<p>First of all, I’m an incoming freshman, set to be a bio major, so I’m pretty sure I don’t need to take a foreign language class at all. I still had a few questions, though:</p>
<p>Has anyone here taken Italian? How much prior knowledge is required to test into Italian 120? I speak it a little (self taught) but I’m not very good; that’s why I wanted to take a class in the first place. Would it even be possible for me to sign up for it at this point (since I’m doing the 6/17-18 orientation, and I don’t think there’s a way to arrange for a placement exam before then)?</p>
<p>If I can’t do Italian, I was thinking of falling back on Latin, since I’ve taken four years of it already. Since the Latin placement test is an on-campus one, am I right in understanding that I don’t have to take it until I arrive during welcome week in August? That’s what the orientation website says, but if I did that, would I be able to sign up for it during orientation?</p>
<p>Thanks for reading</p>
<p>
All majors in CLAS require three semesters of a foreign language. [Welcome</a> to the USC Orientation Programs Website](<a href=“http://sait.usc.edu/orientation/testing/foreign.shtml]Welcome”>http://sait.usc.edu/orientation/testing/foreign.shtml) </p>
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Send an email now to ask how to proceed.</p>
<p>tiptoes, my S took Latin in HS and decided to take Italian at USC. He needs to take 3 semesters and will do the 3rd in Florence this Spring (during a study abroad semester) which motivated him to choose Italian in the first place.</p>
<p>He started with the 1st semester course and it moves pretty fast (approx 1 year of HS language is compressed into 1 semester, and the class meets 4 days/week plus a section for quizzes and tests). If you are uncertain, you can take the placement exam online for Italian. It will place you out of Italian 1 if your grammar, vocab, etc are more advanced. Or you can sign up for Italian 1 and when you attend the first week of classes, discuss with your teacher if you should move to Italian 2 (or 3). USC is really helpful and pretty flexible.</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>