Foreign Language Placement Exam

Raceme117 · 02-16-2009, 08:36 PM

I know the university uses the CAPE series to test incoming freshmen. Has anybody taken the exam? How difficult is it? I plan to major in accounting and therefore need to complete FL_201 to fulfill the language requirement. How difficult would it be to place out of this course from the exam?

the_almost · 02-18-2009, 07:39 PM

Refresh before you take it. It's not too complicated if you've had some Spanish experience in HS, but (and I don't know your skill level) placing out isn't easy.

On the other side, I pretty much failed it (placed into entry) even though I had 3 years in HS. Got a course wavier with no problem and took FLS 110 (1 course below 201) as a refresher and it was a piece of cake.

Review a little bit before you take it.

Raceme117 · 02-18-2009, 08:50 PM

alright thanks. I'm currently taking French III. However, due to a move and change of high schools and their offering of courses, I have not taken French I since my freshman year. Therefore, I'm almost struggling to keep up with the material. I do realize I will most likely not be able to place out, but I don't want to take the test and basically have to start over with elementary french. I'm just worried about getting to NCSU and sitting in a college level foreign language course and being completely lost. Also, does anybody know what FL-212, French: Language, Culture and Technology, is? It satisfies the FL-201 requirement and the prerequisite is two years of high school french. However, is it a more advanced course than FL-201?

lovinnc12 · 02-20-2009, 05:31 PM

also remember that as a freshman you can "q" the classes are really small and you will learn alot better. q classes are small classes designed for freshmen only. i placed into 201 when i took the test and what helped me was reviewing my notes before the test and on my ride there. i freaked out about the test and the possibility of placing into a lower class so i brought my notes. study just like the math placement test! but i also took ap spanish my senior yr. and i also speak another lang. so take that into account. also the school has a tutoring center with private tutors just in case and they are really helpful and they usually work with you. with the test it was mostly reading comprehension and you answer a question based on the passage and there were vocabs like which ones do not belong with the group.

the_almost · 02-21-2009, 06:12 PM

Raceme,

I was actually talking to my Spanish professor about that friday since I was curious too, (Paul Weidmer FLS 110, highly recommend) and he advised against it, saying it was no easier than 201.

Basically, you cover everything that 201 covers PLUS technology/culture vocabulary and additional information that you otherwise wouldn't learn in 201. You still cover the basics that are required in 201, but the information is geared toward technology (he mentioned medical stuff as an example)...