Placement Testing FAQs for Freshmen and Transfer Students
We administer placement testing solely for the information it provides: to place you in classes that will give you the best possible foundation for success at Dominican. You may not be required to take every test described below. Most freshmen will need three or four tests, which will take around three-and-a-half hours to complete. Most transfer students will probably need only one or two tests, which will take around one to two hours to complete. See below for more details.
The best way to prepare for your placement testing session is to get a good night’s sleep before you come and relax when you get here. When you come to campus for placement testing, dress in layers. The temperature can be cool in the morning, but it sometimes warms up by the afternoon.
Scheduling Your Placement Tests
Q. How do I schedule my tests?
A. E-mail placementtesting@dominican.edu to schedule your placement testing appointment.
Q. Where do I go for testing?
A. Report to Bertrand Hall, room 110--the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC).
Here is a link to a campus map:
http://www.dominican.edu/about/campus/campus-tour/campusmap.pdf
And here is a link to a map of the area:
http://www.dominican.edu/about/campus/directionstocampus.html
Q. How long will the tests take?
A. If you are a freshman who needs to take three or four tests, plan for at least 3-and-a-half hours of testing time. If you are a transfer student who needs one or two tests, plan for about two hours of testing time. See test descriptions below for more details about the time for each individual test.
Q. Do I need to bring anything with me when I come to Dominican to test?
A. You do NOT need to bring a calculator, writing utensils, or scratch paper. We will supply all the materials you need. However, if you are a transfer student, please bring your Transfer Course Evaluation form if you have it. This is how you will find out which tests you need. If you are a freshman, please bring your completed First Semester Pre-Registration form.
Q. Is there a cost for placement testing?
A. No, there is no charge.
Computer Competency Exam
Q. What is the Computer test like?
A. This test requires you to perform tasks that demonstrate computer-user proficiency with the Microsoft Word and PowerPoint applications. It should take you less than an hour to complete. If you use a computer often and are familiar with the Windows operating system and with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, you will likely do well on the test. For a detailed breakdown of what the test covers, click here.
All students must demonstrate a basic level of understanding in computer skills and applications by
- passing the exam, or
- transferring in approved college coursework, or
- passing Comm 1641 Computer Skills and Applications I at Dominican.
Q. Do I really need to take the Computer test?
A. Unless you transfer in approved college coursework in Word and PowerPoint, you will need to take the Computer Competency Exam at Dominican.
Q. How do I prepare for the Computer test?
A. You can access the following links to help you brush up on your computer skills:
Word
http://www.baycongroup.com/wlesson0.htm
http://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2000/word/
PowerPoint
http://www.iupui.edu/~webtrain/tutorials/powerpoint2000_basics.html
http://www.homeandlearn.co.uk/powerpoint/powerpoint.html
http://www.baycongroup.com/powerpoint/00_powerpoint_tutorial.htm
English Placement Exam
Q. What is the English test like?
A. During this 60-minute timed test, you will write an essay in response to a specific prompt provided. Your writing is evaluated based on the following features: focus, organization, development and support, and mechanical conventions. Depending on your score, you may take another untimed test called Sentence Skills.
Q. Do I really need to take the English test?
A. Some students may not need to take the placement exam in English:
- If your highest Critical Reading SAT score was 600 or higher; or
- If your highest English ACT score was 26 or higher; or
- If you earned a score of 4 or 5 on the AP exam in English Language/Composition or English Literature/Composition; or
- If you have already taken a college-level Expository Writing course for college credit (not for high-school credit) and passed with a grade of ‘C’ or higher—and that course transfers to Dominican—you will not need to take the English placement exam.
If you are exempt from the English placement exam for any of these reasons, you will automatically be placed into Engl 3200 Advanced Writing and Research.
Q. How do I prepare for the English test?
A. Read the information on the following web page. It describes the WritePlacer essay test and the Sentence Skills test and includes some sample Sentence Skills questions and essay topics:
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/accuplacer-sample-questions-for-students.pdf
A. If you would like to brush up on your writing skills before testing, you can access several resources. Just click the links below:
* The Writing Process
* Planning/Revising/Writing an Essay
* Creating a Thesis Statement
Math Placement Exam
Q. What is the Math test like?
A. This untimed test begins at a medium level of difficulty with Elementary Algebra, then adapts as questions become too hard or too easy for you. Depending on your proficiency, you may be required to take the College-Level math test for accurate placement. (You will not be taking the Arithmetic test.)
Q. Do I really need to take the Math test?
A. Some students may not need to take the placement exam in Math:
- If you earned a score of 4 or 5 on the AP exam in Calculus AB, Calculus BC, or Statistics; or
- If your highest Math SAT score was 600 or higher; or
- If you highest Math ACT score was 26 or higher; or
- If you have already taken a college-level course in College Algebra, Precalculus, Trigonometry, or Calculus for college credit (not for high-school credit) and passed with a grade of ‘C’ or higher—and that class transfers to Dominican—you will have met your General Education requirement in Mathematical Thinking and Quantitative Reasoning.
Biology majors please note: Because your major requires a lot of math, even if you received a 600 or higher on the Math SAT or a 26 or higher on the MATH ACT, it is to your advantage to take the College-Level Math placement test so you will have the opportunity to place into a higher level of math.
Q. How do I prepare for the Math test?
A. Read the information on the following web page. It describes the Elementary Algebra and College-Level math tests and includes some sample problems:
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/accuplacer-sample-questions-for-students.pdf
A. Please note that the test focuses on algebra. Therefore, you should review your algebra texts and notes to refresh yourself on the subject if you have not had an algebra class recently.
Chemistry Placement Exam
Q. What is the Chemistry test like?
A. This untimed test consists of between 12 and 16 questions depending on your major. You may use a calculator and a periodic table, which will be provided. The Chemistry placement test is meant to assess your chemistry background from high school.
Q. How do I know if I need to take the Chemistry test?
A. All Nursing, Biology (including Pre-Med), and Environmental Science majors—but only those majors—may need to take the Chemistry placement test so we will know which chemistry course is the right one for you. (If you are Undeclared but considering one of those majors, you would also be wise to take the test.)
If you did not take chemistry in high school or if you have not taken a chemistry course for a few years, you may choose to be placed into the introductory chemistry course rather than taking the Chemistry placement test. (If you have taken a chemistry course for college credit and passed with a 'C' or higher, you probably will not need to take the test.)
Q. How do I prepare for the Chemistry test?
A. The results from your Chemistry placement test will determine whether you will start in one of the following courses:
- Introduction to Chemistry (CHEM 1500) -- for Nursing and Biology majors
- Chemistry for the Health Sciences (CHEM 1600) -- for Nursing majors
- General Chemistry (CHEM 2000) -- for Biology majors
To guide your study, first review these Chemistry course descriptions:
CHEM 1500 Introduction to Chemistry: A Preparatory Course (3 units) -- for Biology and Nursing majors
This course is designed to prepare students for CHEM 1600 or CHEM 2000. Topics include: periodic table, properties and states of matter, electron configuration, chemical bonds, types of chemical reactions, concentration and solutions, structure of atom and an introduction to stoichiometry and balancing equations. Additionally, the course will review basic mathematics and provide an introduction to common laboratory practices and use of common laboratory equipment. 2 lecture hours and 3 lab hours. Fall, Spring Semesters.
CHEM 1600 Chemistry for the Health Sciences (3 units) -- for Nursing majors
This course is designed to expose students in the health sciences to chemical principles important to human physiology. Topics include: reaction rates, chemical equilibrium and gas laws; chemistry of water, solutions, colloids, acids, and bases; carbon chemistry containing heteroatoms; biochemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, vitamins, and hormones; chemistry of body fluids; and metabolic pathways. 2 lecture hours, 3 lab hours. Fall, Spring Semesters.
CHEM 2000 General Chemistry I (4 units) -- for Biology majors
This course is focused on the fundamental principles and theories of chemistry with special emphasis on chemical calculations. Topics include atomic structure, gases, kinetic-molecular theory, periodicity and bonding, chemical thermodynamics etc. Prerequisite: MATH 1400 or College Algebra and a passing grade in the chemistry placement test or CHEM 1500. 3 lecture hours, 3 lab hours. Fall, Spring Semesters.
A. Based on the information in the course descriptions, review the applicable concepts from your high school chemistry text.
A. Click the following link for some practice chemistry problems:
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~bbruner/CHEMPROB.HTM.
You will also find helpful information about basic concepts at http://www.chemtutor.com/.
Advising
Q. When do I meet with my advisor?
A. If you are a transfer student, you will meet with an advisor after you take your placement tests (unless the only test you need is Computer Competency). If you do not already know who your advisor is, you can e-mail placementtesting@dominican.edu.
A. If you are an incoming freshman, you will not need to meet with an advisor over the summer. Your schedule will be prepared for you by an advisor after you take your placement tests. Then in early August, you will receive your schedule in the mail. During the Fall 2009 semester, you will begin to meet with an advisor to help you plan the rest of your coursework.
Placement Testing at a Distance
Q. If I live too far from Dominican to come for placement testing, can I arrange to take the tests in my hometown?
A. We encourage you to take your placement tests at Dominican where you will receive individualized attention from our trained staff. However, if you absolutely cannot get to Dominican, click the following link for information about how to test at a distance:
http://www.dominican.edu/academics/advising/placement_testing/placement-testing-at-a-distance.html
Special Accommodations for Testing
Q. What if I need special accommodations for testing?
A. If you have a documented disability and need special accommodations, contact Kathryn Mulholland at kathryn.mulholland@dominican.edu or 415-257-0187.
Sample Document for Word Test
This is a sample document used for the Word portion of the Computer Competency Exam.
You do not need to do anything with this document right now.
