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The primary purpose of placement exams is to ensure that you are taking
courses appropriate to your level of preparation. It is strongly recommended
that you take them when there is a question of placement or if we lack
sufficient information in the form of standardized test scores to evaluate
advanced preparation during high school. All students, and particularly
international students whose academic credentials are not easily interpreted
within the American academic setting, are urged to take all relevant placement
tests, even if you do not plan to continue in that area of study.
While a few departments offer additional placement exams or interviews later in
the first term, most departments will give you only this one chance to take
their placement exam. It is often useful to review material in these subjects
during the summer, in preparation for the placement exams.
Languages
Placement exams are offered during Orientation in several foreign languages
(Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, and Russian). The
Spanish placement exam is offered online and should be taken before
arriving to Dartmouth. Students with proficiency in a foreign
language that is not offered at Dartmouth can usually arrange through the
First-Year Office to be examined in that language for purposes of placing out
of the language requirement. International students who have been schooled in a
language other than English may be able to use that language in lieu of
Dartmouth's language requirement. Questions about language placement or credit
should be directed to the First-Year Office before the end of the first
term.
Writing
Students with a verbal SAT score of (to be determined this summer) and
below are required to take the Writing placement exam for purposes of placement
in the required writing sequence. Students whose native language is not English
are strongly urged to take this exam.
Science and Mathematics
Students who believe that they may be entitled to more credit in these areas
than their standardized test scores would suggest (or students lacking such
test scores) may take departmental placement exams in Chemistry, Computer
Science, Mathematics, or Physics.
Music
The Department of Music offers an exam during Orientation for those who may
be eligible for placement out of the introductory Music 5 course
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