All new students who are not native English speakers must take the English Course Placement Test, regardless of fluency, previous English coursework, degrees or diplomas from U.S. institutions, TOEFL score, or SAT score. If English is not your first language, you must take the test. There are no exceptions.
The test is composed of the following sections: listening comprehension (recorded speech followed by multiple-choice questions), grammar questions (multiple choice), reading comprehension questions (multiple choice), one 30-minute essay (choice of two topics), and a brief oral interview.
The test will be offered several times during New Student Orientation. New students will receive additional information about registering for the test in an email. Students will receive their placement results and register for an appropriate English class on the morning following their test. English course instructors and academic advisors will be available to answer questions and assist with registration.
Failure to register for an appropriate English course will affect your progress toward completion of degree requirements and may push back your expected date of graduation. If you have problems with your schedule, contact your academic advisor immediately for help.
For more information, refer to the English as a Second Language (ESL) Fact Sheet.
BFA, BBA, and BS freshmen entering Parsons in the fall 2013 semester can find more information about alternative first-year course sequences, based on ESL placement, in the Parsons First-Year ESL Guide.
