<p>Do all incoming freshmen have to take this test? My dd is a pre-pharm major and it does not have a foreign laguage in her classes that she has to take to get into the professional program. She has taken 4 years of a language so I don't think she would have a problem but we are unclear?</p>
<p>It’s better to be safe than sorry. Every major at USC requires some sort of foreign language. (Pre-pharmacy isn’t technically a major.) If your daughter decides to complete undergrad or switch majors, then she’ll need that foreign language requirement to be met. She’s much more likely to meet it if she takes the test when the material is more fresh in her mind.</p>
<p>In addition, they only offer the test during the summer and November, so there’s a pretty small window of opportunity during the school year to take it if she doesn’t go ahead and take it before Orientation.</p>
<p>Its not mandatory but taking it can’t hurt.</p>
<p>On the pre-pharmacy advisement sheet there is a place to note language placement score. I would be sure you don’t need some min score (like engineering requires) to exempt a requirement).</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the information - one more question. I looked it up and it looks like the foreign language test seem to be at 3PM - can they take the test on their orientation day at 3PM or do we need to go the day before to have her take it?</p>
<p>Two years ago, when my D was incoming, freshmen were told to take it the day before orientation. You may not be able to fit it in during actual orientation. Since so many things can change from year to year, call the language department and ask just in case things are different. The checklist for freshmen this year doesn’t make it very clear. (D actually took it several days early since we are in town and there was a conflict the day before).</p>
<p>Orientation is literally 7am-5pm, there is no time for a test so your best bet is the day before</p>
<p>How do you sign up for the language test. We are coming from quite a distance and now we will have to add another day if we have to take the test the day before orientation</p>
<p>There is link to foreign language Dept on orientation page. Call them with questions. I guess assumption is that to be there for early start for orientation you will come day before.</p>
<p>The foreign language test is pretty much every day. You can schedule as late as 4:30 so I really think you need to do it the day before.</p>
<p>[Placement</a> Testing | USC Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures](<a href=“Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures - Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures | University of South Carolina”>Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures - Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures | University of South Carolina)</p>
<p>That site has everything you need to know about placement testing for foreign language. I you do it the day before, then you’ll have a score available when you go to advising. That’s the best option.</p>
<p>Be aware that if you’ve had extensive foreign language (4-5 years/AP/IB), then you’ll probably take an hour and a half on the exam. If you have only 2-3 years of previous experience or haven’t taken it in a while, it’ll probably only take 15-20 minutes.</p>
<p>DD took 2 years of Spanish in HS. She wants to take French at USC. Does she still need to take the placement test? So confusing!</p>
<p>^She doesn’t need to if she wants to take French. On the first day of class, they’ll make her sign a form stating she’s never taken French before. She’ll start at French 109.</p>
<p>I’d still recommend taking the placement test for Spanish though. She might end up deciding she doesn’t like French or it’s too difficult or something. (Though the French dept is absolutely amazing at USC! The French Tutoring Center is also extremely helpful.)</p>
<p>^^“I’d still recommend taking the placement test for Spanish though. She might end up deciding she doesn’t like French or it’s too difficult or somethingor if for her”</p>
<p>Or if for her major she really needs to get language out of the way early, it’s slightly possible that she can’t find a french class that fits from a scheduling point of view since beginning levels have a extra meeting time that make it hard to fit if you have lots of labs. Taking test lets you know your options.</p>
<p>Good thread, thanks. AUGirl mentions it’s a relatively short test if one only has 2-3 years of HS classes…just ~20 minutes?<br>
(“Be aware that if you’ve had extensive foreign language (4-5 years/AP/IB), then you’ll probably take an hour and a half on the exam. If you have only 2-3 years of previous experience or haven’t taken it in a while, it’ll probably only take 15-20 minutes.”) </p>
<p>Be aware that for this foreign language test (tell your son)- that when he sees people start to get up after even a minute or so, they are done -meaning they didn’t get very far in the test. It shuts off after you miss so many. My son said he started to “freak out” when he saw people leaving after literally a minute, thinking he was doing something wrong. He said people kept getting up until there were only a few left. He almost got up before he finished the test thinking he should have been done by now! I know it sounds crazy but he was caught off guard by that I guess. Thankfully he stayed until it stopped for him… lol… Just as a reference, he took 3 years of his language and it took him about 20 minutes as AUGirl indicated and he got a level 3 which makes sense. </p>
<p>Useful tip, thanks…Ha, I can imagine the scene from you son’s perspective! Sounds like he did well. </p>
<p>My daughter is aware of the option of taking the foreign language test on Friday, April 4th, the day before Admitted Students Day. She is currently taking “Spanish III Honors” at her high school. Should she go ahead and take the placement test April 4th, or wait until the end of her high school spanish course? Does anyone think it will make a difference to wait?</p>
<p>It depends. Right now might be a very good time to take it since she’s actively in a Spanish course. If she takes it in the summer and it’s been a few weeks/month or more since she’s taken a Spanish class, then she might forget things and be out of practice. Overall, I’d say it’s a toss-up.</p>
<p>Overall, I doubt her level of Spanish will improve or diminish so significantly in a month that it really makes a difference, but you never know.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, most students take it the day before their orientation, and that may very well be the best time to take it.</p>
<p>My daughter has had four years of Latin. When she takes the latin placement test, what score will she need to get to clep out of the foreign language requirement? And how tough are these foreign language placement tests - do most kids pass or fail in regards to their score and requirement to take another language?</p>