SAT Subject Test: Latin
- The SAT Subject Test in Latin evaluates skills in Latin grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
- A student with a strong background in the language—including at least two or three years of formal study in high school, or some comparable training—might consider taking the Latin Subject Test.
Test Calendar
- The Latin test is given only twice a year, in December and in June.
- Many of our students begin to prepare for this test several months in advance of the December test date of their junior year, with the possibility of taking the test for a second time the following June.
- Advanced Latin students might choose to prepare for and take this test in the spring of sophomore year.
Test Format
| Section |
Content |
Number of Questions |
Time |
| Part A |
Grammar (including noun and adjective declensions, verb forms, pronouns and demonstratives, adverbs, comparatives, and superlatives) |
70-75 Multiple Choice |
1 Hour |
| Part B |
Latin Roots of English Words |
| Part C |
Translation of Latin sentences and phrases in context |
| Part D |
Sentence Completion |
| Part E |
Identification of Comparable Phrases |
| Part F |
Reading Comprehension (3-5 selections from Latin prose and poetry, followed by questions on meaning, grammar and meter) |
Please see our general information about the SAT Subject Tests for details about test scoring and other topics.
Our Approach
Content of Program
The diagnostic test results allow tutors to assess the correlation between the student's past and present academic coursework in Latin and the specific, technical composition and translation skills measured by the Subject Test. Many students who are studying Latin at a high level, in particular those taking literary translation courses, have not focused on Latin morphology, grammar, and syntax for a long time—in some cases, years. Thus, our approach emphasizes the content essential to success on this test: an intimate knowledge of grammatical rules and the all-important exceptions to those rules.
At the outset of the program, tutors teach and review grammatical rules while establishing an individualized schedule for the study of vocabulary, morphology, and syntax. Our educational approach to the Latin test requires rigorous memorization and repetition accompanied by instruction on accurate translation from Latin into idiomatic English. Through in-session and homework drills, tutors monitor their students’ progress in vocabulary acquisition, the application of grammatical rules, and the development of concrete critical reading skills. Ultimately, timed practice tests provide opportunities for the exercise and refinement of the knowledge and skills emphasized during tutoring sessions.
Further Information
Please see our general information about the SAT Subject Tests for details about the length of the program and other topics.
For additional information about preparing and registering for the Latin Subject Test, follow the link below to the College Board’s website:
http://www.collegeboard.com.
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