又一批新生入学了，各个专业不同形式的placement test（分班测试）可能也都相继结束了。在一些对学生的基础知识要求比较高的学科，比如医科，可能第一年还会让学生必修一两门weeder courses，算是入门测试吧。如果这些课程挂了，可能那个学生连学医的机会都没了呢。

A weeder course, in theory, is a low-level required course difficult enough to dissuade¹ prospective² scholars from further study in the discipline, whether the completion of a major or application to grad school. For example, Organic Chemistry and Econometrics are supposed to be weeder courses.

从理论上来讲，筛选课程是具有一定难度的初级阶段必修课程，通过该课程的学习可以筛除一些想在完成本学科内某一专业的学习或者考研的学生。例如，《有机化学》和《经济计量学》都可能是这样的筛选课程。

Making the grade in such courses typically determines whether someone gets into a certain school program. Those who do not survive grading curves for weeder courses are 'weeded' out.

在筛选课程上的分数可以决定学生在某个学科项目中的去留。在筛选课程中分数不达标的学生就会像杂草一样被“割除”。