Placement Exam Tips


You have only forty minutes to complete the exam, so stay aware of the amount of time you have used. Your clock may not be set to the same time as the clock on our web server, so when you start the exam, you might want to compare the time it reports (near the "turn in exam" button) to your own clock.

Your score will be the number you get right minus one quarter of the number that you get wrong, so it is not always to your advantage to guess. If you can eliminate one or more answers, however, guessing may improve your score.

Remember that this exam helps place you in the course that is most appropriate for your level of understanding. If you misrepresent that level, you may find yourself in a course that is too hard for you. It is equally bad to under-represent your abilities. While you might feel that it would be nice to have an "easy" class, many students who try this find that it backfires: they become lulled into a sense of security, and don't notice when new material or a different emphasis appears, and end up doing worse in these courses than they expected.

In short, do the best you can on this exam, and do your work honestly. This will help you to be placed in the best course for you.


Please contact math@union.edu if you experience technical difficulties.