Thanks, Jer. I figure I will write mine in Spanish too; it can't hurt! I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get everything in to Middlebury by Feb. 1st because I called them and they said they fill up the program in March normally. So please wish me luck! I want to be in Madrid so badly! Also, once they receive my app they said they send a placement test, do you remember what that was like? I'm just curious if it's multiple choice or essays or something like that. Thanks for your help!

THE PLACEMENT TEST . . .

For me it was horrible and I will tell you why. The majority of vocabulary words were words from Spain. Well, after having studied in Guatemala, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica, I didn't have a clue what was being said.

The test consisted only of multiple choice. It was fill in the blank and if memory serves me correctly, a conversation and you had to supply the correct words.

I placed in 502, the regular class for graduates, and I was happy. It was a grammar class and I love grammar.

601 is nothing to brag about. It is a stylistics course, but many of the students want grammar, which they don't get in the course.

In general, write your essay in Spanish or in English, wither way, they don't care. The main thing that Middlebury is looking for is dedicated language students who have an aptitude for languages and who are serious about increasing their skills.

There is also an oral part when you get to Middlebury. They ask you random questions from situational cards and the entire conversation will be recorded. That part was horrible also, for me because when will I ever have to explain in SPANISH the admission process of a university and how they choose some students over others. NEVER. I knew that they were trying to get me to use language outside of the box, but I don't ever see myself having that conversation with anyone on the streets of Madrid.

Shawn

placement test???

i can not even remember taking one

that can only mean on of two things...

a) i am smarter than i thought and it was soooooo easy i did not even realize it was a test

b) i am very old

no need to choose one of the above, this is not multiple choice :jeje:

saludos,
jer...

Good one Jer!
HiramGirl, I'm Assistant to the Director of Middlebury in Spain, I can provide some further info on the placement test. Originally (when I did the MA, maybe when Jer did it too) it was sent by snail mail, several pages of multiple choice, you sent it back and got placed in a language course. The last several years it has been online and as far as I know it's still mostly a multiple choice test. For several years OPI's (Oral Proficiency Interviews) were given to students upon arrival in Vermont, that's the interview Redwood is talking about but neither Jer nor I had to do. The OPI was more of a research tool for internal purposes than a real placement. I don't know of any students who got their placement changed after doing the OPI. I don't think they are doing OPI's anymore and Shawn I'm sorry it was such a lousy ordeal for you. The interviewer should make you confortable, and yes, the idea is to challenge your speaking ability and take you to the max but without stressing you out so that nervousness or hostility towards the process affects your oral production.
Another thing HiramGirl, there's lots of info on our web page (School in Spain), you can even see current course schedules and descriptions. That will give you an idea of the classes that will be available and if we do offer what you're interested in. Keep in mind that there are requirements and even if you do all your electives in linguistics because that's where your interests are, you will still have to do literature and culture and civilization courses.
If you have more questions keep them coming. Good luck and hope to see you next year.
saludos,
Lena

quote:

Shawn I'm sorry it was such a lousy ordeal for you. The interviewer should make you confortable, and yes, the idea is to challenge your speaking ability and take you to the max but without stressing you out so that nervousness or hostility towards the process affects your oral production.

Thanks Lena, and it's more, I didn't agree with what he was telling me and he became upset with me. I just stopped talking because I could feel the steam coming out and I worked too hard to loose it on one IDIOT.

I am glad to know that it's no longer done. Some people, like myself, know that we will never have to use a language in certain situations, and if we do, we will probably have time to consult a dictionary.

It was a mixture of the OPI situation, among other things, that made me DISLIKE my entire summer in Vermont. Will never return to that state.

Remember that this was my situation and it is distinct. This is by no means to stop anyone from studying with Middlebury. I just so happened to study there at the tail end of garbage leaving.

Shawn

Thank you to Jer, Redwood, and Lena for responding. This is all getting me so excited! Lena, that's cool if you have to take all sorts of different classes to fulfill requirements, I'm into everything Spanish! I just wanted to know that I could take more than just one or two linguistics/translation courses, which Redwood assured me of, so that makes me happy. I have one more question--did you guys schedule a visit to Middlebury? I have to all the other schools I'm applying to but I don't know if it would matter or not at Middlebury since only six weeks of my time in the program would be in Vermont. Or maybe they don't even want graduate visitors? I don't know. The placement test doesn't sound too bad; if I get accepted I'll let you know if they still have the on-campus scary interview too!

You guys are all so nice; I'm so lucky to have found this board. It has really encouraged me to go for my big dreams in life! :ks:

Any of you Middlebury people out there take any NYU classes? Am curious to know what the comparative experience is. I hate grammar but I guess I should perfect it since I hope to teach English as well as Espanol.

Shawn-

Yeah, Im used to loans, but since its only a year program I have lots of transfer credits and I have some outside aid already, it wont be as bad as Georgetown would have been. Its great that Middlebury has such great funding. Where do they get it from? You would think that NYU with its huge endowment would have more grants to give out.

K

Hiramgirl-

When do you get your Middlebury notification? I am wondering if the two schools (NYU and MIdd) compete for the same students. I assume they kind of do, altho NYU and MIdd have different areas of focus.

good luck!

Hi Gata, actually, I haven't sent my app off to Middlebury yet, I am waiting on my last recommendation from a professor! :lo: I'm hoping she will send it to me tomorrow, and once I get that I will be mailing my stuff off. I checked with Middlebury last week and they said there was still plenty of time to apply, and that the program doesn't normally fill up until March sometime, so I guess you find out if you got accepted sometime around then. Good luck to you, too! You are only applying to transfer to NYU, right? I forget if you are also applying to Middlebury also.

To answer some of the above questions:
NYU and Middlebury (as far as I know) are the only programs in Madrid that offer classes towards a graduate degree in Spanish. Because of this unique situation we have an agreement in which we allow students to take a course per semester at the other institution if necessary. The classes are similar in academic level and there are several professors who teach at both, so it's very doable to assign an NYU class a Midd number and accept it on our registration as one of our own.
The total requirements for the MA are very different however, so that is one thing that should be considered, besides economic reasons, when applying or thinking about doing a US master's degree in Spain.
Some of the Financial Aid funding that Middlebury Abroad students obtain comes from grateful Language Schools or Schools Abroad alumni who want to give others a chance to experience and accomplish what they did. Therefore they specify that their financial contribution will be used only for Schools Abroad or Language Schools.
Lena

Lena,

St. Louis University also offers a MA in Spanish, but only offer classes in the summer.

Shawn

H-girl-

I only applied to NYU. Middlebury also has a great program, but i was not so keen on spending 6 weeks in Vermont. I have to work during that time and my Spanish is already fluent. Good luck! Let me know what happens..

Gata,

Hey there. I hope you get into NYU like you want. I really want to meet you when you get here.

Just so you know, the summer program in Vermont is not to make you fluent, but rather to get some people up to par before they leave for Madrid. Some students needed that extra boost of confidence to know that they can survive in an immersion environment.

Have a great weekend and please let us know how everything turns out.

Shawn

hmmmmm, unlike most, i really enjoyed my summer in vermont

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... vaaaaaacccccaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" :jeje:

(you perverts out there, don't twist that one please )

saludos,
jer...

Redwood-

Sure! You seem to have had a real interesting experience with grad school and espana. Keep your fingers crossed..

hasta pronto, chiquillos y chiquillas