Foreign Language Placement

When and where are placement and competency tests offered?

Tests are offered at no charge at the beginning of each semester: August during New Student Orientation and January the day before classes begin.  A fee is charged for tests given individually at other times.

• Students who want a placement test for Spanish, French, German, or Chinese should look in the online Moodle course or contact Michelle Blank (mblank@goshen.edu) for access to the link for taking the exam. 
• Students who want to take an ASL placement exam should contact Colleen Geier (cageier@goshen.edu) to schedule a time.

Language placement tests are required for all students who:

• Enrolled in language classes (French or Spanish) in high school and wish to pursue that same language at GC. Taking the language placement test ensures placement into the course that best matches your level of expertise.
• Grew up in the United States, speak both English and one of our offered languages (French or Spanish) at home, and wish to pursue that same language at GC. Taking the language placement test ensures placement into the course that best matches your level of expertise.
• Successfully completed several years of Spanish, French, German, or Chinese language study in high school and wish to establish international language proficiency in that language for SST.

You do not need to take a language placement test if:

• You have never studied the specific language you wish to pursue at GC.
• You have transfer college credit in a foreign language.
• Your native language is not one of the testing languages and you plan to pursue the SST alternate option.

Ready to take the test? Here’s what you need to know:

• Don’t study for the test. The purpose is to get a snapshot of your language ability right now and place you at the correct level to keep learning.
• Don’t use help from any other person, book, or the internet. The exam must be your own work.
• Find a quiet place and time to take the test without distractions. It takes most people 20-25 minutes, but you can take as long as you need.
• Take the test only once. If you would like to take a second test in another language, there is a $40 fee. If you’re interested in a second test, contact Michelle Blank (mblank@goshen.edu).
• Be prepared with your Goshen College email and ID number.

Interpreting language scores

Interpreting your placement/competency test scores

What do your Spanish, French, German, or Chinese placement test scores tell you

I scored below 40 on my foreign language placement test:
You should start with the beginning course, 101. If you have had some language in high school, the first few weeks will be review. If you scored 35-39 AND you feel you are ready for the more difficult course, talk with your advisor and the language instructor. The language professor may decide your verbal skills are good enough that you could be successful in 102. It is the professor’s decision, based on expertise and experience.

My score was 40-69:
You are ready for 102-level language classes.

I earned 70-89 on the foreign language placement test:
We feel you will be most successful in the 201 level.

I scored 90 or higher on the foreign language placement test:
Talk with your advisor and language professors about your goals for further language learning. You are qualified to take 202, 205 or 300-level courses. Your decision depends upon your major and dreams for the future.

Questions? Please contact Assistant Prof. Terry Martin, 574-535-7582, tmartin@goshen.edu

First-year assessment: CIRP test

All first-year students take part in the CIRP test, which is given at hundreds of colleges nationwide. The results of this assessment allow us to compare our incoming students with those of other schools and also to assess the difference that Goshen College has made in students by the time they graduate.