Can you be kicked out for being 'too good' for an introductory language unit?

[justinliu]

Hey all!

I could really use a boost to my GPA, so a friend recommended me to take Chinese introductory (ATS2001) next year. I'm a background speaker in Chinese, but barely (I speak English at home, but I'm able to speak the little Chinese that I do know quite fluently). I tried taking the background speaking unit (ATS1905) at the beginning of the year, but found it too difficult so I picked a comm unit instead. However, in ATS1905 I met a few people who were asked to move up from introductory because it would be too easy for them. Does anyone know if I can stay in an introductory language despite having an ok knowledge of Chinese and still gain credit for it (someone told me you could do it, but would not gain credit)?

tl:dr: Am I allowed to do an introductory language unit despite having prior knowledge and still gain credit?

[slothpomba]

How could they really tell though? I guess your name might give it away.

It is a bit dodgy, ultimately, i guess we really can't predict it. I understand you're trying to be a teensy bit dodgy and boost your GPA but if you really wanted to know, they offered some kind of placement test. That might interfere with your plan to get into the easiest one though :p (unless you do shit on purpose?).

Ultimately though, if you dont get in, there are *heaps* of other really easy GPA boosting units if you're looking for suggestions.

[TrueTears]

My friend did this, he is very proficient at Chinese but needed something to really boost his GPA, so he enrolled in introductory Chinese. They did give him a test but he did shit on purpose lol, he ended up doing the unit without any problems. Pretty dodgy though.

[ninwa]

I know people who did this for German with no issues. It's dodgy as fuck but not against any rules that I know of

[Fyrefly]

The laoshi for Chinese 1 are particularly vigilant, and do their best to weed you out.
No, you're not allowed to do Chinese 1 if you have prior knowledge, and you will get kicked out of class.

If you legitimately found the Chinese 1 Background Speaker unit too hard, then email the Chinese 1 unit coordinator to see if he'll let you in.

Source: I'm a white girl who did Chinese 1.

[sluu001]

Just a protip. When they say "nihao" or ask for your name in chinese - be sure to keep a blank face. My mate fell for that one and got put into a lvl 5 advanced class. Being an aus born chinese, he p. much failed the class.

[Tomw2]

It's dodgy as fuck but not against any rules that I know of

Or rather, the rules are virtually unenforceable, which is unfortunate.

Personally I view such strategies as fairly unprofessional and essentially fraud.

[ninwa]

Or rather, the rules are virtually unenforceable, which is unfortunate.

Personally I view such strategies as fairly unprofessional and essentially fraud.

I've never understood it either. I'd rather have the most advanced level of the language that Monash offers on my transcript than straight HDs from level 1 units. But I suppose for many careers, employers only look at your GPA rather than what you've actually achieved.

[Tomw2]

But I suppose for many careers, employers only look at your GPA rather than what you've actually achieved.

True. I think it would make an interesting study to survey a range of key stakeholders (ie HR depts, managers, recruiters etc) to determine how they interpret and use the information in university transcripts. I try to imagine if I was conducting a competitive hiring / admissions process - it wouldn't exactly fool me - but is this the case everywhere? I wonder.

[Professor Polonsky]

In a way though, assuming everyone is where they should be, getting straight HDs starting in the intro unit is at least as impressive as straight HDs starting higher up.