IMPORTANT REMINDER: Students taking the entrance exam will be required to achieve a score of 70 or better in order to pass the test. The new score of 70 reflects not only SJMC’s commitment to language skills excellence, but also the higher scores of students who have taken the exam.

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Entrance Exam Policies

In order to take MMC 3104C (Writing Strategies), you must pass the MMC 3104C Entrance Exam. By registering for the entrance exams, you certify you have read and understood the following policies and procedures and you agree to comply with them:

Taking and passing the exam

• The entrance exam has two portions: multiple-choice grammar test and a writing sample. Students are allowed two attempts per semester to pass the entrance exam.
• The minimum score required on the grammar test portion for Summer 2008 is 70.
• The passing score is good for two semesters only. For example, if you pass the exam in the fall, you must enroll in MMC 3104C in the following spring or summer semester. If you pass the exam in spring, you must enroll in MMC 3104C in the following summer or fall semester, no exceptions.
• If you pass the test, then you must stay and submit a writing sample. The writing sample will be graded as pass/fail and will cover spelling, syntax, punctuation, and interest in the subject.
• If you pass the test but do not stay to take the writing sample, you will not be allowed to register for MMC 3104C, and you will have to retake the test and the writing sample. Each time you take the test it will count as an attempt.
• Once enrolled in MMC 3104C, you will have two opportunities to pass the exit grammar exam.
• A minimum score of 78 is required to receive a passing grade in the course.

Options for those who do not pass the grammar test or writing sample

• All students are afforded two attempts at taking the entrance exam per semester.
• If the student fails the grammar test or the writing sample, he/she is given one more chance to retake the entrance exam, starting with the multiple-choice grammar test. However, the student must register for the exam again.
• Students have a maximum of two semesters (four attempts) in which to pass the exam before being locked out permanently, no exceptions.
• Should a student not pass upon the fourth attempt, he/she has the option of taking the SJMC Boot Camp to strengthen language skills and gain one last attempt at passing the test.

SJMC Writing Boot Camp

• If you do not pass the entrance exam within two semesters, you must attend a Writing Boot Camp in order to take the entrance exam one last time.
• The boot camp is offered once a semester, only during fall and spring. It meets for six consecutive Saturdays. There are only 15 slots for each session, so availability is based on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Sign-up sheets to receive more information regarding Boot Camps are available at the testing session, in the Department of Journalism & Broadcasting reception area (ACII-320), the SJMC Dean’s Office (ACII-335), and in Student Services Office (ACII-230).

Study Materials and Information

Our experience has shown that most students score extremely low if they do not study.

• Study materials and information about the exam are available on the SJMC Web site: http://jmc.fiu.edu. Click on the “Grammar Exam Support” link to access helpful Web sites that cover topics in language skills.
• The https://lms.fiu.edu link will take you to a site developed by SJMC faculty. It includes practice quizzes in the same format as the test, and covers essential language skills topics. We highly suggest you take the practice quizzes and the 100-question practice exam in order to prepare for the test. To access this page, you must log in as “sjmcguest” and input the password as “sjmcguest”.

Entrance Exam Registration Policies

• The $50.00 grammar exam fee covers two entrance exams and, all exams once enrolled in MMC 3104C. This is a per semester cost. In other words, the two attempts cannot be split between semesters—use them the same semester or lose them.
• Students may take the exam a maximum of two times per semester, no more than four total times in two semesters . If you attempt to take the exam three or more times a semester, you will be dropped from the registration list, no exceptions.
• The attendance policy for registering and taking the exam and writing sample is as follows: ***You must be very careful when registering for exam times. There are no cancellations, and no-shows mean forfeiting one of your chances.***

• If you sign up for the wrong day, or are unable to make your scheduled exam/writing sample time for ANY reason other than documented medical emergencies or deaths in the family, you forfeit that opportunity. There are no exceptions!

• Not showing up for an exam/sample for which you are registered means you forfeit that opportunity.

• If you have taken the exam once and then miss your second scheduled exam time, you must pay another $50 for two more chances to pass the entrance exam during another semester.

Entrance Exam Registration Procedure

Please be aware of the following procedures.  If you fail to meet one or more of the requirements, you will NOT be allowed to take the exam.

(1)          You must register to take the entrance exam. Go to http://jmc.fiu.edu/gramreg.htm and register online. Be sure to read the instructions carefully. You will receive a confirmation email within one business day if you were one of the first 20 students to register for that test session.

• Each examination date has a registration period (i.e. for the February 29 exam, the registration period is from February 18-22).  Once that period is over, or the exam slots for that day are filled, registration will close.
• In order to register, students must have the following information

• Name (first and last)
• Panthersoft ID
• A valid FIU email address (example: diazw045@fiu.edu)

****IMPORTANT: IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE ALL THREE PIECES OF INFORMATION, YOU WILL NOT BE REGISTERED!****

If you are unable to provide one or more of the required items, you must make an appointment with the Department of Journalism and Broadcasting to receive consideration. Call Student Services at (305) 919-5940.

• There are a maximum of 20 spaces available for each exam time. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LATER TESTING SESSIONS TO REGISTER.

• IMPORTANT: There are NO drops or changes once you register for an exam session, NO EXCEPTIONS.
• You must show up for the day and time that you registered. Failure to show up will count against your attempts at taking this exam. That is, if you don’t come, you lose one of the two chances you get in a semester to take this exam, NO EXCEPTIONS. Students who fail to show up twice in a semester will not be allowed to register for any exams during that semester; this means they will lose their $50.
• Not showing up means you forfeit your entry.

• Under no circumstances may you sign up for more than one exam in a week. If you register for multiple exam times within one week, only your last registration date and time will be valid. ***IF YOU REGISTER FOR MORE THAN ONE EXAM TIME IN A WEEK, YOU NOT ONLY LOSE YOUR ORIGINAL TEST REGISTRATION, BUT YOU RISK BEING CLOSED OUT OF A LATER TEST SESSION THAT IS ALREADY FULL!!***

Cancellation Policy

In general, there are no cancellations of the test, if you sign-up for the test, you must show-up. Only documented medical emergencies and documented deaths in the family will be considered for cancellation. To not be penalized, within one-business day of the exam, you must receive approval of the cancellation by the chair of the Journalism and Broadcasting Department. Otherwise, you forfeit this exam opportunity.

Payment

• You must pay a $50 flat fee that covers two entrance exams and exams once in MMC 3104C. Print the payment form attached and take it to the cashier’s office to pay the fee. Payment forms are available in the Department of Journalism & Broadcasting reception area (ACII-320), the SJMC Dean’s Office (ACII-335), and in the Student Services Office (ACII-230).

• The cashier’s office ONLY accepts cash for this payment. Keep the original receipt given to you by the cashier’s office upon payment and bring it with you on the exam day. Copies or duplicates will not be accepted. We recommend that you pay the fee in advance and not on the day of the test, to avoid delays. Please check the cashier’s office hours before you come in. Their phone number on the BBC campus is (305) 919-5540.

Schedule and Location

• All exams will be held in AC II 301 on the Biscayne Bay Campus. Take your original receipt and a picture ID (driver’s license or Panther ID card) to AC II 301. Get to the testing site early and take care of your payment well in advance. Testing sessions will not be interrupted to accommodate latecomers. The cashier’s office closes at 5 p.m. on most weekdays.

• All test dates are announced below, and all are held in AC II, room 301. Please note the registration period for each test session. You will not be able to register after the registration period for those particular test sessions have passed. ****Please note: Sessions fill quickly! As soon as a session is full, registration will close.****

Included below are the times of the writing sample sessions, which immediately follow each exam. ***If you pass the multiple-choice portion, you must stay for the writing sample session that corresponds to your exam. You will NOT be permitted to submit the writing sample on another day. Failure to submit and pass the writing sample means you will not be able to register for MMC 3104C.***