Placement Exams and Assessments
Exams and Assessments
Once you have reviewed the above section to determine which exams and assessments are relevant to you, find more information on each exam/assessment below, including deadline dates, access links, and contact information.
Biology Placement Exam
This optional exam is recommended for students interested in taking a research-oriented introductory biology course sequence. The exam focuses both on content knowledge and problem solving related to key concepts in molecular biology. Successful scores on the placement exam enable registration into the Research Track Introductory Series starting with BIO239 offered each Spring quarter. The Research track series (BIO239/240/241) covers a similar range of topics as the main sequence (BIO201/202/203) and emphasizes learning and understanding how new discoveries in biology are made, through reading historical and contemporary primary literature. For more details on this program, see the Biological Sciences website at https://biosci.northwestern.edu/undergraduate/research-track.html.
Any student interested in taking this exam should sign up by July 10 through this link: https://forms.office.com/r/nPfExkQrEb. The exam will be offered July 14–27 and can be accessed via Canvas.
- Access the optional Biology Placement Exam under the courses section on Canvas.
- The Canvas site will become available July 11. If you have signed up for the exam and do not see the site when you log into Canvas after July 11, please email biosci@northwestern.edu for assistance.
Initial Chemistry Assessment
This assessment is required for all students—including students with AP Chemistry credit—who plan to take any chemistry course at Northwestern and for all McCormick students regardless of chemistry plans. The exam is administered on Canvas. Invitations to the Canvas site will be sent directly to students starting on June 1. For more information, visit the Department of Chemistry website.
- Access the Initial Chemistry Assessment under the courses section on Canvas.
- If you do not see this exam when you log into Canvas after June 1, please email chemhelp@northwestern.edu for assistance.
- Complete by July 31.
Chemistry Placement Exam
This placement exam is required in addition to the initial chemistry assessment for students planning to take Accelerated General Chemistry (CHEM 171), Organic Chemistry (CHEM 215), or Organic Chemistry for Majors (CHEM 217), regardless of any credit earned through AP or IB examination. The exam is administered on Canvas. Invitations to the Canvas site will be sent directly to students starting June 1.
- If you do not see this exam when you log into Canvas after June 1, please email chemhelp@northwestern.edu for assistance.
- Complete by July 31.
Language Placement Exam
Policies and procedures for language placement vary by department and apply to students with prior knowledge of languages other than English, acquired through high school study, home use, self-study, etc. Language Placement Exams are not administered via Canvas.
- Review how your background in a specific language determines the need to take a language exam at Language Placement page. Click on a language name and carefully read ALL information on the page. Contact the placement coordinator for any inquiries.
- Deadline to complete the online language placement test: July 31
- Japanese and Korean online tests are available from July 1 to July 31.
- All other online tests are available at any time.
- Hindi and Urdu placement tests will be conducted in-person during the Wildcat Welcome Week. Students taking the Hindi or Urdu placement test must create an online profile before taking the test. Please see the Hindi and Urdu placement test information.
- Complete follow-up testing as directed.
IMPORTANT: For students who are required to take the language placement test, but do not complete the online test by the specified deadline, and do not follow up with additional testing as directed, there is no guarantee that their placement results will be available before their registration.
Mathematics Placement Exam
The math placement exam is required for any non-McCormick student planning to take a calculus course at Northwestern and for all McCormick students. The exam is administered on Canvas. Invitations to the Canvas site will be sent directly to students starting on June 1. For more information, visit the Department of Mathematics website.
- Access the Math Placement Exam under the courses section on Canvas.
- If you do not see this exam when you log into Canvas after June 1, please email calculus@math.northwestern.edu for assistance.
- Complete by July 31.
Computer Science Placement Exam
You may choose to take this placement exam if you have substantial Computer Science (CS) background covering the topics of the CS foundation courses AND are planning to pursue formal CS study through a CS major or minor at Northwestern. This exam is optional for all students and is used to verify whether students are prepared to begin their CS coursework at a point beyond the foundation courses. For more information and to sign up for this exam, visit the First-Year McCormick website.
- Sign-up for this exam by July 31.
- Exam will be given online on August 14 at 10 am CDT.
- Questions can be directed to advising@cs.northwestern.edu.
Exam Accommodations
If you need accommodations for an online placement exam or assessment, plan to initiate the AccessibleNU (ANU) application process four weeks in advance of your placement test. Please note that language placement exams are not timed.
Canvas Invitations
Canvas is commonly used at Northwestern for accessing course materials, turning in assignments, viewing grades, and handling other academic tasks. You'll use Canvas this summer if certain online placement exams and assessments are required for you. Every incoming student is emailed an invitation to join the Canvas exam page even if no exams or assessments are required.