News Release (April 10, 1966)

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/ NEW COLLEGE, SARASOTA, FLORIDA FURMAN C. ARTHUR 1. FOR RELEASE: SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 1966 Nonday looms as the beginning of a three-day period crucial in the lives of upperclass New College students. For the next three days qualifying examinations be given to deter-mine advanced students' progress in their major fields. At stake for most of them is continuation in the field of study they have chosen. For a few it means a total review of their academic records and a chan g e in their direction of study. For yet, it may mean dismissal. Being tested in examinations on Monday and IITednesday is each student's competence in a major subject studied during the first two-thirds of the secon d year, which ended Friday. Sandwiched in between the two days of examinations is a qualifying test in languages, required of all students. All second year students take at least one major field examination, and some will be allowed to be tested in fields. The examinations, which last from four to six hours, are given to determine each student's readiness to continue on in a particular field. New College upper-classmen are being examined in mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, philosophy literature, art history, music, economics, political science, history, sociology, anthropology and psychology. Languages covered are French, German, Spanish, Russian, Latin and Greek. -more-

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New College Examinations Page 2 Qualifying examinations are new at College, voted this year by the faculty to both test and to guide students. In addition, recommendation for graduation from Ne,.,. College depends on passing several other mileposts, all of which are importAnt in the academic process. First is the comprehensive examination given at the end of the first year to all students. Jn this "comp" students arc tested on their entire first year, includes studies in the areas of the humanities, social sciences, o.nd the natural sciences. If students fail to pass any segment of the compre he:lsives, they must make it up during the year. At the end of the senior year, all students '\vill be given a baccalaureate e::aminotion, '\vhich will emphasize the \vork of the major field of study but will include a wide choice of general materials from other areas. Graduation also is based on completion of the six independent research j?rojects, two of Hhich are chosen and completed by the student in any year during three and four periods set aside for this academic task. Qualifying examinations are more a test of the student's knowledge. also serve to guide them by discovering relative abilities in studies. Some fourteen of the students have chosen to take the qualifying examinations in b,ro different fields, and the results may help them to determine which to choose to continue as a major field. In areas --literature and philosophy -sccond year students take as part of the qualifying examination the Advanced Achievement test which is part of the Graduate Record Examination, usually given in the final months of a college career. -more-

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New College Examinations Page 3 Examinations in areas will be written and partly oral. Discretion for the type and length of examination rests with the individual professors. Failure in the qualifying examination leaves several courses open to students. Those .;rho have taken exc::.minations in two different fields, may continue in the one passed. Those 1-:ho took only one and failed automatically v1ill have their total academic records reviewed by the faculty to determine if they should continue. Any allowec to continue oust retake another qualifying examination in July at the end of the third claf;s term. Language tests for all students demonstrate their readiness to continue at advanced levels. Regardless of the outcome of these language tests, each student must take a final laaguage examination during the final year, to indicate competency with a language just prior to graduation. Most second year students are wearing grim visages as they make their final preparations for the three examination days. It is a time of late-burning lights, intensive revie\ving of notes, and much, much reading. -30-