French Placement Exam

If you intend to study French at St. Olaf and have had previous experience with the language, we ask that you take this placement test to help us determine the appropriate course for you. On the basis of this test you will be placed in French 111, 112, 231, 232, or 251 (the first- through fifth-semester French courses). We will notify you of your placement results as soon as possible, and you must register for the level into which you are placed.

International students: If you are coming from a country where English is not the primary language of high school instruction you do not need to complete a language placement. Please talk to the registrar for next steps.

The placement questionnaire consists of three parts: a questionnaire about your previous experience with French, a writing section, and a listening section.

Do not consult a dictionary or any other French language materials in completing the test.

Allow yourself a maximum of 30 minutes for the writing section in Part Two. Please read all instructions and check your work carefully. If you finish the test before the allotted time has expired, go back and re-check your answers. On Part Two, stop at any point if you realize that your knowledge of French is not sufficient to complete that task.

Part Three - listening comprehension. Listen to the audio track and choose from a set of options to identify the verb form that you hear. You may listen to the track a maximum of THREE times.

**Note: students who cheat on the placement exam struggle significantly when they are placed in a level above their real level of proficiency. Beyond the ethical issue of academic integrity, it is in your best interest to only rely on your existing knowledge of French when taking this test.**