Register for a CSUN Test

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday
8am - 5pm
(except State and CSU holidays)

Locations

Bayramian Hall, Rm 190
View Campus Map

Contact Information

(818) 677-2369
Testing.center@csun.edu

Questions/Comments

Have any questions or comments? Please Contact Us.

Chemistry Placement Test (CPT)

General CPT Information

Students may enroll in Chemistry 101 if they have passed the Chemistry Placement Test (CPT) with a score of 40 or more and must have been taken within the year preceding enrollment in these courses.

OR

Completed Chemistry 100 at CSUN with a grade of "C" or better.(Note: A grade of "C-" in Chemistry 100 is not considered passing.)

The CPT is a 60-point, three part test. PART I (20 points) covers elementary algebra including exponential notation. PART II (20 points) deals with general chemical knowledge while PART III (20 points) deals with specific chemical knowledge. Students who fail to obtain a score of 40 or more on the CPT should not retake the test, but instead enroll in Chemistry 100 to prepare for Chemistry 101 the following semester.

If you have not completed a high school chemistry course or have completed such a course more than two years ago, you should not take the CPT. Instead, you should enroll in Chemistry 100 (Introductory Chemistry) to prepare for Chemsitry 101. Completion of Chemistry 100 at CSUN with a grade of "C" or better will automatically qualify you for admission to Chemistry 101. You should be aware that approximately one-half of the students who pass the CPT with a score in the low 40's fail to earn a grade of "C" or greater in Chemistry 101.

If you feel the need to prepare for the CPT, we recommend that you review standard elementary algebra and high school level chemistry texts. These texts are usually available at most public libraries.

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CPT Exemptions

To be exempt from the CPT, students must have:

  • Score of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Test in Chemistry
  • Score of 48 or higher on the General Chemistry Exam of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
  • Successful completion of the ELM requirement is a prerequisite for enrollment in CHEM 100.
  • Grade of "C" or higher ("C-" is unacceptable) in CHEM 100 taken at CSUN

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CPT Test Dates

The CPT is offered various times throughout the year. The CPT consists of 60 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 55 minutes. Students are allowed to leave early upon completion of their exam. Test dates and registration deadlines are:

Test Date Registration Deadline
7/14/2012 7/06/2012
8/24/2012 8/17/2012
9/22/2012 9/14/2012
11/10/2012 11/2/2012
1/18/2013 1/11/2013
3/22/2013 3/15/2013
4/27/2013 4/19/2013
6/22/2013 6/14/2013
7/20/2013 7/12/2013

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CPT Registration Information

Students can now register for CSUN campus tests through the new online registration system. Students must have available their CSUN user ID, password and campus email address before accessing the online registration system. The registration process is convenient and easy. It should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Students must register online for the Chemistry Placement Test at least one week prior to the test date. Visit the Testing Center Online Registration website, www.csun.edu/testing/reg, to register.

There is a $5.00 charge for the CPT. Students must have a credit card (VISA/Mastercard) or a checking account in order to pay and finish the registration process. If a student cannot pay by these methods, they should visit the Testing Center in Bayramian Hall, room 190 during regular business hours (M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm).

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Testing Accommodations


Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Alternative testing accommodations such as extended time, electronic text, readers or scribes are available through the Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) department to students that have a documented disability and require accommodations to take the exam. If you are not a registered student with DRES and have a disability, please visit the DRES website at http://www.csun.edu/dres/studentservices/registering.php for registration procedures.

Registered DRES students can sign up online for the CPT. Students will need to check the optional accommodation box to indicate their accommodation request. The DRES department will contact the student to verify accommodation and make alternate testing arrangements. The University CPT registration deadlines apply for all students and accommodation requests must be submitted by the registration deadline.

Accommodations for Religious Convictions

Non-Saturday testing is available for religious reasons. If your religious convictions prevent you from taking the test on the scheduled test date, students can sign up online for the CPT. Students will need to check the optional accommodation box to indicate their accommodation request. The Testing Center will contact the student to verify accommodation and make alternate testing arrangements. Students can contact the Testing Center at (818) 677-2369 for more information. Students will be required to provide documentation. The University CPT registration deadlines apply for all students and accommodation requests must be submitted by the registration deadline.

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CPT Test Scores

In scoring the test only correct answers will be counted. If you have no idea which of the answers to a given question is correct, you should leave the question blank. If you happen to guess correctly answers to questions you do not understand, you may be advised to take a course for which you are not adequately prepared. Your examination results will be posted on SOLAR one week after the test. Scores can not be given over the telephone.

Passing score on the CPT is 40 correct answers to qualify for CHEM 101/101L.

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Viewing CPT scores on SOLAR

Go to CSUN at www.csun.edu.

  • Login to the Portal
  • Select the "Academics" tab
  • Locate the "Tools for Academic Success" section (has black background)
  • Click on "Check Test Scores"

Scores are available through SOLAR approximately 1-2 weeks after the test administration. Scores are not provided over the phone or via email.

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