KAZtro62

According to the Stanford website, the online language test for entering freshmen is supposed to measure the linguistic level of the student, so that they can be in appropriate language classes for them.

However, is it possible to satisfy the Language Requirement by performing really well in the language test, like SATIIs and APs can? If that is possible I think I will take the German test, but if it is not, I'd rather start a new language. I appreciate your opinions.

staticsoliloquy

yes you can fulfill the language requirement by attaining certain scores on AP and SAT IIs exams.

If you don't have a keen interest in language study, and/or if it's not going to aid you in your career, why waste 12 credits on it?

KAZtro62

I am sorry, the way I wrote the post was misleading. I meant if performing well in the online language test offered by Stanford will satisfy the entire language requirement. Unfortunately, I have taken neither APs or SAT IIs, so hopefully I want to avoid taking 12 credts for language at Stanford.

zik

according to the bulletin you can get out of the language requirement by "taking a diagnostic test in a particular language which either a) places them out of the requirement or b)diagnoses them as needing one, two, or three additional quarters of college-level study.

and then it goes on to say you can take those courses at stanford or somewhere equivalent, or take the diagnostic test again at a later date


so to answer your question...yes.

efilsiertaeht

You have to take both the online portion and an oral portion when you get to campus. If you get placed in "2nd year german", then you're set. Otherwise you have to take whatever they tell you (1st year 3rd quarter, or 2nd and 3rd quarters, or whatever).

For anyone else reading this post, AP scores satisfy the requirement... unless you want to take German classes at Stanford. Then you have to take the test anyway.

MotherOfTwo

My son took Spanish 5 (not AP) in h.s. and got a horrible score (below 50th percentile) on the SAT 2. He placed out of the language requirement based on the test Stanford gives, so apparently it is not a very high standard.

KAZtro62

Does "2nd year german" mean that I have to start taking the german classes in the 2nd year or does it simply indicate the level of the course? If so, can I take the course anytime I want, for instance taking 2nd year german in the 1st year?

kimberkool

who's starting a language from scratch here?!?!

nkay

Me! I want to take Latin. But I also want to continue with my French. I did the test a few days ago and it was pretty tricky.

staticsoliloquy

*raises hand*
I want to start Chinese or continue Vietnamese.

efilsiertaeht

2nd year German indicates the level- you can take it whenever. :-)

signifyingnothing

i'm starting a language from scratch cuz my french teacher sucked and i didn't learn anything

i'm thinking about italian because it was recommended on the unofficial guide and you can get preference in the italian house and go to florence and its a fairly easy language, but everyone tells me to take spanish because its the only one i'll use, so i don't know. wish i didn't have to take the requirement, between trying to finish that my freshman year and ihum, i'm not going to have a lot of options in classes

garou

Ooh, unofficial guide? Are you talking about the defunct courseguide or something else?

I want to start Chinese and continue Vietnamese, like staticsoliloquy (w00t!). I think I can handle the oral stuff, but I'll probably drop like a lead balloon once I try memorizing the characters! I also want to continue French and start, like, 10 other languages...

dreamsicle

i think signifyingnothing is talking about this: http://techdev.stanford.edu:8080/unofficial/index.jsp
or the paperback version of it. it has lotsa good info, so read up on it!

garou

Thanks! Only thing is, the link doesn't work. Poo.