If you received a score of 4 or 5 on an AP language or literature examination, a 6 or 7 on a higher-level IB examination, or a qualifying SAT II score (650 for Spanish), you do not need to take the Carleton placement exam, and you have completed the basic language requirement. If you would like to continue in one of these languages, you should register for courses numbering above 204.

Incoming first year students, as well as transfer students, who have had Spanish instruction prior to coming to Carleton, but who have not achieved the AP, IB, or SAT II scores listed above and sent them to the registrar, will take the placement exam before they register for classes This test is administered only once and determines your placement in our language sequence. We abide by the test score, regardless of the number of years that you have taken Spanish elsewhere or of the subjective circumstances that may have influenced your test score.

We strongly encourage any student who has studied Spanish prior to coming to Carleton to take the online placement exam

A student can petition to take a second placement exam, only if since beginning the study of Spanish language at Carleton the student has enrolled and completed with a passing grade a Spanish language course, at the appropriate level, at another institution, for instance over the summer or while abroad. To petition to take the placement exam again, the student must present to the Chair of the department proper documentation (syllabus and transcript) confirming the level of the coursework and its successful completion, along with the completed petition form, available from the Languages office (3rd floor LDC). Upon approval of this documentation, the Chair will make arrangements for the student to take the AVANT-Place exam. Again, the results of this test are final, and the student must abide by the results.

Under no other circumstances will a student be allowed to retake a placement exam. Given these strict regulations, we advise students that once they are placed in a Spanish course they continue with their course sequence until they finish the language requirement.

The department will consider no exceptions to this placement test policy.

Click for more information on the Language Placement Test.