<p>Hi all,
The foreign language placement test sign-up schedule is up for incoming freshman. The info indicated that if a time slot is missing, then it means that time is full and closed, which makes me think that happens (times or days fill up) so you might want to act fast- especially if you're OoS like us. </p>
<p>A couple questions re: this placement test:
- How long does it typically take to complete? I signed my son up for 4:00 PM the day before his freshman orientation, which I read somewhere is ok to do. </p>
<ul>
<li>His major is Nursing (he wants to get his MS in Anesthesia after completing the BSN program) and the BSN curriculum doesn't even list any foreign language courses as part of the requirements. So I guess I'm confused over why this is required if it doesn't even look like he will be taking a foreign language class regardless of his foreign language placement test score. (is this correct?).</li>
</ul>
<p>Basically because you’ll do the best on the test now. Don’t know nursing requirements but sometimes kids change majors and may need to do it for another major. Test doesn’t take too long for computer part… if do super well then move onto oral part except in latin</p>
<p>Most students will be finished in fifteen-twenty minutes.</p>
<p>Others will take an hour and a half.</p>
<p>It took me an hour and a half. Basically, students who took the language at the AP level end up making it to Part II which is speaking. In order to get to Part II, it takes you a pretty good while to get through Part I. (Part II isn’t really all that long. It’s a few minutes of speaking.) Students who took the minimum requirement in high school (2-3 years) will typically be given a much smaller number of questions in Part I. It’s just the way the test is designed. It thoroughly makes sure you know material before pushing you onto Part II.</p>
<p>I’ve been told that ALL colleges at USC require foreign language proficiency. They all have different requirements for this. Nursing has an extremely low requirement, so your son would probably place out of the requirement when taking the test.</p>
<p>With that being said, he should try his best. If he decides to switch majors (most students do), then he might have a higher requirement. The College of Arts and Sciences requires all students to finish 122 of a language. That could be the equivalent of three semesters for languages like French, Spanish, and German or two semesters for classes like Italian and Chinese.</p>
<p>If you want to wait, you can take the test in August, but after the beginning of the semester, they don’t offer tests again until something like November. I work in the Lang Department and that’s literally one of the most common questions. You also do much better on it when the material is fresh.</p>
<p>Thanks both of you for the info… son had 3 levels (Spanish I, II, and III) but the material will be more fresh now than in August or later since his III level was his Junior year. I know they recommend taking a language your senior year- and he had planned to take IV but after the III level (finished with a 90-91 avg. which is a B), he “was done with languages.” He’s more of a math and science guy. He’ll have to bone up on it again and try his best in hopes he’ll be able to place out of whatever requirement is needed, at least for nursing, else that might be one of his electives I guess. :-)</p>
<p>^^The lower level nursing has 6 hr of electives and is probably for students who don’t exempt language requirement. If he studies he should place out. </p>
<p>My D would have and she didn’t take language her senior year but is in a major that requirements higher profiency = 122 level. Looks like nursing is = 110 or 121.</p>
<p>In academic bulletin for nursing: “Demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by achieving a score of two or higher on the Foreign Language Placement Test or by completing one Foreign Language through 110 or 121.” </p>
<p>If doesn’t place out and is tire of spanish, some languages cover that level in one class - russian, italian, chinese are some. D is taking russian and loves it (latin in HS and didn’t want to continue). Also heard great things about Italian teacher.</p>
<p>Do a little studying and chances are he’ll place out…</p>
<p>Does anyone know if having dual credits for Spanish would also help place them out? My daughter has taken Spanish 1,2,3, and 4 honors level and will have college credits for at least 3 and 4 I believe thru the local community college I’m pretty sure her college transcript will list her as having college elementary Spanish 1 and 2. Does that help at all? Or do they not accept that as credits. My older daughter was able to avoid taking at least one of two foreign language classes because they transferred those credits into her college transcript.</p>
<p>^^I would call the language placement office. They may or may not still want you to take the placement test. I know with math, everyone takes placement test, but AP scores trump where placement test puts you…may be similar with language. </p>
<p>Probably they will take your credits and you move on to next level if continuing language, but since you are dealing with out of state CC I would call to be sure.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help again scmom12. I was actually wondering about math as well because she is in AP calc BC now and will be getting college credits for that as well as taking the ap test. I hate to see her waste money on things she doesn’t need.Thanks for all of the information!!</p>
<p>Actually I just checked her college transcript and she has credit for elementary Spanish 1 and 2 (Spanish 101 and 102) and also intermediate Spanish 1 ( Spanish 201) so hopefully that gets her out of taking something. I’ll post what I find out in case anyone has same questions!</p>
<p>NJMOM3 - I actually wondered the same thing on the Calculus as my son is also in the AP Calc BC - and had the AP Calc AB last semester. It looks like they have to take that test regardless- but is online and is free. </p>
<p>"I already have AP credit (or dual credit) for Calculus I and/or Calculus II.
Can I be exempted from the Mathematics Placement Test?</p>
<p>No, all incoming students are required to take this test. The results of the Mathematics Placement Test will not have any impact on the credits you have previously earned through the AP program. Practically, you will attend Orientation before you know the results of the AP exams, so taking the Mathematics Placement Test is a back-up in case you do not score a 3 or higher on the AP Calculus exam. (Besides, the data will help give us a better picture of the mathematical abilities of all of our incoming students.)"</p>
<p>^^Funny thing is that you take either algebra or calculus placement (determined by major), but the highest the calc will place you is into maybe calc 1 (memory going). But at registration they take your word for how you think you score on AP and you send scores to confirm when they come in. So you definitely don’t want to use placement test in place of AP test. D jumped straight to vector calc from her 5 on AP BC exam and did fine.</p>
<p>This is done on-line at home and you can print off practice test just to be sure you know stuff. You can also retake after a certain period of time.</p>
<p>Even though not official, I had daughter take AP scores she got in mail for prior HS years to orientation so could at least take those into account.</p>
<p>I want to take a language different from the one ive taken in high school (IB latin, 4 years) i have emailed them and im waiting for a response, but i heard you can fill a form out to get an automatic 0 that way i dont have to take the test. I mean whats the point if im going to take a language that ive never taken before where i know im going to get a zero already…</p>
<p>That is possible right? I emailed one of the placement people they listed on their website and they said that was an option but im just confirming with the actual foreign language placement director</p>
<p>Hi Coleman4 …Thanks for that info…I guess she’ll take it then and see what the advisor tells them about what math is required for pre-nursing besides the statistics courses I saw listed. I feel like I have so many questions because we were unable to actually visit the nursing dept…we toured over the summer and it was closed…so now I’m clueless. Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>You can take any foreign language you want. If you haven’t previously studied it before, they’ll give you a form on the first day of class that you fill out to give you a score of 0. I did that with German.</p>
<p>You still have to take the placement test if you transfer credits.
<p>Also, if you have AP credits, it’s very possible you’ll get dropped from your math class if your placement score doesn’t match up, so as soon as you register for classes, I would email the listed instructor and let them know you’re qualified via AP scores.</p>
<p>@AUgirl im not a transfer student, does that still apply to me then? And since i want to take a new language i DO NOT sign up for a testing date, right? I just go to the first day of class and fill out a form like you just said?</p>
<p>NJMOM3 - We toured last year over spring break but also didn’t get to see the Nursing dept. My son is drawn to USC because several kids from his HS swim team are going there (sophomores & juniors now) who all love it. Plus, the campus is beautiful and there seems to be a lot to do around there. </p>
<p>We are going again for the Scholars weekend- April 13th because he wants to see what it’s about and hopefully meet some other freshman. </p>
<p>Regarding the statistics course, he also took AP Stats this year so we’re hoping he’ll score high enough on the AP exam to get credit for that since stats is on the pre-nursing curriculum. </p>
<p>With both as freshmen in pre-nursing, I bet our 2 could even be in some of the same classes! :-)</p>
<p>/\ /
They probably will be in some classes together! I really wanted to go to the Scholar’s weekend, however she has her senior class trip that weekend so it looks like we wont have a chance to get there this spring. I would love to see the nursing dept!</p>
<p>Gamecockgirl…Do you just want to take a new language just because you’re interested in it or do you want to start on a new one to fill the requirement cause don’t want to continue previous one. My D didn’t want to continue latin but they encouraged her to take placement test since different majors have different requirements. Her score was high enough to exempt language altogether for some majors but not for hers and she registered for new language.</p>
<p>@scmom12, i just dont want to take latin, the guy i emailed said to take the latin exam just in case i score high enough to get out of the language requirement, either way im going to take a different language. I checked the required classes (im doing business) and they said i need a 2 or better on my test.</p>
</p>