Placement Exam Information
The following placement exams are being offered this summer from St. Olaf College. Please note that the purpose of these exams is to suggest course placement for students, not to fulfill credit requirements. These online placement exams are available during the summer months and must be taken during the summer and before you arrive on campus on September 5, 2009 . Please read this information carefully and pay particular attention to the stated deadlines with each placement exam.
You must activate your St. Olaf College e-mail account before you will have access to the online placement process. Online activation of your e-mail account can be found at www.stolaf.edu/stobase/activate. Once your St. Olaf account has been activated, you will have access to the online placement exams using your St. Olaf account login (username and password).
All Languages Offered at St. Olaf
All placement exams are administered under the St. Olaf Honor System.
Foreign Language Exams: St. Olaf offers study in nine different languages. Online placement exams are available for French, German, and Spanish and must be completed before arriving on campus. More information on these three online placement exams is detailed below. Placement exams for other languages will be given by appointment in each individual department this fall. If you have questions about these languages, please refer to Less Commonly Taught Languages.
All students who have previously studied Spanish, French, or German or who have had other formal prior experience with any of these languages are REQUIRED to take the corresponding language placement test.
French Placement
All students who have previously studied French or have had other formal prior experience with the language are required to take the French online placement test. A placement determination is also required for enrollment in a French course at St. Olaf. If you intend to study French in order to complete the foreign language requirement for graduation, the first step is to take the placement test. Students interested in learning French but who have no previous experience with the language should contact Professor Jolene Barjasteh at barjaste@stolaf.edu or Jennifer Bothun at bothun@stolaf.edu for instructions.
The placement test consists of two parts: a survey of past experience in French and a sample of the student’s written French. Students with little or no proficiency are still required to take the test provided they have had at least some coursework in French in high school or middle school. The student will receive a recommendation to enter French 111, 112, 231, 232, or 251 in the fall semester. The placement recommendations for new students will not be available until the end of August.
Placement in French will also be forwarded to the academic advisor with whom the student will prepare a schedule of courses. For new students, the online placement test must be completed by Friday, August 14, but we encourage you to complete it early in the summer. Students unable to access the placement exam online during the summer are advised to contact Jennifer Bothun at 507-786-3230 for further instructions. Students may also contact Professor Barjasteh or Jennifer Bothun if they have questions about their placement or about the French program at St. Olaf College. Back to top
Continue on to the French Placement Exam
German Placement
Overview of the exam
The exam is designed to distinguish language performance at the first, second, third and fourth semester level of German as presently taught at St. Olaf College. After filling in a short questionnaire of background information, please move to the multiple-choice section that tests grammar knowledge and reading comprehension. The next section of the exam tests writing skills important to third and fourth semester German at St. Olaf College. Please do all the multiple-choice questions for placement in first and second semester German. The computer will evaluate your work on the multiple-choice portion of the exam and, if you score high enough, the computer will ask you to complete the writing assignments. For placement into third and fourth semester German you should complete all of the writing questions.
Taking the exam
In the multiple-choice section there is only one correct answer for each item. Answer as many questions as quickly as possible and return to more difficult questions after you have finished the exam. There is no penalty for incorrect answers and you may go back and change your choice. Your score will be the total number of correct answers. If your score for the multiple-choice section of the exam is high enough, the computer will ask you to attempt the writing section of the exam. Please attempt all the writing sections if you proceed to this part of the exam.
Timing the exam
There is a time limit of 90 minutes for the entire exam, including the multiple choice and the writing sections. Estimated time needed for the multiple-choice section is not more than 60 minutes and not more than 45 minutes for the three writing assignments. The more language experience you have had, the faster you will finish the multiple-choice questions. And the more language experience you have had, the farther into the exam you will need to progress to reach your point of placement. Not all students will score high enough to need to attempt the writing section. Please wait for a computer evaluation of your work on the multiple-choice section of the exam for a decision on whether or not you need to proceed to the writing portion of the exam.
Writing the paragraphs
For the best assessment of your writing level, please do not use any grammar notes or charts and please do not consult a dictionary. The exam is designed to take students at their first response and to use any supporting materials would only distort the diagnosis of your placement. You may stop the exam at any point when you realize your German is no longer sufficient. After reading these instructions, please proceed directly to the questionnaire and to the exam. Please work carefully and if you finish early, take time to edit your answers.
You will find the German placement exam online at: http://fusion.stolaf.edu/german. You may also contact Professor Karl Fink at kjfink@stolaf.edu if you have questions about your placement or about the German program at St. Olaf College. The deadline for new students to complete the German placement process is Friday, August 14, but we encourage you to complete it early in the summer. Back to top
Spanish Placement
All students who have previously studied Spanish or have had other formal prior experience with the language are REQUIRED to take the Spanish placement exam online, whether or not they intend to study Spanish at St. Olaf.
The placement test includes grammar and reading comprehension. Based on your performance on these two sections, you may be prompted by the computer to respond in writing to some additional essay questions. All students who complete the Spanish Placement Exam will receive results upon their arrival on campus for orientation. Additional information about Spanish placement and the Spanish placement exam may be found at "Spanish Placement Exam," on the St. Olaf web site: http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/spanish.
To access the exam itself, you will need to enter your St. Olaf username and password. The deadline for new students taking the online Spanish placement exam off-campus is Friday, August 14, 2009. We encourage you to take it early in the summer. Students unable to access the placement exam online during the summer will be able to take it on campus. Public computers are available at St. Olaf in Rolvaag Library and Buntrock Commons. General questions related to this exam may be addressed to the following e-mail address: spanish-placement@stolaf.edu. Only after students arrive on campus, specific questions regarding individual placement results should be directed to Professor Sylvia Graciela Carullo (carullo@stolaf.edu / Old Main 22D).
Incoming students:- who do not have the test immediately after registration and have registered for a Spanish course without having taken the Spanish Placement Exam
- who have registered for a Spanish course that is not in agreement with his/her placement result
will be informed that they are being dropped from the Spanish course.
A special note for:
- Transfer Students: transfer students planning to major in Spanish should bring materials (syllabi, papers, exams, etc.) from previous college-level Spanish classes to campus, and should arrange to meet with the Chair of the Department of Romance Languages before registering for classes.
- Students who have been in a Spanish-speaking country on an exchange program (e.g. Rotary or AFS): students who have spent a minimum of six months in a Spanish-speaking country on an exchange program must meet with the Chair of the Department of Romance Languages before registering for courses. These students must also complete the online Spanish placement exam before this meeting. Back to top
Continue on to the Spanish Placement Exam
Chemistry
Placement Test
All students intending to study chemistry as a part of a chemistry major, or a biology major, or students considering a career in a health-related profession (medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, etc.), or any other students planning on taking more than one chemistry course MUST take the Chemistry Placement Exam.
There are three entry-level pathways to a study of chemistry at St. Olaf College:
(1) Chem 121 (Fall)—Chem 123 (Interim)—Chem 126 (Spring)
(2) Chem 125 (Fall)—Chem 126 (Spring)
(3) CH/BI 125 (Fall)—ID 126 (Interim)—CH/BI 127 (Spring)
This ID sequence of courses also counts as a first introductory course in Biology.
Combined with information relating to your high school background, the results of this test will help us determine which sequence(s) of courses will be appropriate for you. Students registering for Chemistry 125 or CH/BI 125 will be required to have a recommendation for those courses from the placement exam. Be aware that taking the Placement Exam online will not result in an immediate placement recommendation. Rather, recommendations will be distributed upon your arrival on campus.
Full details relating to the test may be found at the Chemistry Placement Test web page. All questions relating to the test, including questions about the test itself, problems taking the test online, and questions about your eventual recommendation, should be directed by e-mail to chem-placement@stolaf.edu or by phone to Robert Hanson (507-786-3107) or Karen Renneke (507-786-3104). Deadline for new students taking the Chemistry placement process is August 14, 2009. Back to top
Continue on to the Chemistry Placement
Computer
Science Placement Questionnaire
Students interested in taking a Computer Science (CS) course should fill out the online placement questionnaire to determine an appropriate first course among the following courses, both of which satisfy the Abstract and Quantitative Reasoning (AQR) graduation requirement.
The standard introductory course CS 121 (Fall and Spring) is intended for a general audience and has no prerequisites. Some first-year students may be advised to wait a semester before taking this course, depending on placement results.
An accelerated first course CS 225 (Fall only) assumes prior knowledge of C++ or Java programming at a level comparable to a high school AP course. CS 225 counts the same as both CS 121 and CS 251 toward prerequisites for other courses in Computer Science
The CS placement questionnaire consists of informational questions about computing background, attitudes towards computing, etc. New students should respond to the CS placement questionnaire no later that August 14. Please direct all questions about CS placement or Computer Science at St. Olaf to cs-director@stolaf.edu or to Professor Richard Brown, 507-786-3860 (rab@stolaf.edu), or see the CS web site at http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/cs/. Back to top
Continue on to the Computer Science Placement.
Mathematics
Placement Recommendation Process
One of the requirements for a St. Olaf degree is satisfactory completion of a course approved for Abstract and Quantitative Reasoning credit; several courses in mathematics, statistics, and computer science satisfy this requirement. In addition your major may require or recommend courses in mathematics or statistics. The mathematics placement process helps you and your faculty advisor decide which course is the best place for you to begin. Even if you do not anticipate taking mathematics or statistics during your first year at St. Olaf, you should complete the process so that you know what courses you are prepared to take.
The placement process consists of a background survey and a mathematics test, which together require less than an hour and a half. The process must be completed by August 14, but we encourage you to complete it early in the summer. See directions on how to complete the survey and test. If you do not have access to the Internet or have any questions about the placement process, please e-mail math-placement@stolaf.edu, or call 507-786-3784 and leave a message for Kay Smith.
If you have taken an AP calculus exam, wait to complete the mathematics placement process until you receive your scores. Score reports for exams taken in May are usually sent to students by mid-July. Score reports for 2009 or earlier years will be sent to St. Olaf only if you have requested AP Services to send them. Scores of 4 or 5 on the Calculus AB or Calculus BC exam, the AB portion of the Calculus BC exam, or the Statistics exam should be reported to St. Olaf since you will receive college credit; reporting scores of less than 4 is optional.
If you received 4 or 5 on the Calculus AB or Calculus BC exam, you do not need to complete the mathematics placement process; we will send you a list of courses to consider.
If you received a 4 or 5 on the AP Statistics exam and are certain that you will not study any mathematics or statisitics at St. Olaf, you do not need to take the placement test.
If you have completed a statistics, calculus or more advanced mathematics course at a college or university, you may not need to take the placement exam. You should have a transcript sent from the college or university to the Registrar at St. Olaf. Please also e-mail math-placement@stolaf.edu; include your name, your St. Olaf student number, and for each course taken, the name of the course, the grade received, and the college or university where you took it. (Precalculus and college algebra courses do not need to be reported since St. Olaf does not award credit for these courses.) We will send you information on the courses for which you are prepared or recommend that you take the placement test.
If you took a calculus course at your high school that covered integration and either infinite series or multivariable calculus but did not take the AP BC Calculus exam, do not take the placement test. Instead, e-mail Kay Smith (smithk@stolaf.edu) describing the content of the course you took.
