Chemistry

If you plan to take a Chemistry course, please read the information below to see if you must complete an online exam during the summer. All placement exams for Chemistry must be taken online between June 1 and July 15, 2012. There are several Chemistry courses available to freshmen during the fall quarter:

  • General Chemistry (CHEM 101)
  • Accelerated General Chemistry (CHEM 171)
  • Organic Chemistry (CHEM 210 or 212)

There are two placement exams related to Chemistry courses:

  1. Chemistry placement exam
  2. ALEKS online assessment

Chemistry placement exam (online)

For students with a strong background in chemistry who think they could be ready for either Accelerated General Chemistry (CHEM 171) or Organic Chemistry (CHEM 210 or 212), but who did not take the AP Chemistry exam or who received an AP Chemistry score below 5.

Available: June 1 - July 15, 2012

Take the Chemistry placement exam via Blackboard

Please note:

  • An AP Chemistry score of 5 automatically qualifies you for Organic Chemistry (CHEM 210 or 212); you do not need to take the chemistry placement exam.
  • An AP Chemistry score of 3 or 4 automatically qualifies you for Accelerated General Chemistry (CHEM 171); you need to take the chemistry placement exam only if you seek to qualify for Organic Chemistry (CHEM 210 or 212).
  • If you believe you can qualify for Advanced General Chemistry (CHEM 171), but your AP Chemistry score is below 3, you must take the chemistry placement exam.

View course descriptions of Chemistry courses

  •  
    1. Go to http://www.aleks.com/northwestern
    2. Click “Sign In”, enter your NetID and password on the NU Online Passport page, and click “Log In”.
    3. Choose Take the Assessment.
    • If you took the AP chemistry exam, choose your classes based on the following:
      • If you earned a score of 5, you will receive credit for Chem 101, 102, and 103 and should register for Organic Chemistry (Chem 210), starting this fall.  If you earned a 5 and either intend to major in Chemistry or have been accepted to the Integrated Science Program, you should register for CHEM 212 rather than Chem 210.
      • If you earned a score of 3 or 4, you will receive one credit for General Chemistry (CHEM 101) and should plan to register for the two-quarter Accelerated General Chemistry sequence (Chem 171-1) beginning this fall.
        Remember, students enrolling in Accelerated General Chemistry must take the ALEKS amath skills assessment.
      • If you earned a score of 1 or 2, you should plan to register for CHEM 101 starting this fall. 
        Remember, students enrolling in General Chemistry must take the ALEKS assessment of basic math skills.
    • If you did not take the AP Chemistry exam, or took the exam but didn't score high enough to receive Northwestern credit, you may proceed in two ways. 
      • First, you might simply start your chemistry studies at Northwestern this fall with Chem 101. 
      • If, however, you think your high school chemistry class might have prepared you to take the Accelerated Inorganic Chemistry sequence (Chem 171-1, 2), we encourage you to take the online placement exam offered by Northwestern's chemistry department. 
    • Remember, though, that all first year students planning to enroll in either Chem 101 (General Chemistry) or Chem 171 (Accelerated General Chemistry), even those who take the department's online placement exam, are required to take the ALEKS assessment of basic math skills before July 15.
    • what information you know
    • what information you are being asked to find
    • what chemistry concept(s) are necessary to link what you know to what you are being asked to find

ALEKS online assessment

The ALEKS math skills assessment is required for any student who wants to take CHEM 101 or 171 regardless of AP Chemistry or Math scores.

Available: June 1 - July 15, 2012

To take the assessment:

  1. Go to http://www.aleks.com/northwestern
  2. Click “Sign In”, enter your NetID and password on the NU Online Passport page, and click “Log In”.
  3. Choose Take the Assessment.

The ALEKS company produces assessment and learning modules designed to test your prior knowledge of math. Taking the assessment will allow both us and you to assess how prepared you are to begin a university-level chemistry course. Even students who have AP credit will be required to take this assessment test. Such students often ask if we think they are ready for the higher level chemistry course into which they placed. This will provide a method of self-assessment for you to make that decision.

View course descriptions of Chemistry courses

Which Chemistry sequence is right for you (and remember, they all begin in the fall quarter)?

  • If you took the AP chemistry exam, choose your classes based on the following:
    • If you earned a score of 5, you will receive credit for Chem 101, 102, and 103 and should register for Organic Chemistry (Chem 210), starting this fall. If you earned a 5 and either intend to major in Chemistry or have been accepted to the Integrated Science Program, you should register for CHEM 212 rather than Chem 210.
    • If you earned a score of 3 or 4, you will receive one credit for General Chemistry (CHEM 101) and should plan to register for the two-quarter Accelerated General Chemistry sequence (Chem 171-1) beginning this fall.
      Remember, students enrolling in Accelerated General Chemistry must take the ALEKS amath skills assessment.
    • If you earned a score of 1 or 2, you should plan to register for CHEM 101 starting this fall. 
      Remember, students enrolling in General Chemistry must take the ALEKS assessment of basic math skills.
  • If you did not take the AP Chemistry exam, or took the exam but didn't score high enough to receive Northwestern credit, you may proceed in two ways. 
    • First, you might simply start your chemistry studies at Northwestern this fall with Chem 101. 
    • If, however, you think your high school chemistry class might have prepared you to take the Accelerated Inorganic Chemistry sequence (Chem 171-1, 2), we encourage you to take the online placement exam offered by Northwestern's chemistry department. 
  • Remember, though, that all first year students planning to enroll in either Chem 101 (General Chemistry) or Chem 171 (Accelerated General Chemistry), even those who take the department's online placement exam, are required to take the ALEKS assessment of basic math skills before July 15.

If you won't have access to a networked computer over the summer, please contact Professor Fred Northrup in the Department of Chemistry at 847-491-7910.

Tips for Success in a University Chemistry Course

Students often ask how a general chemistry course at the university level is different from the general chemistry course they took in high school. While it is likely that the course material is covered in greater depth than in high school, the primary difference is in the way knowledge of the material is tested. Typical test questions usually require application of more than one chemistry concept to solve an integrated problem. Therefore you should brush up on your problem solving skills and especially on properly reading a “word problem” to understand what is being asked and to determine the chemistry concepts you must use to address it. You should begin all such problems by asking yourself:

  • what information you know
  • what information you are being asked to find
  • what chemistry concept(s) are necessary to link what you know to what you are being asked to find

Don’t forget we are here to help you succeed in your chemistry courses. You should take full advantage of all opportunities available to you including seeking help from the course instructor, the graduate student teaching assistants who will hold regular tutor sessions, and the peer tutors who will hold regular sessions at a time and campus location to be announced once classes begin. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if a concept is unclear.

If you have any questions about the chemistry course for which you should register, the on-line placement exam, or the ALEKS assessment exam, you should contact Dr. Fred Northrup, the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Chemistry, at (847) 491-7910 or f-northrup@northwestern.edu.