Placement Exam Information
New Students
Students who are new to NSC have several options for placement into your first math class. If you took the SAT or the ACT, we can use those scores instead of taking the placement exam. If you have previously passed a math course in the NSHE system, we can use that grade for placement. If neither of these situations apply to you (or if you do not like your placement based on these other methods), you can take a free Accuplacer placement exam. Information about the Accuplacer exam (including a link to a practice exam and study tips) and placement information are given below.
We strongly urge all students to take their math classes as soon as possible. There are several reasons for this:
Students are allowed to take the placement exam once per semester. If you find that your current math course is "too easy" then we want to encourage you to take the time to study for the placement exam and take it again. In order to avoid last minute problems with enrollment, it is best to take the placement exam before the enrollment period opens for the next semester.
Accuplacer Exam Info
For information about signing up for the Accuplacer exam, click here.
The Accuplacer exam is a computer adaptive test that we use to place students into their math courses. A computer adaptive test is one where the test questions change based on your answers to previous questions. This allows the test to make a more accurate placement with fewer problems.
At NSC, your first math placement test is the Elementary Algebra test. If you do well enough on this test, you will proceed to take the College Math test. Both tests are done in one sitting and it can take anywhere between 20 minutes and a hour to complete.
We want our students to do as well as possible on the placement exam, so we would like to provide the following resources and advice:
Students who are new to NSC have several options for placement into your first math class. If you took the SAT or the ACT, we can use those scores instead of taking the placement exam. If you have previously passed a math course in the NSHE system, we can use that grade for placement. If neither of these situations apply to you (or if you do not like your placement based on these other methods), you can take a free Accuplacer placement exam. Information about the Accuplacer exam (including a link to a practice exam and study tips) and placement information are given below.
We strongly urge all students to take their math classes as soon as possible. There are several reasons for this:
- If you placed into Math 93, 95, or 96, delays in taking your math courses may result in enrollment restrictions in the future. Specifically, NSHE code requires degree-seeking students to complete their remedial math before completing 30 units.
- Some upper division courses (especially in the sciences) require that you've completed some college level math courses. Postponing your math courses means postponing other courses, which may result in postponing your graduation. And nobody wants that.
- Taking time off between math classes makes them harder to pass. Students often forget concepts and some of the algebraic mechanics when they stop taking math courses.
- Some students have chosen to put off their math courses until their final semester, and ended up failing. This means that these students have needed to retake the math course in the summer or fall. In some cases, students have had jobs lined up after their graduation, and have needed to ask their future employers for an extension because they did not graduate on time. Don't think that this can't happen to you!
Students are allowed to take the placement exam once per semester. If you find that your current math course is "too easy" then we want to encourage you to take the time to study for the placement exam and take it again. In order to avoid last minute problems with enrollment, it is best to take the placement exam before the enrollment period opens for the next semester.
Accuplacer Exam Info
For information about signing up for the Accuplacer exam, click here.
The Accuplacer exam is a computer adaptive test that we use to place students into their math courses. A computer adaptive test is one where the test questions change based on your answers to previous questions. This allows the test to make a more accurate placement with fewer problems.
At NSC, your first math placement test is the Elementary Algebra test. If you do well enough on this test, you will proceed to take the College Math test. Both tests are done in one sitting and it can take anywhere between 20 minutes and a hour to complete.
We want our students to do as well as possible on the placement exam, so we would like to provide the following resources and advice:
- Take the official Accuplacer Practice Test. Remember that we use the Elementary Algebra and College Math tests.
- (Under Development) Take the unofficial Accuplacer Practice Tests to practice the problems you struggled with.
- Spend some time reviewing your math knowledge before taking the test. You only get one chance per semester, so you should aim to be as prepared as possible.
- Don't wait until the last minute to take the placement exam. If you wait, the class you need to take may be full.