The purpose of this exam is to assess your level of preparation for general chemistry at UCI. You may enroll in one of three courses: Chemistry 1A (General Chemistry), the first of a series in general chemistry, offered during the summer session and in the fall, winter and spring quarters; Chemistry H2A (Honors General Chemistry), offered in the fall quarter; or Chemistry 1P (Preparation for General Chemistry), offered in the summer and fall. You are encouraged to take the exam early to determine whether you will need a preparatory course before taking Chemistry 1A.

*Chemistry 1A-B-C (or H2A-B-C), serves as an elective course for Computer Engineering majors but is not required.

There are two methods of enrolling in Chemistry 1A:

1. Chemistry Placement Test. If you place into Chemistry 1A by way of the Chemistry Placement Test, you must enroll in Chemistry 1A in the fall, winter and spring quarter or in the summer session. It is highly recommended that students enroll in Chemistry 1A by the fall quarter due to limited space in the winter quarter. Results from this exam are valid for one year only.
   
   
2. Chemistry 1P course. Successful completion of Chemistry 1P with a grade of "C" or better will enable you to enroll in Chemistry 1A without having to retake the Chemistry Placement Test. Taking Chemistry 1P in the summer allows you to complete the General Chemistry (1A-B-C) series in fall, winter, and spring.

Note: WebReg will not allow you to enroll in Chemistry 1A unless you have satisfied one of the procedures above. You must also take the placement exam in order to enroll in Chemistry 1P.

You are eligible for Chemistry H2A (Honors) if you:

• Received a qualifying score on the Chemistry Placement Test, or
• Earned a score of at least 4 on the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry Examination, or
• Earned a score of at least 700 on the SAT II: Chemistry Subject Test, or
• Are a participant in the Campus wide Honors Program, or
• Have the consent of the instructor of the course.

You are exempt from this placement examination (and from taking Chemistry 1A) if you have earned a score of 4 or above on the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry Examination. You should take the placement test if you have taken the AP Chemistry Examination but have not yet received the result.

• The meaning of atomic numbers
• Molecular weight and percent composition calculations
• Valences and formulae of simple compounds
• Stoichiometry and yields of products
• Balanced equations
• Concentrations of solutions
• Common chemical units, density, and significant figures
• Logarithms
• Mathematics

How can I prepare for the examination?

Review materials:

1. High School Course: Before taking the test, you should review your high school chemistry material.
   
   
2. Chemistry workbook: A good review for the test topics can be found in the Chemistry Workbook which was written to help prepare students for this placement exam. This 60-page workbook may be purchased from the Testing Office for $10 plus $2 for shipping and handling. Make your check payable to UC Regents and mail it to:
   University of California, Irvine
   Academic Testing Center
   3040 Anteater Instruction

   and Research Building

   Irvine, CA 92697-4425

   
   
3. General Chemistry Textbook: Zumdahl, S.S., Introductory Chemistry (4th ed.) Lexington: D.C. Heath and Company, 1997.

You will have 60 minutes to answer 40 multiple-choice questions.

How many times can I take the test?

You are allowed to take the test only once per calendar month.

How long are the test results valid?

Test results are valid for a period of one calendar year from the test date.

Is test registration required?

Test registration is always required. You may register online, by phone or email.

Do I need an I.D. to take a placement test?

Yes. To be admitted to any test administered by the Academic Testing Center, you must present two forms of valid photo I.D. This requirement is strictly enforced.

The following are examples of acceptable forms of I.D.:

UCI or other school photo I.D. card AND a government-issued photo I.D. card. (e.g., a photo-bearing driver's license, a photo-bearing DMV-issued identification card, a photo-bearing military I.D. card, a passport featuring a current photograph, a Permanent Resident Card- commonly know as a Green Card- featuring a current photograph).

Sample items:

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