Chemistry Placement Exam

The Chemistry placement exam will be available June 4, 2024. Its purpose is to determine which general chemistry course is most appropriate for you. It is not expected that you will study for this exam, or that you will know the answers to all the questions. When we use your exam to place you in a course, we assume that you took the exam honestly; that is, you did your best but did not consult with any outside sources.

AP Chem Students -- If you have taken the AP Chem exam, we suggest you wait until you receive your score so that it can be entered appropriately in the exam.

The exam should take between 20-60 minutes. Read the instructions below to get started.

General advice: Quit all programs that might interrupt you while taking the exam (email, instant messaging, Facebook, etc).

1. Have pen/pencils, paper and a calculator handy. No other resources are allowed (no review books, annotated periodic tables, flash cards, etc.)
   
   
2. Set aside at least 60 minutes for the exam. Experience has shown that this time is more than adequate to complete the exam. Give it your best effort, but if a problem is completely unfamiliar to you, do not waste time trying to figure it out!
   
   
3. A periodic table will appear with each questions that requires it. This is the only periodic table you are allowed to use.
   
   
4. To access the exam, log in to Nexus as follows:
   1. Go to Nexus. Enter your username and password, then click on the login button.
   2. Your username is the first seven letters of your last name, plus the first letter of your first name*, and your password is the same one you use for your Union email account. Any difficulties in logging in should first be addressed by following the directions given in the window from IT Help Desk, helpdesk@union.edu. Some students share the same last name and first initial, and may have a slightly different username, e.g. smithj3. You will have been given this username as part of your email information.
      
      
5. Under “My Courses”, click on the current year’s “Chemistry Placement Exam.”
   
   
6. A page opens where you will see the actual Chemistry placement exam. When you are ready to start, click on it, read and respond to the information that comes up, and finally…begin. Please follow all instructions. You may be asked to continue on to a second exam. Please do so in the same sitting as your first exam.
   
   
7. You will be informed of your placement in early August.
   
   
8. If you should have any questions or issues please contact Prof. Brandon Schabes, schabesb@union.edu.