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Department of Romance Languages : French : Placement

All incoming students who have previously studied French in high school or elsewhere must take the College’s placement test in French. Those students who wish to receive credit for language courses they have taken at another college or university before enrolling at Kalamazoo College must take the French language placement test and test into a higher-level course than the one for which they are seeking credit. To fulfill the college’s language requirement, students must either successfully complete the third quarter course (201) or be placed into a course higher than 201 based on the results of the department’s placement test. Any appeal of the placement test results should be directed to a French faculty member. Placement can also be determined by a student’s score on the College Board’s SAT II test or the advanced placement test in French. Students with three or more years of high school French may not earn graduation credit in FREN 101.

SAT II
Students with scores of 425 or lower (and with fewer than three years of high school French) will be placed in FREN 101 or 102; 426–500 = FREN 102; 501–550 = FREN 102 or 201; 551–624 = FREN 201; 625 or higher = FREN 202, 203, or 301. If a SAT II score indicates a choice of two levels, a student should consult with the department chair or department representative for placement. A score of 700 or higher may qualify a student for more advanced courses.

Advanced Placement
For students with an advanced placement (AP) score of 4 or 5, credit toward the B.A. degree will be awarded automatically upon admission to the college. Study must begin with FREN 202 or above to receive credit in French at Kalamazoo College. Students with AP scores of 3 may be granted the waiver of a prerequisite, but may not count an AP 3 for credit.

Advanced Placement Credit for French Major or Minor
An advanced placement (AP) score of 4 or 5 in French language shall count as one credit toward the French major or minor provided that the student take French 203 or beyond as her/his first French course at the college. Such students must still take the French language placement test. An advanced placement (AP) score of 5 in French literature shall count as one credit toward the French major or minor provided that the student take French 203 or beyond as her/his first French course at the college. In order to receive two credits toward the major based on AP examinations, the student must begin her/his coursework at or beyond the French 301 level.

For more information about placement please see the First Year Experience.