Sogang University Placement Test

I took the placement test on 17th November (Thursday) at 10.20am in Sogang University main campus. Actually we could do the test through the phone but I wanted to find an excuse to visit the campus before I start the real deal. Ack! I wish to polish up my fluency as rapidly possible. I didn't study a bit! Honest..and I was just relying on my daily conversation with the ahjussis, ahjummas and friends in Jeju and Incheon before I sat for the test.

The test should be at 10.20am but I arrived one hour earlier which was pretty impressive as I am infamous for being late. hehehe..It took me about an hour from Jakjeon,Incheon to Sogang University but I didn't want to beat the evil traffic. So I went out as early as 6am with Min Young to her Mini-Stop part time job and took the bus number 1500 at 8.15am from there to Hapjeong station then transit to a local bus number 921 circling Sinchon to Sogang University's main gate (정문).

From the bus stop of Sogang University Main Gate, just walk up the

slope and you will see the main gate (as in the picture) on your right.

FYI, the bus number 921 has no english announcement, so if you hear 

서강대학교정문, then drop off at that bus stop.

After entering the gate, you will see this brown building from afar

and just walk up the slope to Arrupe Hall. 

When I reached Arrupe Hall, I was pretty confused as the sign said 'CLOSED' hence I thought I couldn't enter the building. But I was pretty sure that I should come to this building to sit for the placement test. Right beside the stairs there were 2 good looking male students..hehe and the next thing to do was to ask for direction,right? ^^ The boy was so glad that he could practise English with me and guide me to Level 7 for Language Administration Center. FYI, If you enter Arrupe Hall from here, you are already at Level 4. Cause I thought this was Level 1 and pressed the wrong button in the elevator. ^^;

The administrator gave me the option either to wait for an hour before the test or just walk around the campus. Obviously the latter. The weather was chilly so I took a rapid view of the campus ^^ and from my observation Sogang University is not so aesthetic as other universities like Kyunghee or Ewha (So now I understand why Yong Soo was perplexed at my decision to take up Sogang). Hehe..there are just plain building and more new buildings are currently constructed. 

I reached Bandi and Lunis bookstore to kill some time or rather to save myself from the chilly weather. The bookstore was really warm..I mean the heater. By the time I walked outside again, I was completely a frozen stick. Across the bookstore there was a GS25 convenience store and I walked in for a bottle of mineral water.

I walked back to Arrupe Hall at about 10am. There was some books for Level 2 and 3 for free reading at the counter and I took the liberty to prepare for the test in 10 minutes. Bad move. I should NOT do that. It didn't help much as I was shaking so much before entering the door due to the panic attack.

The test went really fast though as the examiner was a professional. It went seamlessly and after she finished testing my conversational skill, she determined my level on the spot. Level 2! Even the administrator thought that my test was quite fast. She told me to get the Level 2 Sogang Workbook from Bandi and Lunis bookstore and gave me a piece of paper with the direction and a discount coupon for the books.

Yong Soo said that I should be placed in a higher level class but I didn't think so cause my Korean fluency is really really terrible. I could understand quite well but failed to converse in long sentences which I will try to conquer with the help of my future teacher and friends in Level 2. I am really looking forward!

Can't say whether I have gone nut or what, but this is really like a giant leap for me. There are a few things that I want to achieve by sincerely studying Korean but firstly, I just want to speak proficiently without stuttering. ^^ I would like to thank Heo Young Seang at BotheringSeoul for the motivation.

This building is on your left if you walk down to back gate.

The back gate

After buying the books, I just walked down the hill through the back gate 후문 and then walk to the nearest subway station - Daeheung Station, Line 6 back to Jakjeon Station for another hour ride and 1,300 won fare.

For more info on Sogang University for Korean Language, please check out their official site.