BNU - different levels for reading/writing and listening?

[limsilas]

hi guys,

i recently stumbled on this forum and think it's such a great idea. i'm thinking of going to either BeiDa or BNU this fall; i know BeiDa places you separately for reading/writing and listening, and i was wondering if BNU does the same thing?

also, i have almost NO prior Chinese experience, but the BeiDa website mentions that you need something like 80 class hours! they don't allow beginners? is BNU also this way?

thanks!

--andrew

[adrianlondon]

BeiDa requires some prior knlwoedge, yes.

BNU doesn't.

BNU will test you before classes start (so I've been told; I start there in September) and put you in the relevant reading/listening/writing classes. You can change up or down as you like for the first couple of weeks.

BNU seems quite good in that regard, as you can also change accommodation (and even move out completely) within the first two weeks, and it seems if you do that you don't actually pay anything at all. Although that could just be dodgy translation on their English website pages :-)

[zhwj]

This page suggests that you can be in separate levels. Most of the folks I've met who are studying language there have been pretty much absolute beginners, so it hasn't been an issue (that's probably just the luck of the draw for my roommates in the dorms, though).

[limsilas]

thanks, guys.

so BeiDa doesn't allow absolute beginners?

[lau]

BNU has no problems with absolute beginners.

They have 3 different classes (or 4, though i guess not), and if one of your skills, for example speaking, is much better than other skills, you can change one of the 3 classes to something else from a higher/lower level without any additional testing or whatsoever. (At least that works for intermediate/advanced students)