Is it just me, or is AP Language mostly luck-based?

Test Preparation AP Test Preparation
1

<p>I’ve been taking practice MC (all previous exams or from the cliffs books), and my scores are never consistent. I’ll get 40/55, then 47, then 39, then 46, then 41…not to mention how the topics for the essays will affect your score :/</p>

2

<p>Lets all make generalizations based on our fluctuating test performance. Of course it’s not luck based, then it wouldn’t be a standardized test.</p>

3

<p>It’s not completely luck-based, no. but you have to realize that English tests are MUCH harder to standarize every time than are science or even history tests. There isn’t a limit to the amount of topics you can choose the essays to be, and one topic might be better for one student than it is for another.</p>

4

<p>“Lets all make generalizations based on our fluctuating test performance. Of course it’s not luck based, then it wouldn’t be a standardized test.”</p>

<p>Well, nearly everyone in my class has noticed the same thing. And no need to act like that, I was asking if other people have noticed it.</p>

5

<p>i use to think like that but after working hard it really isnt
in a nonoffensive way ;p</p>

6

<p>ok, if you think this test is luck based, then you OBVIOUSLY don’t know what the heck you’re doing on the timed writings…</p>

<p>because for one thing, english is the only test where you can’t bs the frq, they grade you on grammar, correct analysis, use of language, vocabulary, (why it’s called COMPOSITION)</p>

7

<p>"ok, if you think this test is luck based, then you OBVIOUSLY don’t know what the heck you’re doing on the timed writings…</p>

<p>because for one thing, english is the only test where you can’t bs the frq, they grade you on grammar, correct analysis, use of language, vocabulary, (why it’s called COMPOSITION)"</p>

<p>I was more talking about the MC. I usually get pretty consistent scores on the essays. I just mentioned it because of, like seadog said, the wide variety of topics. It was more of an afterthought though.</p>

8

<p>geez you guys are cutthroat…the kid just asked a simple question, lol</p>

9

<p>how does not being able to bs the frq refute that the test isn’t luck-based? It doesn’t matter if it’s actual COMPOSITION or bs work, some COMPOSITION pieces are easier to COMPOSE for certain people as are some bs work easier to bs.</p>

10

<p>^no, there is a specific rubric that english ap readers adhere to</p>

<p>throughout this year, my english teacher strangled us with numerous timed writings, but our class has gotten very good with them</p>

<p>yeah, before i knew what was required of timed writings, i just thought it was all luck based and graded too subjectively…after all, how could you grade a composition piece objectively? but no. my teacher really showed us what the AP frq is about. you have pieces of writings to analyze. if you misinterpret the piece/lack of reading comprehension, your score immediately drops no matter how pompous your language is. you need to organize a coherent analysis of the work, and it needs to be a CORRECT analysis. if you totally miss the point, you receive an inadequate score for that frq.
8 and 9 scores are super rare. do you ever see those literary analysis that people write? 9s are like those.
the ap eng lang readers can definately sort out the bs.</p>

<p>too many schools do not put enough emphasis on their ap english program. this is why only 9.8% of students taking the ap eng lang test get a 5 (similar with ap lit)…lowest percentage of ALL ap tests.</p>

11

<p>also, the frq for eng lang is much different from the frq in stuff like history.
this is because you can do well on a history dbq after a night of cramming facts about a specific era</p>

<p>but with the eng lang frq, you can only do well after vast amounts of reading and analyzing, and knowledge of how to break down and interpret a piece of work. plus you need to have a good control of language to fit your analysis together.</p>

12

<p>For the AP language last year I really think the MC and DBQ type essay RREEEAAALLLY helped. Doing really well on those two will put you in a better position to get a 4 or a 5</p>

13

<p>What is my chance of getting a 5?</p>

<p>MC- 41/55 on a practice test</p>

<p>essays:
syn- 7
analyze- 5
own argument-6</p>

14

<p>I think all AP exams are luck based, actually.</p>

15

<p>Well Eng more so, because it depends on skill and not memorization.</p>

16

<p>i can’t believe this, I think it is completely luck, I just hope I luck a 5 when it counts. :-)</p>

17

<p>can I get a 5 by getting 45/55 MC right and straight 6s or 7s?</p>