All entering freshman students participate in the Destination Kent State: Advising and Registration program designed to familiarize newly admitted freshmen and their families with the Kent Campus. During these sessions, the COMPASS computerized placement test is administered to assess students’ basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

Upon completion of the assessment, students meet with an academic advisor. If students are required to enroll in one or more academic skills courses, the advisor explains how the COMPASS scores are used in combination with the ACT or SAT subscores and high school preparation as reliable measures of the basic skills needed for success in college.

English Composition
All programs require successful completion of the basic College English sequence, which consists of ENG 11011 and 21011 College Writing I and II. Placement into the appropriate starting course in the sequence is determined by proficiency as established by ACT English or SAT verbal scores.

Foreign Languages
Students arrive at Kent State with varying types of foreign language experience: some come from other countries and are fluent in their native language, others have grown up in America with a first language other than English, but most have learned a second language in a formal classroom setting. Accordingly, the term “native language” refers to the language of students who have been born, raised and educated in another culture and who can be expected to use that language not only easily but accurately as well. Similarly, “first language” refers to the language of students who may have been born and spent their early years abroad or who have been raised in a particular ethnic community in this country; while they may speak the language with some ease, a lack of consistent formal training limits the accuracy of their usage.

A student with a native language other than English may not register for or receive credit in coursework on the elementary or intermediate level in that language or a closely related one as determined by the chairperson of the appropriate department. Such students may, however, receive credit for coursework successfully completed above the Intermediate II level.

Students with a first (not native) language other than English may be permitted to enroll in, and receive credit for, coursework on the elementary and/or intermediate level. Permission will be granted on a case-by-case basis by the chairperson of the appropriate department after evaluation of the student’s skills in that language.

All students should begin foreign language study at the appropriate level of proficiency, which may be established in one of several ways: CLEP examination, Kent State University’s Credit-By-Examination program, proficiency examination or a placement test. In cases of languages for which no examiner or examination is available, proficiency can be established (no credit awarded) through appropriate documentation of school coursework in the native land and language. Credit hours exempted by any of these means still are required for graduation but may be applied toward coursework in the student’s major or minor or as electives.

Students should contact the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies for assistance with placement in all foreign language coursework. The Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies is located in Room 109 Satterfield Hall and can be reached at 330-672-2150.

Mathematics
Mathematics placement for all new freshmen is normally made during the Destination Kent State: Advising and Registration program. Questions concerning mathematics placement should be directed to Undergraduate Studies.