Orientation

Placement exams are taken at home during the summer (prior to registration), and your responses are entered online. All placement exams can be accessed online via our Important Forms page.

Chemistry Placement Information

The Department of Chemistry does not have a placement exam.  Students wanting to register for advanced chemistry courses (Chemistry 112 or Chemistry 231) should consult with the department during Orientation.

The first chemistry sequence consists of two sequential, lab-intensive courses (Chemistry 110 and Chemistry 112). Students must place into Math 160 to be eligible to sign up for Chemistry 110 in the fall semester. Thus, the math placement exam (see “Mathematics Placement Information”) is important for both Math and Chemistry placement of students, and should be taken by any student considering a major in the sciences.

Students who have obtained at least a 4 on the AP chemistry exam or at least a 5 on the IBE chemistry exam may start their chemistry experience in the spring semester with Chemistry 112. Students who have taken the AP chemistry exam and obtained a 5 may start their chemistry experience in the fall with Chemistry 231 (Organic Chemistry), which is normally not taken until the sophomore year.

Contact Dr. Alice Deckert (alice.deckert@allegheny.edu) if you would like to be considered for placement in Chemistry 112 or Chemistry 231.

Mathematics Placement Information

All entering students are required to take the math placement exam, with the following exceptions:

• students who transfer in college credit for Math 160 (Calculus I);
• students who score 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement AB calculus exam, and who report their score to Allegheny;
• students who score 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement BC calculus exam, and who report their score to Allegheny;
• students who score 3 on the Advanced Placement BC calculus exam with a 4 or 5 on the AB subscore of this exam, and who report their score to Allegheny.

Those students who are not required to take the Math Placement Test will consult with their summer entrance advisor about an appropriate math course.   There will also be time during orientation for the student to consult with a member of the mathematics department about their math placement.

Mathematics Placement Categories:

The Mathematics Placement Test determines a student’s readiness for Math 160, Calculus I.  Based on the score on the Math Placement Test, the student places into one of two categories:

• Math 160 (Calculus I) or
• Math 110/157/159.

Students who place into the first category are eligible to take Math 160 (Calculus I).

Students who place into the second category are eligible to take any of the following courses:

• Math 110 (Elementary Mathematical Modeling)
• Math 157 (Calculus I for Social/Life Sciences)
• Math 159 (Precalculus).

For the second category, the course in which the student enrolls depends on the student’s background, confidence, and intended major and/or career.

Further information about all these courses and advice on placement can be found in the Allegheny College Catalogue and in the “Guide to First Year Mathematics Courses” found on the Math Department webpage.

Taking the Mathematics Placement Exam

Students can take the placement test online by clicking on the link found at http://www.allegheny.edu/orientation/important-forms   under the link “Math Placement Test” beginning May 15.   The student then takes the test in compliance with the college’s Honor Code. This means that the student is expected to complete the test in the allotted time without outside assistance of any kind and without the aid of a calculator.  The results of the placement test will be displayed immediately after the test.  Students are strongly encouraged to begin their study of Mathematics as indicated by their performance on the placement exam.  We hope you take these exams seriously.  Do the best you can so that you begin with the right courses.

More about the Math Placement Exam

The Mathematics Placement Exam tests your readiness for college-level calculus.  It consists of 30 questions covering algebra, precalculus, and trigonometry topics:

• Geometry and measurement
• Algebraic manipulation
• Equations, inequalities, and factoring
• Trigonometry
• Functions and their notation, including linear, polynomial, rational, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions
• Graphs of functions
• Word problems and modeling

The test is expected to take about 45 minutes.  You will have 90 minutes to take the placement exam once you have logged into the system.  Calculators are neither permitted nor necessary.

Foreign Language Placement Information

The character of high school language programs varies widely, as does individual student achievement.  Allegheny, therefore, employs standardized placement tests to help determine the level at which students should begin (or continue) language study. All students must take the placement examinations in the language of prior study unless they qualify for an exemption.  Language placement tests are available for Chinese, French, German, Latin, and Spanish and can be found at Important Forms under the link “Foreign Language Placement Tests” beginning May 1st.

Students exempt from taking the foreign language placement tests are those who have never studied a foreign language or have had no significant exposure to a language other than English. Students with questions about the foreign language placement tests can contact the Department of Modern and Classical Languages at (814) 332-3354 or email rmacken@allegheny.edu.

Music Placement Information

Students interested in taking courses in music should:

• take the music diagnostic exam. See “Diagnostic Test” below.
• audition for applied lesson courses. See “Applied Lessons” below.
• audition for ensembles. See “Ensembles” below.

Applied Lessons

Please contact the applicable instructor below:

• Keyboard,  Professor Alec Chien:  achien@allegheny.edu
• Brass, Professor Jennifer Dearden:  jdearden@allegheny.edu
• Voice, Ms. Vicki Jamison:  vjamison@allegheny.edu
• Strings, Mr. Robert Rudolph:  rudolphr@earthlink.net
• Woodwinds,  Ms. Julie Hepler:  juhepler@allegheny.edu
• Percussion, Mr. Stephen Corsi:  scorsi@conneautsd.org

Ensembles (Music 110-118) – You will need to audition.

• For the Civic Orchestra (Music 110) – see Mr. Robert Rudolph (robert.rudolph@allegheny.edu) sometime during the first week of classes.
• For the Wind Symphony/Wind Ensemble (Music 112, 113) – If you expressed to the department your interest in the symphonic band program, you should have been notified of your assigned audition time sometime in August.  If you do have not an audition time, contact Professor Hepler (lhepler@allegheny.edu) or see him on the first day of classes.
• For Jazz Band (Music 114) – Contact Dr. Ronald Stitt (rstitt@verizon.net).  If you have an audition time for Wind Symphony or Wind Ensemble you may sign up then.
• For any of the four choirs (Music 115-118) – Auditions are held during the first few days of classes.  Exact dates and times will be posted throughout the campus.

Diagnostic Test

Music Theory I (Music 188) is a required course for all students interested in majoring or minoring in Music. This online test serves as placement for music theory and music history. It can take from 5 to 35 minutes depending on your previous knowledge.

Students who do not currently intend to major or minor in music but have played an instrument or have sung for several years and wish to continue in applied lessons and/or ensembles: The Music Department suggests that you consider taking the music diagnostic exam. Knowing where you would need to begin the required series of courses in history and theory could be very helpful if later on you were to consider a major or minor in music.

If you have any questions about placement testing, please contact the Learning Commons at learningcommons@allegheny.edu, or (814) 332-2898.