<p>You really should check with each department for updated information. It will probably be mailed to you in orientation packages.</p>
<p>Most credit and placement is handled based on AP or IB exams as follows:</p>
<p>[Swarthmore</a> Registrar](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/registrar/page.phtml?sidebar=quick&content=apcredit]Swarthmore”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/registrar/page.phtml?sidebar=quick&content=apcredit)</p>
<p>Math has a placement test that you may need to take depending on your AP testing. This is best done in the take-home exam mailed to you over the summer. Here’s the detail:</p>
<p>[Department</a> of Mathematics and Statistics](<a href=“Mathematics & Statistics :: Swarthmore College”>Mathematics & Statistics :: Swarthmore College)</p>
<p>There are credit and placement options for foreign languages. For example, “x” number of years of study of a language in high school plus maybe an AP score threshold satisfies the language requirement at Swat. Also, testing may be necessary to place you into the appropriate level at Swarthmore. I have no idea the details of how this works or the testing during orientation.</p>
<p>There are placement options in the sciences – difference sequences of courses depending on your AP scores and/or whether you are a potential major. As far as I know (at least in Physics) these options are hashed out over lunch with the faculty or in advising sessions. There are open house type sessions with all the departments during orientation week when first-years can meet and greet professors and get this kind of stuff sorted out.</p>
<p>I’m sure that music has performance evaluations, but again, the department would be the best source of information. </p>
<p>I can’t think of any other departments that would have testing during orientation.</p>
<p>My main advice would be to skim through the course catalog and jot down any departments that are potential majors for you, along with the first year courses necessary for a major. That way, you can go into your first year with a goal of preserving as many major options as you can.</p>
<p>You want to go into registration with six to eight courses in mind for fall semester, so that you can quickly go to your backup options if a course doesn’t work (lotteried, wrong time slot, etc.). </p>
<p>I would strongly recommend making your own hard-nosed evaluation of the quality of the writing instruction at your high school, giving serious consideration to the intro college writing course if you have any hesitation about your writing skills. A solid writing foundation will make your four years at Swarthmore more pleasant.</p>
<p>If in doubt or borderline on math placement, drop down a rung.</p>