).

I don't think this is unusual for kids who started their FL study in 6th grade, is it?

Hmmm, similar to my DS's experience. FL started in 6th grade in a middle school magnet program. He took FL 4 in 9th and FL AP in 10th grade. Did pretty ok. It freed up one period for other electives and HS transcript and common app has space for the FL courses taken in MS.

[Anonymous]

My DS too AP Spanish as a senior which was technically his sixth year of Spanish. In our LCPS you don’t generally take the AP until the 6th year. He had 100s through ALL of his years of Spanish including AP Spanish and only got a 3 on the AP test. This completely sucked because he is at UVA now where he’s required to take up through intermediate level language or test out with a 4+ on the AP test. Just be aware that kids who have taken more years than your kid and still did not get the score they wanted. It’s not an easy test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS too AP Spanish as a senior which was technically his sixth year of Spanish. In our LCPS you don’t generally take the AP until the 6th year. He had 100s through ALL of his years of Spanish including AP Spanish and only got a 3 on the AP test. This completely sucked because he is at UVA now where he’s required to take up through intermediate level language or test out with a 4+ on the AP test. Just be aware that kids who have taken more years than your kid and still did not get the score they wanted. It’s not an easy test.

That is unfortunate. I expect it is more a reflection on the school than the test or the students. If they aren't teaching to the standards of the AP and giving out 100s then their students are simply going to fall short in the exam. The failure is on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wondering the pros/cons of this. My kid is in the 5th year of language, so it is the AP level, but is only a sophomore. Doing okay in class, but definitely not fluent or anything. Most kids seem to be taking the AP this year. Kid will take the 6th year of language next year, so could wait, but kid's attitude is might as well take it this year and then retake it next year if the score is less than desired. Kid thinks college board won't report both scores if you tell it not to. The AP is 5 days after the other AP kid is taking, so I think kid would likely start studying for it after the other AP. The $96 isn't a big deal. There definitely will be more APs junior year, so maybe it makes sense to get this one out of the way?
Thoughts?

Language professor here. Middle school language doesn't count, it doesn't come close to preparing you for AP. I'd give it another year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wondering the pros/cons of this. My kid is in the 5th year of language, so it is the AP level, but is only a sophomore. Doing okay in class, but definitely not fluent or anything. Most kids seem to be taking the AP this year. Kid will take the 6th year of language next year, so could wait, but kid's attitude is might as well take it this year and then retake it next year if the score is less than desired. Kid thinks college board won't report both scores if you tell it not to. The AP is 5 days after the other AP kid is taking, so I think kid would likely start studying for it after the other AP. The $96 isn't a big deal. There definitely will be more APs junior year, so maybe it makes sense to get this one out of the way?
Thoughts?

Language professor here. Middle school language doesn't count, it doesn't come close to preparing you for AP. I'd give it another year.

MS language classes in this region are HS level from grade 6 onwards. You're not a professor of anything except BS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is in 9th grade now taking Honors French 4. Next year I expect he'll take AP French language (the only AP offered for French - literature has been abolished it seems).

I don't think this is unusual for kids who started their FL study in 6th grade, is it?

Yes, this is exactly it. Started in 6th grade so now in AP Spanish 5 as a 10th grader. Is very into Spanish so works on it a lot out of class but I think is still not where I was when I was in HS taking the same level of Spanish (but I had great teachers). Will take Spanish 6, which I think is a lit class next year.
Also, off topic, but if anyone has suggestions for online apps or games to really work on advanced grammar and usage, please share! DC knows all the words but puts them together somewhat awkwardly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS is in 9th grade now taking Honors French 4. Next year I expect he'll take AP French language (the only AP offered for French - literature has been abolished it seems).

I don't think this is unusual for kids who started their FL study in 6th grade, is it?

Yes, this is exactly it. Started in 6th grade so now in AP Spanish 5 as a 10th grader. Is very into Spanish so works on it a lot out of class but I think is still not where I was when I was in HS taking the same level of Spanish (but I had great teachers). Will take Spanish 6, which I think is a lit class next year.
Also, off topic, but if anyone has suggestions for online apps or games to really work on advanced grammar and usage, please share! DC knows all the words but puts them together somewhat awkwardly.

Duolingo is seriously amazing. I picked it up last year and it has taught me things that I never learned in all my years of Spanish instruction. (one year in MS, four years in high school, 2 years including a lit class in college)

[Anonymous]

Sent too soon:
for the OP, I believe that AP classes can be re-taken in subsequent years, so you could let your student do it this year and possibly take it again next year for a better score, if needed.