General Information, Prerequisites, and Placement Assessments

How courses are listed

Courses for first-year students are designated with the symbol “F” on the right side of the course listings page.

Courses are listed with a department abbreviation and a three-digit number (e.g., ECON 110). A hyphen and a fourth number indicate a separate section of the same course (e.g., ECON 110-1, ECON 110-2).

To keep in mind while registering

• If you cannot fit a certain course in your fall schedule, check the spring schedule to see if it’s offered then.
• As you consider which courses interest you, avoid those whose meeting times overlap. Look at the day and time before you complete your selections.
• If you have Advanced Placement credit or are part of the International Baccalaureate program, check to see which courses you are eligible to take. Click here for more information about AP and IB.
• Some courses have lab sections: If you select courses with separate laboratory sections, plan for both the lecture and the laboratory (e.g., BIOL 120L is the course for which BIOL 120X-1 or BIOL 120X-2 are the labs). The lecture and laboratory together count as ONE of your four classes.
• Finally, remember: you will be in college for four years; there will be plenty of opportunities later to take a course you may not be able to fit during your first year.  

Quantitative Readiness Assessment
Open June 1–June 28

It is best to complete this assessment before your initial discussion with your advisor. 

This assessment measures your quantitative readiness to study college-level mathematics and science. Your advisor will use your score on the assessment, along with other information about your background, to help advise you about which quantitative courses to take. Everyone who enters the College must take this assessment.

The assessment covers such topics as functions, college algebra, plane geometry, basic trigonometry and pre-calculus. The best review is to look back at your high school algebra, geometry, trigonometry and/or pre-calculus notes to refresh your memory on these topics. In addition,

• You will be given 55 minutes to complete 28 multiple choice questions. If you have documented accommodations that allow you extra time on tests, please contact Teryn Robinson (robinson@lakeforest.edu) in order to receive time and a half on this assessment.
• You should plan to have an uninterrupted period of about 60 minutes, free from distractions, in which to log on and take the assessment
• No calculators are allowed but a pencil and scratch paper are encouraged
• You should not receive assistance with any questions on the assessment. Such assistance will invalidate the results and may lead to incorrect advising. You do not want to find your way into a college-level calculus class if you are not adequately prepared. 

If you have any questions about the assessment, please contact Julia Berkowitz- Coordinator for the Quantitative Resource Center: berkowitz@lakeforest.edu

To access the Quantitative Readiness Assessment:

Click here. You will be directed to the College’s course management system, Moodle. To log in, use your Lake Forest College username (College USERNAME) and password (College email PASSWORD).

Click on “My Courses” on the lefthand side of the page and then choose Quantitative Readiness Assessment.

Science Placement Assessment
Open June 1–June 28

The Science Placement Assessment opens June 1. Any student who wants to take biology or chemistry in their first year must take the science placement assessment. This includes pre-health, biology, chemistry, and neuroscience intended majors. The College uses these results and other factors to help properly advise you into the science courses in which you will be most successful. 

• You will be given 20 minutes to complete 20 multiple choice algebra and geometry questions. If you have documented accommodations that allow you extra time on tests, please contact Teryn Robinson (robinson@lakeforest.edu) in order to receive time and a half on this assessment.
• You should plan to have an uninterrupted period of about 25 minutes, free from distractions, in which to log on and take the assessment
• You should not receive assistance with any questions on the assessment. Such assistance will invalidate the results and may lead to incorrect advising. You do not want to find your way into a college-level science class if you are not adequately prepared. 

You will not be allowed to register for any biology or chemistry courses until you have taken the Science Placement Assessment. 

To access the Science Placement Assessment:

Click here. You will be directed to the College’s course management system, Moodle. To log in, use your Lake Forest College username (College USERNAME) and password (College email PASSWORD).

Click on “My Courses” on the lefthand side of the page, and then choose Science Placement Assessment. 

Biology: Entry to Biology 120, Organismal Biology (required for biology and neuroscience majors and minors, and health professions)

If you are interested in beginning the introductory biology course sequence (for biology or neuroscience majors or minors or health professions requirements), you must take a Science Placement Assessment described above. The purpose of this test is to assess quantitative skills. This assessment along with other factors will help determine if you are ready for Biol 120 (Organismal Biology) and/or Chem 115 (Chemistry I). 

Chemistry: Entry to Chemistry 115, 
(required for chemistry, biology and neuroscience majors and minors, and health professions)

Entering first-year students interested in introductory chemistry (Chem 115, Chemistry I) must take the Science Placement Assessment. The purpose of this test is to assess quantitative skills. This assessment along with other factors will help determine if you are ready for Chem 115 (Chemistry I). Students who wish to study Chemistry but who are not recommended for Chem 115 in the fall may take Chem 114 in the Spring term.

Students wishing to enter Chem 115 in the fall of their second year and who have not completed Chem 114 must take the science placement test in the spring of their first year.

Students can complete the requirements for the chemistry major in four years regardless of placement in the first year. Consult your advisor or the chair of the chemistry department for further explanation.

Neuroscience: Entry to Biology 120, Organismal Biology and Chem 115, General Chemistry, and Psyc 110, Introduction to Psychology

Entering first-year students interested in neuroscience must take the Science Placement Assessment. Your score on this assessment along with other factors will help determine if you are ready for Biol 120 (Organismal Biology) and/or Chem 115 (Chemistry I). Both these courses are required entry-level courses for the neuroscience major.  Consult your advisor or the chair of the Biology Department for further explanation.

Entering first-year students interested in neuroscience should also take Psyc 110 (Introduction to Psychology) sometime in their first year. If taking Biol120 and Chem 115 in fall, then you can take Psyc 110 in fall or spring.  If taking Chem 114 in spring, then you should take Psyc 110 in fall.

Pre-Health Professions: Recommended Courses

Entrance requirements at most medical and health professional schools include one year or more of course work in biology, two years in chemistry (including organic chemistry), one year of physics, statistics and/or calculus, and English.  In some cases, psychology, economics, sociology, and additional biology courses also may be required. The ideal health care provider understands how society works and can communicate and write well. Speaking a second language such as Spanish is also desirable in the health professions, as are extracurricular experiences. Although students can major in any discipline, you should enjoy and do well in the sciences.

Regardless of your intended major and career goals in health care, it is important to begin the chemistry requirement in your first year of study by taking Chemistry 115 in the first semester, depending on results of the science placement assessment. If you are placed into Chemistry 114 instead of 115, it is still possible to pursue the health professions, but it may be exceptionally challenging to schedule your advanced courses as a result of the delay. It also is typical for the first year pre-health student to take Biology 120 (in either fall or spring) and sometimes mathematics along with introductory chemistry. Click here for more information. Also, be sure to attend the pre-health orientation session to be held at the start of the fall semester.  

Modern Languages and Literatures: Recommended courses and placement exams 

Chinese

If you plan to study Chinese, consult with Professors Ying Wu regarding which course to take. 

French and Spanish

For students who have had language courses in the past, we ask that you take a placement assessment. Don’t worry! The placement exam will not be part of any grade, but it helps place you in the right level language course. Your score will be e-mailed to you and will be available to the Modern Languages and Literatures Department. You can access it here.

If you have not had prior coursework in the language, register for FREN 110 or SPAN 111. If you are a heritage speaker of Spanish, register for SPAN 313.

Students transferring AP credit: With an exam score of 3, you may start at 210 in the fall; a score of 4 may start at 212 in the spring, or FREN 220 in the fall (or potentially 300 level French or Spanish in the fall with permission of instructor); with a score of 5, you should register for a 300-level course.

Questions? Email the Modern Languages and Literatures Department Chair, Professor Cynthia Hahn or your first-year studies advisor. 

Economics, Business, and Finance: Recommended courses

The Department of Economics, Business and Finance offers three majors: economics, business, and finance. The expected sequence for all three is almost identical in the first year. The first three courses to be taken should be Econ 110 (Principles of Economics) and Busn/Econ 130 (Applied Statistics), as well as a mathematics course.  Economics and Finance majors are required to complete Math 110 (Calculus), while business majors are encouraged to complete Math 110 but may instead opt for Math 160 (Mathematical Methods with Applications).  Please note that taking Math 160 will greatly reduce the number of upper-level electives that Business majors may take. These three courses should be completed by the end of the first year.  

Engineering: Recommended courses

First-year students pursuing the dual-degree program in engineering must enroll in MATH 110 in the fall and MATH 111 in the spring.

You must take the online Quantitative Readiness Assessment before signing up for MATH 110. Learn more.

Other courses for first-year students depend on the field of engineering under consideration:

• Biomedical Engineering:  fall, PHYS 120; spring, PHYS 121
• Chemical Engineering: fall, CHEM 115; spring, CHEM 116
• Computer Engineering:  fall, CSCI 112; spring CSCI 212
• Computer Science: fall, CSCI 112; spring CSCI 212
• Electrical Engineering:  fall, PHYS 120; spring, PHYS 121
• Mechanical Engineering:  fall, PHYS 120; spring, PHYS 121
• Systems Science and Engineering:  fall, PHYS 120; spring PHYS 121 

Education

If you are interested in becoming a licensed teacher for elementary, elementary and middle school, middle school and high school, or K-12 grade levels, you should carefully consider the requirements for the education major beginning in your first year. The education major is not a stand-alone major; it must be completed in combination with a second major. Elementary education majors may select any other major to accompany their major in education. Students pursuing an elementary and middle school license should consult with the chair of the Education Department regarding choices for a second major. Secondary education majors may select  biology, chemistry, English, history, or mathematics as a second major.  French, Spanish, studio art, or music education majors may pursue a K-12 teaching license. See the requirements for forthcoming changes in Illinois State Board of Education Licensure Structure on the Education Department website. 

Note: You can complete the education major, and accompanying Illinois teacher licensure, either through the 4-year BA program, the 4 1/2 year Post Graduate Student Teaching Option, or the 5-year MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) program. 

The education major has specific sequential requirements. You should consult carefully with your first-year studies advisor and seek additional advice from the chair of the Education Department early in order to complete the courses required, even if you are unsure and simply exploring a major in education. If you choose courses wisely, beginning in the first semester, you are more likely to avoid summer school courses later in your career. You should also plan to attend the orientation session for prospective education majors during orientation week. The day, time, and location for the orientation can be found on the orientation schedule you will receive when you arrive on campus and will also be available on-line.

Recommended courses for elementary education majors: It is strongly recommended that elementary education majors enroll in courses that will fulfill the elementary education requirements, while, at the same time, fulfilling FFC requirements. These courses include: MATH 104; MATH 150; PSYC 110 (recommended in the spring); BIO 108; CHEM 109; POLS 120; HIST 110; HIST 200; EDUC 215; ENGL 216 or ENGL 217; PHIL 220, HIST 239 or SOAN 244.

Recommended courses for secondary education majors: Students should begin the introductory course sequence for the major in the teaching subject area of choice (e.g., HIST 110 or 200 for those interested in teaching history; MATH 110 for those interested in teaching mathematics). Other options: PSYC 110 (recommended in the spring); EDUC 215; PHIL 220, HIST 239, or SOAN 244. 

Recommended courses for K-12 licensure programs—Students should take the same recommended courses as those listed above for secondary education majors, including the introductory sequence for the major in the teaching subject area of choice (Spanish, French, studio art, or music). 

Music courses and lessons

Questions about taking a music course or lesson? Consult the department chair, Professor Nick Wallin, at wallin@lakeforest.edu, or your advisor.