Columbia Post-Bacc Chem Placement Exam

[kateh19]

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I am taking the chemistry placement exam on Aug 2 and have not taken
chemistry in 8 years. Has anyone taken the test? How difficult and
in-depth is it?

 

[Superflyjsc]

wow columbia has a placement test for postbaccers? If i were u i would just find another school to go to that doesnt require a placement test instead. Most of the students who enroll in the postbacc programs would be students who has never taken science courses during their undergrads so how well does Columbia actually think these students will do on these placement tests?

 

[Wednesday]

wow columbia has a placement test for postbaccers? If i were u i would just find another school to go to that doesnt require a placement test instead. Most of the students who enroll in the postbacc programs would be students who has never taken science courses during their undergrads so how well does Columbia actually think these students will do on these placement tests?

I think it's to see if you should be in the regular chem class or the prechem class they offer. Just to see if you've ever been exposed to any chem before (Ilike in high school). I remember it being sort of harder than I thought it would be. I hadn't had chem since junior year of high school (9 years earlier) but I placed into chem. I think that even if you don't get a high enough score, you could probably still take regular chem. They're just trying to help you out and not place you over your head, but I really don't think that regular chem is too horribly hard. If I were you, I would just check out a AP chem review book from the library and look over it a little to remind yourself of the concepts and how to do the problems before August 2. I think it's actually an old California state chem exam for high school students. Good luck with the Columbia program!

 

[NYCmed]

What Wednesday said. They just want to see where you are science-wise, and since General Chem is a pre-req for Orgo and Bio at Columbia, they want to start you off on the right foot. That way, if you need extra help with Chemistry they'll stick you in a pre-chem class right away so you can relearn what's been forgotten. I took the test and got an 18; because I was so close to the 20s they said I could retake it a little later to try and place into Chem I, but I know my weaknesses and asked to take pre-chem anyway. I feel it's better to start off with the basics rather than jump in headfirst and try not to drown.

At any rate, Columbia seems to take their math placement exam more seriously than their chem placement exam--that's the impression I got, anyway--so I wouldn't stress. Just get a Chem book (or, as Wednesday said, AP Chem) and go over it; or, if you really don't feel all that confident with Chemistry, go ahead and take the pre-chem course anyway. They're offering it in the summer, which is when I'm taking it, so I can get ready for Chem I and Physics I next Fall. An extra year is worth the prep time.

 

[jaob2003]

...and on the topic of the math exams, a vaguely idiotic question for you exam vets out there (hey, I called, but the person who answered at the office had no idea, and the info they sent was fairly paltry concerning the second exam): what is the format of the math exams (I'm assuming multiple choice, yes?). Terribly difficult or doable if you know logs and basic trig, etc.? Are the results absolutely binding?

I haven't taken a serious math class since AP Calc, but I was good at Calc and think I'm picking it up again fairly quickly...but it's hard to really tell until the exam, no? I'm fine with having to take prechem if I don't do well on the exam, but I *know* I'd do fine in Calc with a week or two in the beginning of refreshing lost info, and having to put everything on hold for a semester or two...ah well, it'll all work out in the end regardless...anyway, thanks for any info to soothe (or confirm) my overactive imagination imagining horrific questions.... 🙂

 

[NYCmed]

I can tell you all about the math I placement test. Yes, it's multiple choice on all 20 questions, so spaced out over 40 minutes you should have enough time to go over them a second time. It covers Algebra I mostly, maybe some Algebra II, but it's mainly fractions, absolute values, rational expressions, factoring/FOIL, square roots, polynomials, etc. No trig that I remember, but you should know what a function is and what it looks like on a graph. The results are binding, I've found out--you need to get at least 16 of the 20 questions right to pass (but if you're relatively good with Calc, this shouldn't be a problem.) I never took the Math II test, but if you got the paper on it you should do fine just firming up your skills on the topics listed (logarithms, identity, etc.) Good luck! 🙂

 

[jaob2003]

Hey, thanks so much. 🙂