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Placement Exams

Everything you need to know about placement exams

Placement exams are offered for chemistry, calculus, music theory, and foreign languages. While many of the exams are available online throughout the year, a few are only offered during Orientation. For the exams that are available online, we ask that new students take them during the summer prior to their first semester.

In some cases, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or SAT II scores may also be used to determine your placement. These scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to our Registrar’s Office before registration. Once the scores have been received by Occidental, contact the Advising Center for more information about your placement.

Transfer students, as well as students who have taken college courses while still in high school, may be able to use relevant coursework for placement. Please refer to the section of the FAQ below titled "Can I use a transfer course for placement?"

Instructions for checking your results after taking a placement exam can be found at the bottom of this page.

Students with a documented disability or learning difference may qualify for extended time when taking a placement exam. For more information, please contact the office of Disability Services for more information.

Placement Exams by Subject

For more information about each exam, follow the links below:

Chemistry  Calculus & Statistics  Languages  Music Theory

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Placement Exam FAQ

In general, students who plan on taking a course in math, chemistry, music, or a foreign language should take a placement exam. That said, there are some exceptions! If you're studying a foreign language for the first time, you can enroll in 101-level course without taking a placement exam. Also, in some cases an AP, IB, or SAT II score may be used for placement, making the placement exam unnecessary. For more information, we recommend watching these informational videos and also reading the relevant section(s) below.

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Students who have previously taken a math, chemistry, music theory, or foreign language course at another college or university may be able to use that coursework to determine placement. In order to receive transfer credit and use transfer courses for placement, you should have the other institution send an official transcript directly to our Registrar's Office. 

In most cases, your transfer course will serve as the prerequisite for the next course in the curricular series. For instance, a student who has completed Calculus 1 at another college or university would be able to register for our Calculus 2 (MATH 120 or 128). For more information, please contact the Advising Center (advisingcenter@oxy.edu).

Chemistry

New Students

New students who plan to take chemistry at any point during their time at Occidental are required to take the online Chemistry Placement Test prior to Orientation. Exception:  Student who received a score of 4 or 5 on the Chemistry AP exam have the option of enrolling in CHEM 130 without taking the placement test, but are encouraged to contact the department chair if they have questions about this placement.

Continuing Students

The Chemistry Department does not require the continuing students to take the placement exam, though it is possible to access the exam using the link below throughout the year. Note that CHEM 100 and CHEM 130 are only offered in the fall semester, so students wishing to start the chemistry sequence in the spring will need to start with CHEM 120.

Overview

  • Time limit: 60 minutes*
  • 40 multiple choice questions
  • You can use a basic calculator and scratch paper
  • Possible placement outcomes:
    • CHEM 100: Introduction to Chemistry
    • CHEM 120: Foundations of General Chemistry
    • CHEM 130: Advanced Placement General Chemistry
  • Students whose scores are near the boundary between two placement may be asked to consult with the Chemistry Department Chair for further guidance 

*An extended-time version of the exam is available for students with qualifying accommodations. Please contact Disability Services for further assistance. 

Accessing the Placement Exam

An Occidental username and password is required to access the online Chemistry exam. The first time you access the exam, you will need to click the "Enroll in Course" button. 

Music Theory

Music Theory

New Students

Students interested in taking music classes who have not previously studied music theory do not need to take the placement exam; they should enroll in MUSC 101 during registration. Students with previous experience are encouraged to take the music theory placement test during the summer prior to arriving on campus.  

Overview

  • Time limit: 60 minutes*
  • 44 questions, including multiple choice, text entry, and matching questions
  • Topics include: notation; rhythm and meter; scales; key signatures; intervals; triads and seventh chords; and roman numeral analysis
  • Having some blank manuscript paper and a pencil is recommended
  • No other tools or resources are permitted 
  • The placement exam is scored out of 100 points. Students who receive a score of 80 or above will be invited to take the second part of the exam (offered in-person during Orientation) to determine whether they can place directly into MUSC 151.

*An extended-time version of the exam is available for students with qualifying accommodations. Please contact Disability Services for further assistance. 

Accessing the Placement Exam

An Occidental username and password is required to access the online Music Theory exam. The first time you access the exam, you will need to click the "Enroll in Course" button. 

Checking Your Placement Results

Note: For online placement exams, scores are typically not available until the next business day. Placement results based on AP and IB scores will not be available until an official score report/transcript is received and processed by the Registrar's Office.

  1. Go to and enter your username and password. Select the Academics tab and then select Grades and Academic Records.
  2. Click Placement Results in the bottom right-hand corner. 
  3. All of your results should appear in a grid at the bottom of the screen.
Contact Advising Center
Johnson Student Center

First floor, Room 134

Phone: (323) 259-1341
advisingcenter@oxy.edu

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