Placement info for advisors—spring 2019

All new entering students, including transfer students, regardless of prior college chemistry credit at the 100 level, must take this chemistry placement exam (CPE) in order to enroll in CHEM-C 105. Continuing students without CHEM-C 101 credit are also required to take the exam in order to enroll in the general chemistry courses CHEM-C 105. Continuing students with CHEM-C 101 credit (grade C or higher) within the past three semesters are not required to take the CPE.

What are the prerequisites for CHEM-C 105?

The minimum prerequisites for enrollment in CHEM-C 105 are one year of high school chemistry AND two years of high school algebra. If these prerequisites have not been met by a student, then the student must enroll in CHEM-C 101. The widely available course Integrated Chemistry and Physics (ICP) does not meet the requirement for one year of high school chemistry. Credit earned by completion of an IU CHEM-C 101 (or higher level) course with grade C or better within the past year meets the CHEM-C 105 prerequisite requirement.

What are the scores needed to enroll in the chemistry options?

The placement process involves achieving qualifying scores both on the CPE and the math placement exam (MPE) based on ALEKS and SAT/ACT math scores.

1. Recommended to CHEM-C 105. A CPE score of 22 or higher AND an ALEKS MPE score of 62 or higher AND 520 or higher on SAT-Math (or 19 or higher on ACT-Math). Alternatively, a CPE score of 22 or higher AND 670 or higher on SAT-Math (or 29 or higher on ACT-Math).
2. Student’s Advisor Conditional Placement: Either the CPE or the MPE (both ALEKS and SAT/ACT) does not meet the targets in #1. If either the CPE score is 17 to 21 OR either of the math requirements (ALEKS score is 40 to 61 OR the SAT math is below 530 or ACT math is below 20) is not met, enrollment in CHEM-C 105 will be permitted with the approval of the student’s advisor. The advisor should consider performance in the prerequisite courses stated above and the likelihood of success based on the student’s recent academic performance, especially in STEM courses, if the student has taken any in recent semesters.
3. Chemistry Advisor Conditional Placement: Neither score meets the CPE/MPE targets in #1. If the CPE score is 17 to 21, AND the ALEKS MPE score is 40 to 61, AND the SAT math is below 520 (or ACT math is below 20), the student is strongly recommended to take CHEM-C 101 first. However, enrollment in CHEM-C 105 will be permitted with the approval of both the student’s advisor AND the chemistry department advisor if they both have good reasons to believe that the student will have a good chance of succeeding in CHEM-C 105.
4. Required Enrollment in CHEM-C 101. If the CPE score is 16 or lower AND the ALEKS MPE score is 40 or higher, the student must enroll in CHEM-C 101 first. If the ALEKS MPE score is lower than 40 regardless of the CPE score, the student should take the appropriate math course(s) prior to enrollment in either CHEM-C 101 or C 105.

The CPE score is valid for three semesters.

Placement exam instructions for students

The chemistry placement examination (CPE) is an assessment to evaluate readiness for college-level chemistry courses. Directing students to courses where they will be better able to succeed is a priority for the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Success in science curricula depends upon matching your level of content expertise to the expectations in the entry-level courses as you transition to study here. Our assessment involves review of prerequisites, prior chemistry courses, chemistry placement scores, and ALEKS mathematics placement scores. Your conversation with an academic advisor is essential to weigh these various components for the optimum placement.

Important information at a glance:

• The chemistry placement exam is an open-book, 45 minute, 40 question, multiple-choice online tool to evaluate readiness to begin CHEM-C 105. Once you begin the exam, you must finish it in 45 minutes.
• You will only be allowed one attempt at the examination.
• You cannot receive assistance from any person (or online tool or mobile app) during the examination to ensure accuracy of the placement process.
• If you are placed into CHEM-C 105 and your performance in the first few weeks of C105 is substantially worse than what your placement score would predict, you will be asked to take and pass CHEM-C 101 with a grade of C or better before being allowed to take CHEM-C 105.
• The exam can be taken on any computer with reliable, secure internet access. Mobile devices or pads (tablets) are not suitable for testing.
• You must have a valid IU username to take the exam.

The following URL is the link for the chemistry placement exam for summer 2019 and fall 2019:

https://iu.instructure.com/enroll/D6X3WM

In this process, you may be asked for an access code and should enter “cpe4198” in the box. Click on the Enroll in Course button. You should also click on Announcement to see more information regarding any specific updates or news relating to the placement process.

Your score will be provided to you at the conclusion of the exam. This data will be uploaded to your IUPUI placement score record and will become available to advisors who can assist as needed in determining the appropriate chemistry class.

Be sure to log off at the completion of the exam.

Contact information

Marie Nguyen
Lecturer and Academic Advisor
Department of Chemistry
(317) 274-6894
mlnguyen@iupui.edu