You're probably thinking about taking AP Latin, but have some reservations because you're not sure about what exactly it will entail. Don't worry! This guide will hopefully help provide you with some of the information that will help you decide whether AP Latin is the right fit for you!

AP Latin is a course that is much different from other AP Language courses that you may have heard about or taken. Rather than focusing on communication through speaking, reading, listening, and writing, the AP Latin is all about developing a deep understanding of Roman literature, culture, and history.

This is all done through two texts: Julius Caesar's 

, which is an autobiographical account of Caesar's conquest of France, and Vergil's epic poem the 

 which tells the famous myth/legend of Aeneas and his journey to found the city of Rome.

Throughout the year, you will translate some passages of these two works, as well as read some portions of the English translations. In addition, you will learn about the history and Roman culture surrounding these.

So, as you can see, AP Latin is more about developing your scholarly skills than your communication class. In a class, this typically means a regular rhythm of translation, grammatical study, and historical learning, so be prepared to be studying with a regular rhythm, rather than a more project-based, immersed environment that might occur in another AP Language.

There are a few reasons why this course could be worth it for you:

Of course, the decision is all up to you. By taking AP Latin, you can further your study of a language that is the foundation for a number of modern European languages and the basis for a considerable amount of technical terminology. In addition, by learning the intricacies of Latin grammar, you can have a greater mastery of English grammar and become a much more nuanced and improved writer in English.

However, AP Latin is not without its drawbacks — there is a considerable workload and, if you don't like translation or find it a bit of a struggle, it might be a sizable challenge for you. In addition, if you don't plan on studying Latin in the future, it might not serve much practical value for you.

We hope this guide has helped answer your questions, and that you can make the best decision for you about whether to take AP Latin. You got this 🎉

AP Latin Exam

AP Latin Exam Prep 2020 | Reviews + Free Study Help | Fiveable

AP Latin

Unit 1: Vergil, Aeneid, Book 1

Unit 2: Caesar, Gallic War, Books 1 and 6 

Unit 3: Vergil, Aeneid, Book 2 

Unit 4: Caesar, Gallic War, Book 4 

Unit 5: Vergil, Aeneid, Book 4 

Unit 6: Caesar, Gallic War, Book 5 Part I  

Unit 7: Caesar, Gallic War, Book 5 Part II, Book 6, and Book 7

Unit 8: Vergil, Aeneid, Books 6, 8, and 12

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Is AP Latin Hard? Is AP Latin Worth Taking?

You're probably having doubts about self-studying the AP Latin course because you don't know how difficult it is and if it's even worth taking. Hopefully, this guide will provide you with all of the information necessary to make your decision.

 There is a lot of translating that you need to do in order to do well on this exam, so by self-studying, you can set a pace and schedule that works well for you, whether that is faster than a typical class, or slower than a typical class.

 This exam could get you potential college credit, so be sure to check out if you could satisfy a general education requirement or get into higher-level language courses with your AP Latin exam.

 Chances are, if you are ready for AP Latin, you are probably a student who is serious about your studies, so studying for Latin could be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for you!

 Since you won't have a teacher, most likely, it will probably take longer for you to figure out issues that you have with content, as well as clear up translation issues.

 You probably will feel lost and confused at some point, and that is OK! But just know that it will be time-consuming and energy-consuming, so make sure you are prepared and manage your time wisely!

If you are looking for more information about the exam, the 

 is a great place to start. It contains an overview of the course, including the themes and skills you should know to meet all of the requirements for a good score on the exam.

Here is a brief overview of the sections of the AP Latin exam:

As you can see, some parts, such as the essay, are worth more on the exam, so you might want to pay extra special attention to those.

However, even though the multiple-choice is worth half of your exam score, you can master this section by following a few tips—check out our AP Latin Multiple Choice guide for more info on that (coming soon).

Because you are self-studying, you get the advantage of learning however you want. Here are some possible ways that you could self-study Latin:

Don't be afraid to try a bunch of these out, especially if they are free, to see what works best for you. Because you don't have to worry about grades or your GPA, do what truly makes you learn best!

: Referring to our Latin Text Books and Prep Books Guide <<TK>>, you can use a prep book to help prepare for the exam by using its test prep materials.

 There are several great video series that you can use to learn about history than can act as the context for the books, so do some research!

 Look for a good commentary or edition of the 

 so that you can learn more about the text and background as you translate!

Broadly speaking, taking the test will fall into one of two categories: either your school offers the exam, or it doesn't. If your school offers the exam, speak with your counselor, and see how you can register for the exam without being in the class.

If you cannot take the AP Latin exam at your school, contact nearby schools to see if you will be able to take the exam there.

Don't worry if it seems overwhelming at first! Just take the class one step at a time, and you will soon be on the road to success! You got this 🎉

AP Latin Self-Study and Homeschool

 and welcome to this guide on the best textbooks and prep books for AP Latin!

As with all of the other AP language courses, there is a bit of a problem if you are looking for a one-stop AP approved textbook. As described on the 

, the College Board does not offer a list of approved textbooks for the Latin exam because they want the exam to focus on building your language proficiency.

If this worries you, there is an alternative solution. On that same course audit page, there is an 

for the course that is designed to help new teachers learn how to teach the course. Still, it could prove to be a valuable resource for self-studying, as it provides a framework and sample activities for you to do, as well as links to helpful resources. Because the College Board designed the example syllabus for teachers, it won't be 100% useful, but it could provide a useful framework that textbooks normally provide.

Also, in general, if you are in a class, you shouldn't need to get another textbook, and prep books are probably better for your needs, so definitely keep reading to get our advice on those. If you are self-studying, a textbook probably wouldn't be the best choice either, as those frequently only work well with a supplemental teacher.

In addition, there also aren't that many prep books for AP Latin — in fact, there are only two.

At $24.00, this is also a little bit pricy for a prep book. However, it contains a chapter on pretty much all of the sections that are important for the AP Latin exam, so you will get a pretty good sense of what you need to review, but it is mostly in a bullet point style, which could be an issue if you like more detailed prose.

This is the only other prep book out there, and there are more caveats than benefits. It is only available used, so chances are the access code will not work, it only covers 50% of the required reading, and REA prep books are not always known to be the most helpful and clear, so this may not be the best solution for you.

Sorry that this guide doesn't have more resources, but, unfortunately, the fact is that AP Latin isn't a course with a huge demand for resources. Don't worry, we at Fiveable have you covered — that's why we now have study guides for every unit, as well as guides for every part of the exam, in addition to the courses we just mentioned! Join the community and we can share and create AP Latin resources together!

We got your back, so now go ace the exam!

Best AP Latin Textbooks and Prep Books

and welcome to this guide on how to get a 

 5️⃣ on your AP Latin exam! In this guide, we'll provide five helpful tips and tricks that you can use to get the score you want on your exam!

As with many other AP exams, knowing the exam format is half of the battle to get the 5, and AP Latin is no exception. AP Latin consists of two sections, a multiple choice question (MCQ) section, and a free-response question (FRQ) section. Let's break down each portion:

The multiple-choice section of the AP Latin exam has 50 questions, 60 minutes to complete it, and is worth 50% of the exam score. This translates to 1% overall per question, and an average of 1 minute, 12 seconds, per question. There will be four types of question on the exam:

Of those questions, the vast majority (90%!) assess reading and comprehension, so knowing the meanings of words in context, various rhetorical devices, knowing grammatical terminology and application, and other similar skills are crucial. The remainder will assess your knowledge and ability to contextualize the readings and stimuli, requiring knowledge of Roman history, culture, and mythology to apply the readings and put them in broader contexts.

Because of the nature of how people learn the Latin language, the FRQs for AP Latin are not the same format as the other AP language exams. You will have 120 minutes to complete five different FRQs at however timing you want to, although the College Board recommends a particular length of time for each FRQ. They are each worth 7.5%, except for the essay, which is worth 20%, making the entire section worth 50% overall. 

The AP Latin exam requires memorization, knowledge, and retaining of a bunch of different grammatical and literary terms. One of the best steps you can take towards success is to feel comfortable with all the terms, to the point where they become almost second nature. This way, you will not have to stress about vocabulary recall while you are writing your FRQs and answering multiple-choice questions. 

If you need some reinforcement, check out our Best AP Latin Quizlets guide (coming soon) to find some helpful flashcard decks that will get you well on your way to reinforcing all of those poetic devices and grammatical terms!

Being an efficient reader is always helpful for timed exams, but it is 

 in AP Latin. With very dense language to unpack, you should be as efficient and strategic as possible in order to leave yourself as much time as possible to answer questions that take you a little longer. Remember, once you walk out of the exam room, no one will hold you accountable for the material on that exam! Do whatever you can to show your knowledge and answering the most questions correctly, even if that means compromising comprehension of some parts of the passage.

Read the questions before reading the passage so you don't accidentally spend time trying to figure out something that won't even be asked about. For questions that refer to a specific line or words, make a note of them in the reading, and then you can make your targeted search for the answer, and then you can go back and skim the whole passage for questions that pertain to the whole thing. If you need some extra advice on this, check out our AP Latin Multiple Choice (coming soon) and Free Response (coming soon) guides to get more specific tips on those portions of the exam.

As with sports, hobbies, and other academic and non-academic response, repetition is one of the keys to success. Give yourself a schedule that you can follow in order to get into a rhythm of learning. It doesn't even matter what that schedule is, as long as it works for you. Set aside the same amount of time every week whenever possible to work on Latin outside of class, or create a consistent schedule for self-studying.

Languages aren't something you can cram at the last second — studying with a set repetition and rhythm will help it become (almost) second nature. That way, when you sit down and take the exam, you won't be worried about keeping the material in your head and can just rely on natural recall. 

Latin isn't an easy language, and the AP Latin exam isn't easy either. There will be times (trust us, we know), when you want to throw your head against the wall because the cases aren't working out, or you can't remember the exact name of a rhetorical device. But no one said Latin would be easy, either! When you don't get something, don't keep trying over and over the same way. Take a deep breath, walk around for thirty seconds, and try approaching it from a different angle. For example, maybe try analyzing a sentence and 

translating it, rather than try to go based on what the words mean. If a grammar question is tripping you up, figure out which possibilities you know wouldn't make sense, rather than panicking because you don't exactly know what all of the terms mean! 

Be confident in yourself and your Latin knowledge! Don't overthink the content; go with your gut! We 

that you are going to ace your exam. You got this! 5️⃣

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