Overview

Testing and Advisement Survey

All incoming students will need to complete placement testing for writing, math, and modern languages. Most placement tests usually take 20-30 minutes to complete and are completed remotely.

Please note that AP tests and transfer credit from other colleges are posted after students meet with an advisor for registration, so placement test information can help students and advisors to best determine the appropriate course selection. Placement tests must be completed one week in advance of a student’s advisement and registration appointment. This ensures that the placements are reviewed and scores have been entered into the system.

Incoming students also need to complete a short advisement survey to help your summer advisor get to know a little about you and your academic interests. Students must complete the advisement survey to sign up for a new student advisement and registration appointment. Check your email for the link to the survey, or email advise@snc.edu to receive it.

Honor Code

As an incoming student at St. Norbert College, you agree to uphold a high level of academic integrity. All students are asked to abide by the St. Norbert College Honor Code while completing all placement tests. You cannot use any additional materials to complete any of the placement tests. Consulting a print or online source (e.g., dictionary) or a speaker of the language for which you are testing, using a smartphone or calculator, or otherwise getting assistance while you are taking placement tests, is not allowed. These acts are a violation of the SNC Honor Code. If you are found to have violated the Honor Code, your score(s) will be disqualified and you will undergo an honor code conference with our honor code facilitator.

Academic Accommodations for Placement Tests

In keeping with the St. Norbert College mission which calls us to help students develop their full potential, and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the college provides reasonable modifications and necessary accommodations to students with disabilities. Students become eligible for services when they disclose and provide recent documentation of a disability to the Office of Academic Success, Support and Accessibility (OASSA). Academic Accommodations are tailored to a student's need on a case-by-case basis. Please submit this documentation to accessibility@snc.edu or fax to 920-403-4021.

Some forms of documentation we accept are:

• Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s)/504 Plans with diagnosis and recommended accommodations.
• A signed, written diagnosis letter (on professional letterhead) by an appropriate licensed professional with recommended accommodations.
• The names and scores of psychological and psycho-educational instruments used in arriving at diagnosis, if appropriate.
•  The College may request additional documentation even when some supporting documentation has been provided.

Activate Your SNC Network and Email Accounts

Official correspondence from the college will switch to your SNC email now that you have deposited. To activate your account, you'll need your nine-digit SNC ID number that is included on your emailed checklist. Please contact your admission counselor if you need any help locating it. 

• Navigate to snc.edu/pw and click “Activate a new account.”
• Enter your nine-digit St. Norbert College ID number.
• Enter your date of birth (and last four digits of your Social Security Number, if prompted), and select “Submit.”
• Create a new password that meets the password requirements listed. 
• When you are logging into your email for the first time, you may be prompted to set up single sign-on (SSO) using Okta, SNC's SSO provider, and a smartphone. If you have any questions on this step, contact servicedesk@snc.edu or 920-403-4040. More information is also available from ITS.

Language

Modern Languages Placement Test Options

Second-language competency is part of the core curriculum at St. Norbert College. This module is fulfilled by demonstrating basic competence in two languages. Proficiency IN EACH LANGUAGE must be demonstrated by the end of the third year by using one of the following options:

1. Native foreign language speakers can demonstrate second language competency via graduation from an English-only high school, secondary school or via acceptable TOEFL or IELTS scores.              (Note: an English translation is required if the transcript is not written in English)
2. Earning a grade of "C" or better in a second-semester language course at St. Norbert College or another post-secondary school.
3. Scoring at a skill level equivalent to having completed a second-semester collegiate language course on a course exemption exam available at St. Norbert College.
4. Achieving the Seal of Biliteracy.
5. Demonstrating language competence by test:
   1. Earning a score of 3 or better on an Advanced Placement language or literature exam in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese or Spanish.
   2. Earning a score of 5 or better on an International Baccalaureate Language A2 HL exam.
   3. Tests for languages other than those available at St. Norbert can be obtained at the Brigham Young University Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service (FLATS) or through an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview via Language Testing International (LTI), with the student bearing responsibility for any fees.  English proficiency may be demonstrated by TOEFL (min. scores: pbt 550 or ibt 79) or IELTS (min. score: 6.5 composite).

All incoming first-year students are required to take the language competency test at least one week prior to their advisement and registration appointment. Students with no high school second language experience are not required to take the placement test and will automatically be placed at the 101 level. Students who took a language in high school for which there is an SNC placement test are also expected to take that test, even if they plan on studying a different language at SNC. 

Please note, even if a student has completed an AP or prior college course, it is important to complete the modern language placement as this information is not always available when the student has their advisement and registration appointment. 

After students take the language placement test, they may choose ONE of the following two options:

1. Option 1: The student enrolls in the language course in which he/she placed based on his/her score on the language placement test.
2. Option 2: The student may take an exemption exam.  Successful completion of the exemption exam with a score of 73% or better satisfies St. Norbert College's second language requirement.

The Spanish and French exemption exams will be administered in person and only the first Tuesday of the fall and spring semester during the 2:00 to 3:30pm time slot in which no classes are held. MLL faculty will proctor these exemption tests. Note: There are no retakes or alternate dates for exemption exams. Students interested in this option should contact Meghan Walsh (meghan.walsh@snc.edu), Executive Director of the Academic Advising and Career Development Center.

Students seeking to demonstrate competency in a language other than Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Russian should contact advise@snc.edu, for an appropriate referral for assistance in placement. Native foreign language speakers can demonstrate second language competency via graduation from an English-only secondary school or via acceptable TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Students are not allowed to retake the language placement test. Students should complete the language placement by the end of their first year at St. Norbert College. 

Honor Code Reminder: Students are not allowed to use any digital or physical resources while taking any Modern Language Placement Test. Taking the test in a fashion not intended (e.g. using a dictionary, textbook, grammar aids, online resource, cellphone, etc.) is a violation of the SNC Honor Code.  

Language Placement Test Options

• Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish

Students can complete the Chinese, French, German, Italian Russian, or Spanish Language Placement Test via Emmersion. Students will need their SNC ID and should use their SNC email address when taking a placement via Emmersion. Please allow at least 30 minutes to take the placement test. 

Link to the Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish Placement tests here.  

• Latin

Students will meet individually with a professor for the Latin Language Placement. Please contact Dr. Michael Holstead (michael.holstead@snc.edu) for additional information

Math

Math

All students are required to complete the math placement test. 

Students will first complete a short survey, directing them to the appropriate math placement test (algebra or calculus) based on their prior math coursework. This information will allow our math department to make the appropriate math course recommendation.

Please note, even if a student has completed an AP or prior college course, it is important to complete the math placement as this information is not always available when the student has their advisement and registration appointment.

Calculators are not allowed for the test and using a calculator would be a violation of the SNC Honor Code. 

Please follow this Link to complete the math placement test. Once you have logged into Canvas, select the Math Placement Test.  Additional Math Placement Instructions

Writing

Writing Placement 

As part of the new student checklist, students will watch a brief informative video, complete a short writing self-placement survey, and submit a writing sample. This information will be reviewed by our Writing Across the Curriculum director, and the student will be placed either into IDIS 100 College Writing (a more developmental writing course to help students enhance their writing skills and a prerequisite for a Writing Intensive course) or allow a student to go directly into a Writing Intensive [WI] course (required for graduation as part of the Core Curriculum).

The writing placement process is conducted throught the advisement survey. If you missed it at the end of the survey, please follow this link to complete it. 

Advising Appointments

Advising and Registration

The next step is selecting the day and time for your one hour academic advising and registration appointment. These appointments will begin in May and run through the summer. During this time, you will meet virtually with an academic advisor who will help you select and register for classes for your first semester at SNC. Watch your SNC email account for a link to sign up for your appointment. You will receive a confirmation email once your appointment is secured.

Preparing for your Appointment

There are a few things you will need to do to prepare for this appointment. First, you will want to review the How to Register for Classes PowerPoint so you are familiar with how to register via KnightLine. Please note, you won't be able to register for classes until the day of your appointment. 

You will also want to review the Core Curriculum. This will help you review your core requirements and discuss with your summer advisor what courses you are most interested in taking this fall. You will also want to review major and minor information to get an idea of what classes you can expect to take your first year. If you are unsure of what you would like to major in, reviewing majors can help you decide what you would like to explore. You can also set up time to meet with Career Development to complete major exploration this fall.