Math Placement FAQ
Quick links:
Q. Who is eligible to take a math placement exam?
A. Math placement exams are intended for first-year students with no prior college level math credit. If you are an incoming freshman student, then you are eligible to take a math placement exam.
Q. I'm an incoming freshman student. Do I need to take a math placement exam?
A. If you intend to enroll in calculus-based math or science courses, and you do not have college-level math credit (transfer, AP, or otherwise) posted on file at UH for Precalculus or Calculus 1, then you are required to take a math placement test.
Please check this table to determine if a math placement test is required or recommended for your major. *Note: if your major is not listed, then you are not required to take a math placement test.
Q. Do I need to complete my placement test before orientation?
A. Yes. In order to help academic advisors assess your readiness for math and science courses, we ask that you complete your math placement test, if applicable, at least 48 hours before orientation.
However, if you are unable to complete your placement test before orientation, you may still complete the test after your orientation but you will not be able to register for math and science courses require the exam until you’ve completed the test.
Q. I took an AP Calculus Exam in high school. Do I need to take a placement test?
A. Students may enroll in MATH 2413 (Calculus 1) without taking a placement exam if they score 3 or above on the Calculus BC exam, or 4 or above on the Calculus AB exam. Students with a score of 3 on the Calculus AB exam will need to take a placement test to enroll in MATH 2413 (Calculus 1).
*Note: AP scores may not be processed by the university and posted in your student account until mid-July. If your orientation date is in June or early July and you choose not to take a math placement test, please keep in mind that you will be unable to register for MATH 2413 (and/or other science courses such as CHEM 1331) until your AP scores are posted by the university.
Q. Can I enroll in MATH 1314, 1324, 1332, or 1342 without taking a placement test?
A. Yes, any student who has satisfied the TSI math requirement may enroll in these courses without taking a placement test.
Q. Is the TSI math requirement the same as the Math Placement requirement?
A. No, the TSI math requirement is a basic math readiness requirement which applies to all University of Houston students. Most incoming freshman students already meet this requirement based on standardized test scores or completion of math courses prior to enrolling at UH. This requirement must be met in order to enroll in college level math courses. You can check the “Holds” section (under Student Service Center) in your myUH account to see if this requirement has been met.
Q. Which placement test should I take?
A. There are two math placement tests. “Calculus 1 Placement Exam,” for students who wish to enroll in Calculus 1, and “Precalculus Placement Exam" for students who wish to enroll in Precalculus or Business Calculus. Most STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) majors should take the “Calculus 1 Placement Exam".
Q. How long are the placement exams, and what topics are covered?
A. Both online placement exams have 36 questions, and students have up to 70 minutes to complete each exam.
The “Calculus 1 Placement Exam" is designed to assess a student’s knowledge of precalculus. Students are evaluated and scored in the following six content areas: Algebra, Equations and Inequalities, Functions and Graphs, Polynomial and Rational Functions, Logarithms and Exponential Functions, and Trigonometry.
The “Precalculus Placement" exam is designed to assess a student’s knowledge of College Algebra. This exam covers the same topics as above (except for Trigonometry) at a more basic level.
Q. Can I attempt the Calculus 1 Placement Exam more than once?
A. Yes, students are allowed up to two attempts at the Calculus 1 Placement Exam. A passing score on this test is 80% or above. The second attempt of the Calculus 1 exam is proctored and must be completed at the University of Houston. If a second attempt is needed, students will have the opportunity to take the exam during orientation. For students completing online orientation or who opt to not take the exam during orientation must schedule a time to report to CASA to take the proctored exam. Click here for information about scheduling your exam.
Q. Can I attempt the Pre-Calculus Placement Exam more than once?
A. Yes, students are allowed up to two attempts at the Precalculus Placement Exam. A passing score on this test is 65% or above. Students should earn a satisfactory score (65% or above) on the practice placement test before attempting this exam for a second time. Both attempts for this exam are completed online.
Q. Who should I contact regarding requests for testing accommodations?
A. Students who request testing accommodations will first need to register with the Student Acessibility Center (Dart Center) office. Please visit the website at www.uh.edu/accessibility, scroll down to “How to Register”, and follow the given instructions. Students will click the “New student application” button to fill in their information and upload supporting documents. Please note that students will need to sign in with their cougarnet email address [username@cougarnet.uh.edu].
Students must be registered for at least one class at UH before they can begin the registration process with Dart Center. For this reason, students who seek testing accommodations will typically take a math placement exam after they attend freshman orientation and begin registering for classes. After a student has completed the registration process with Dart Center, they should email mathinfo@uh.edu for assistance setting up accommodations for their placement exam.
Q. I have other questions about the placement tests, who can I contact for additional help?
A. If you have a question about which placement test to take, please consult your academic advisor. If you are having trouble registering for your test or you are experiencing other technical issues, please refer to the following link. For other questions, please send an email to mathinfo@uh.edu .