Question about AP exams.

[Mabelen]

Is there a minimum age/grade to take these? Are there any advantages or disadvantages to taking them early?

I am thinking of AP Spanish. My 11 yo dd is bilingual. I am trying to think things through regarding foreign language(s) in High School for her. Would it be possible for her to take the exam in 10th grade, for example? Would there be an emotional maturity issue regarding the materials required? If she could have the AP under her belt by the end of 10th grade, then she would have two more years to start a new foreign language before college.

This is all hypothetical. I still don't even know if this would be the way my dd would be inclined to go, but I just would like to find out if it is feasible.

Thank you so much for your insight.

[kathleen]

I don't know if there is a lower age/grade limit, but certainly 9th and 10th graders can take AP courses/tests. My son took AP Latin Vergil last year in 10th grade. He had no problems with it.

[Gwen in VA]

Our local public school requires pretty much the entire 10th grade to take UP Human Geography and then take the exam. Enough kids do well on the exam that the school district finds it worthwhile!

I assume that for the Spanish AP exam there will be a section where the students need to write answers in Spanish. For a younger student with less writing experience, that section will probably be the greatest challenge.

I didn't let my older two kids do any AP classes until their junior year, but my younger kids will start doing AP's in 10th.

[JFS in IL]

if a kid knows the material, why not? If she does not score as high as you would like - you are only out the $80. She can always take it again later.

[Susan in IL]

Did you go to the collegeboard site and look at past exams? That might help you decide. You might want to get a prep book and see what she already understands.

[Eliana]

Is there a minimum age/grade to take these? Are there any advantages or disadvantages to taking them early?

I am thinking of AP Spanish. My 11 yo dd is bilingual. I am trying to think things through regarding foreign language(s) in High School for her. Would it be possible for her to take the exam in 10th grade, for example? Would there be an emotional maturity issue regarding the materials required? If she could have the AP under her belt by the end of 10th grade, then she would have two more years to start a new foreign language before college.

This is all hypothetical. I still don't even know if this would be the way my dd would be inclined to go, but I just would like to find out if it is feasible.

Thank you so much for your insight.

You should look at the info on the College Board site (http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/3499.html) to see if your daughter's knowledge and skill level match what they are testing for. Does she know Spanish grammar well? (I remember a lot of grammar questions on the AP French Language exam, but that was, obviously, a long time ago.) Can she write essays in Spanish?

I know I also did the AP French Literature exam - you might look at the requirements for the Spanish Lit exam; it would be a lovely way of using/reinforcing your daughter's skills while doing literature study

If you do add another language, be sure you don't have her stop working on her Spanish! Every year of extra reinforcement is one more buffer against loosing her skills through lack of use later in her life. (I had 10 (perhaps it was 11?) years of French before college and, despite only rare uses, I can still understand much of what I hear, most of what I read, and can write (a little) and speak a little (more once I'm in the groove, less if I think too hard about it!).

Other than skill levels, I don't know of any reason to not take an AP test sophomore year...

[Susan in IL]

From what I have been told by kids who have taken the AP Spanish exam is it is very hard. One of the kids has a parent who is bilingual and TEACHES high school spanish (not AP) and he only got a 2. Another friend's child is extremely gifted and he said there were things on the exam that he had no clue as to what it was even talking about. He took the AP class and only received a 2.

[Mabelen]

Thank you all for replying and sharing your experience with me.

The AP website is a mine of information. I am planning to get my dd to do some of the sample tests to see where she would place at this point.

I really am grateful for all of you who replied and gave such good advice.