Welcome to the St. Olaf Chemistry Placement Test
Please read to
the bottom of this page,
where there is a link to the test guidelines.
Who should take this test?
Any new
student contemplating a Biology or Chemistry major or planning to eventually
enroll in medical, dental, or veterinary school should take this test. Chemistry majors usually take a chemistry
course in their first semester. Biology
majors take either a biology course or a chemistry course in their first
semester; many take chemistry first. If
you have earned a Chemistry AP exam score of 5, you need not take this
test. The Chemistry Department will
communicate with you about your class choices.
Why take this test?
The reason to take this test is to help you decide which entry level chemistry course is the best for you to take. Choices include Chemistry 121, Chemistry 125 and Chem-Bio 125. A placement result of Chem 125 is required for registration in either Chemistry 125 or Chem-Bio 125. Even if you don't plan to take chemistry during your first year at St. Olaf, you should take this test if there is any possibility that you will take one of these courses at some time. Here are the year-long sequences available, along with the placement result that allows registration into the fall courses.
If I know which course I
want to take, should I still take this test?
YES! It
is very important to us that everyone who takes Chemistry 121, Chemistry 125,
or Chem-Bio 125 has taken the placement test. If you place into Chem-Bio
125, you can choose whether you prefer to register for Chemistry 125 or Chem-Bio 125; if you place into Chemistry 125, you can
choose whether to register for Chemistry 125 or Chemistry 121. You can see
course descriptions by clicking on the course title in the current Academic
Catalog.
What if I do really poorly on this test?
We take a number of factors into consideration in making our recommendation - only one of which is this test. If you have done very well in high school but haven't had any chemistry, the Chem 125 level might still be right for you. However, students doing poorly on this test should not take Chem-Bio 125, as that course presumes more mastery of high-school chemistry. We take a number of factors into consideration in making our recommendation - only one of which is this test. If you have done very well in high school but haven't had any chemistry, the Chem 125 level might still be right for you.
When will I receive my recommendation?
If you fill in your E-mail address, you may
receive your course recommendation sometime during the summer. Usually,
though, you should expect to hear from us during Week One.
What if I don't like the recommendation?
Talk with us. Experience has shown that students
who are placed into Chemistry 125 usually do well in this course; however,
those who are placed into Chemistry 121 but insist on taking Chemistry 125
usually do poorly. Similar experience suggests that only students with
strong showings on the placement test should take Chem-Bio
125.
Going the other way, it is not advisable to
take Chemistry 121 if you are placed into Chemistry 125. You may well be bored,
you will likely develop poor study habits, and your grade in the course will
suffer. It is better to be an enthusiastic, hard worker in Chemistry 125 than a
bored “coaster” in Chemistry 121.
Other Interesting Links
You may find it helpful to visit the following
links in order to become familiar with the Chemistry program at
Learn More About St. Olaf's Level 1 Chemistry Courses
Information About the St. Olaf Chemistry Major
St. Olaf Chemistry Department Home Page