Students who begin their college careers at New Paltz are assigned a placement level for composition, mathematics and foreign language based on their preparation in high school and exam scores.
First year students are placed into an English Composition course based on work completed in high school and exam scores. The placement determines which section of composition is appropriate for them (Honors English, Composition, Composition for English as a Second Language Students (ESL), Composition with a Supplemental Writing Workshop (SWW), or Composition SWW-ESL).
Entering students are given a Math Placement Level (MPL) based on their high school record (if freshmen) or college record (if transfers). All courses in the GEIII Math category require a minimum MPL of 3. Students who are assigned an MPL lower than 3 have several options: consult with the Math Placement Specialist at orientation to see if the level can be raised based on work completed after acceptance; or, take a course at New Paltz to raise the level; or, take a Math placement exam. Math placement exams are given by the Math department at the beginning of each semester.
Foreign Language
Students are placed into the appropriate level of a foreign language course based on their prior experience in that language:
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- Students with three years of a language in high school, who scored more than 80% for a final grade in the final course and/or more than 80 on the NYS Regents exam, and did so within the last three years MUST continue with Intermediate 1 (201) in that language if they are going to use that language to meet the Foreign Language Requirement at New Paltz. One course at the Intermediate or Advanced level meets the general education requirement.
- Students who scored less than 80% for a final grade in the final course and/or less than 80 on the NYS Regents exam, and did so within the last three years, MAY step down one level to Elementary 2 (102) in that language if they are going to use that language to meet the Foreign Language Requirement at New Paltz; students must complete both Elementary 2 and Intermediate 1 to complete the requirement, because students beginning in the elementary level of a language are required to take two courses.
- Students who completed their last foreign language course within the last four years MAY step down one level to Elementary 2 (102) in that language if they are going to use that language to meet the Foreign Language Requirement at New Paltz; students must complete both Elementary 2 and Intermediate 1 to complete the requirement, because students beginning in the elementary level of a language are required to take two courses.
- Students who scored less than 80% for a final grade in the final course and/or less than 80 on the NYS Regents exam, and did so over four years ago MAY step down two levels to Elementary 1 (101) in that language if they are going to use that language to meet the Foreign Language Requirement at New Paltz; students must complete both Elementary 1 and Elementary 2 to complete the requirement, because students beginning in the elementary level of a language are required to take two courses.
- Students who have college credit for Elementary 1 and Elementary 2, Elementary 2 and Intermediate 1, or Intermediate 1 or higher in a language will have the Foreign Language Requirement met at New Paltz, if they have their official college transcripts or AP or IB exam scores sent to the Office of Admissions by the mid-point of their first semester at New Paltz.
- Students who have college credit for Elementary 1 must continue on to Elementary 2 to complete the Foreign Language Requirement at New Paltz; students who have college credit for Elementary 2 must continue on to Intermediate 1 to complete the Foreign Language Requirement. Students must have their official college transcripts or AP or IB exam scores sent to the Office of Admissions by the mid-point of their first semester at New Paltz to receive credit for the previous college work and have that work contribute to meeting their Foreign Language Requirement at New Paltz.
- Transfer students who have waivers may apply them to the second course required to meet the Foreign Language Requirement. That is, all transfers students must complete at least one course in a foreign language to meet the Foreign Language Requirement at New Paltz, but they may apply a waiver if they have one to the second course that is required to meet the requirement.
- Students may begin a new language to meet the Foreign Language Requirement at New Paltz. Students without prior experience in a language begin in the Elementary 1 (101) level of that language; students must complete both Elementary 1 and Elementary 2 to complete the requirement, because students beginning in the elementary level of a language are required to take two courses.
