Incoming CSE Orientation Students: We hope you are as excited as we are for orientation! Before you arrive on campus, the CSE Academic Advising team wants to remind you to have your placement exam completed. To help you out, we've provided answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions:
Who needs to take the placement exam?
All incoming CSE first-year students must take the placement exam, including those who expect pre-college credit (AP or IB), or those who have earned college credit (PSEO/CIS/dual-enrollment). It is important to complete this exam before attending orientation so you can be placed in appropriate courses. Not completing this exam before orientation can impact your fall registration.
How do I take the placement exams?
You can access the exam through the New Student Checklist. The test is online and timed.
What exams do I need to take?
All incoming CSE first-year students must take the calculus placement exam. This will be assigned to you on your New Student Checklist.
Why do I need to take placement exam?
The exam is designed to assess your readiness for the rigor of coursework at the University of Minnesota. Knowing where you stand will inform what you and your advisor decide regarding your registration choices.
What if I already have AP, IB, or college credit for math? Will I lose that credit if I place lower?
Taking the placement test will not cancel the credit you have already earned for AP, IB, or earned college credit (PSEO/CIS/dual-enrollment). However, if you place lower than what would be expected based on your previous coursework, it could be an indicator that you could benefit from retaking a course to gain a more solid foundation in the material before moving forward in the course sequence(s). Making this determination will involve having an honest conversation with your college academic advisor at orientation.
What else should I know about the placement test?
In order to complete the math placement exam it is important that you submit your scores. For the math placement test, click the "submit" button. It may take a while for scores to be available on your checklist.
The Office of Undergraduate Education offers additional information on the math placement exam. It is important that you read it prior to taking the exams:
• Math Placement Test
• Information on CSE Placement Testing
The Office of Undergraduate Education offers additional information on the math placement exam. It is important that you read it prior to taking the exams:
• Math Placement Test
• Information on CSE Placement Testing
I am interested in continuing with a second language. Do I need to take a placement test?
Yes, you should take a placement test to determine where you will start in the curriculum. You can learn more about placement testing for second languages by visiting the Language Testing Program website. You can also learn language-specific information about the different placement tests offered at the U. If you have questions about languages that are not discussed on that website, please contact the department in which your language of interest is housed for information on how they may do placement.
Hopefully this has provided you with some additional insight about the placement tests. We look forward to seeing you on campus this summer!
Hopefully this has provided you with some additional insight about the placement tests. We look forward to seeing you on campus this summer!
