No! Many students appear to be inordinately fearful of Intermediate level courses. If that is your placement, then you should be ready for it, and you should do fine. In fact, Intermediate may be easier in some ways than elementary, because so much of the grammar will be a review of points already learned in… continue reading
Yes. If you took three years or more of a language in high school, you cannot receive credit for Elementary I (usually 101) in that language. If you took more than three years, you cannot get credit for Elementary II (usually 102). Shorthand: three years, no 101; four years, no 102. Most people will place higher. These… continue reading
High school programs vary enormously in how much they cover and how well. A student who had four years at one school might be at the same level as a student who had two years at another school. Individuals also vary enormously in how much they learn from a given amount of study. Testing thus… continue reading
Yes, you have to take a placement test. Placement testing is a much more accurate way to place you in the best course than simply relying on how many years you studied, how long ago it was, or how you evaluate your own abilities. Remember, the point of the requirement is to learn something —… continue reading
There are several reasons for continuing to study a language that you have already begun studying in high school (or elsewhere). You can fulfill your language requirement in one semester, whereas if you start a new language you will have to take two semesters. You can advance much farther in your ability to actually use… continue reading
Studying a foreign language is a wonderfully enriching, mind broadening experience, and an important part of a general education. But for more concrete reasons, look at our country, and look at the world. Millions of Americans speak languages other than English, many millions more come from families that spoke another language not many generations ago…. continue reading
