{"id":8490,"date":"2026-06-26T16:14:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T23:14:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/?page_id=8490"},"modified":"2026-07-06T01:24:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T08:24:44","slug":"usc-math-placement-exam","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/usc-math-placement-exam\/","title":{"rendered":"USC Math Placement Exam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--accordions \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--accordions\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      <div class=\"header-container\">\n\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p style=\"margin-top: -1.5cm; margin-bottom: 1cm;\">As of Summer 2026, USC Math Placement Exams are housed in semester-specific Brightspace courses. An updated Brightspace course will be created for each Fall and Spring semester.<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/brightspace.usc.edu\/d2l\/le\/discovery\/view\/course\/309862\">Register for the Fall 2026 Math Placement Exam<\/a><\/h4>\n<p style=\"margin-top: 1cm;\">USC students can also log into their <strong>Brightspace<\/strong> homepage, click <strong>Tools<\/strong>, and select <strong>Discover<\/strong>. There they can search for the most current Math Placement Brightspace page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n  \n      <ul>\n              <li>\n          <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion-trigger \" id=\"heading-1-1-AJv40B3TDd\" aria-controls=\"section-1-1-AJv40B3TDd\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-disabled=\"false\">\n                          <span class=\"item-title\">Exam Structure<\/span>\n            \n                      <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"section-1-1-AJv40B3TDd\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"heading-1-1-AJv40B3TDd\" class=\"accordion-panel\">\n\n                            \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p style=\"margin-top: 0.5cm; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;\">The new USC Placement Exam consists of <strong>three separate assessments<\/strong> that test different elements of Precalculus:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8524 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementAssessments.png\" alt=\"A description of the three Placement Exam Assessments: Algebra (30 questions, 120 minutes), Exponential\/Logarithmic Functions (10 questions, 60 minutes), and Trigonometry (10 questions, 60 minutes).\" width=\"1756\" height=\"528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementAssessments.png 1756w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementAssessments-100x30.png 100w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementAssessments-768x231.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementAssessments-1536x462.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1756px) 100vw, 1756px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-top: 0.5cm; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;\">Students may not need to complete every assessment, depending on their major and prior preparation. Each assessment may be taken separately, but once started, it must be completed in a single sitting. Plan for up to 60 minutes per assessment, use a computer with a reliable internet connection, and have a scientific calculator available. Do not use AI tools, the internet, or assistance from other people.<\/p>\n<p>Consult your major requirements or academic advisor to determine which assessments you should take. Most science, mathematics, and engineering majors should complete all three assessments, while most business majors should complete the Algebra and Exponential\/Logarithms assessments. Complete any required assessments at least <strong data-start=\"793\" data-end=\"813\">10 business days<\/strong> before you plan to enroll in a mathematics course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n            \n                      <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n\n              <li>\n          <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion-trigger \" id=\"heading-1-2-AJv40B3TDd\" aria-controls=\"section-1-2-AJv40B3TDd\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-disabled=\"false\">\n                          <span class=\"item-title\">Scoring &#038; Placement<\/span>\n            \n                      <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"section-1-2-AJv40B3TDd\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"heading-1-2-AJv40B3TDd\" class=\"accordion-panel\">\n\n                            \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p style=\"margin-top: 0.5cm; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;\">All students needing placement should at least take the <strong>Algebra<\/strong> assessment. Students wishing to place into Calculus should take one or both of the other assessments:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8525 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementScoring.png\" alt=\"To place into Math 108, 114, or 117, students must score greater than 10 on the Algebra assessment.\n\nTo place into Math 118, students must score greater than 20 on the Algebra assessment and greater than 6 on the Exponential\/Logarithms assessment.\n\nTo place into Math 125, students must score greater than 20 on the Algebra assessment, greater than 6 on the Exponential\/Logarithms assessment, and greater than 6 on the Trigonometry assessment.\" width=\"1754\" height=\"702\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementScoring.png 1754w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementScoring-100x40.png 100w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementScoring-768x307.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/mathematics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2026\/06\/PlacementScoring-1536x615.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1754px) 100vw, 1754px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-top: 0.5cm; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;\">Students can see all of their scores, and a list of courses they&#8217;ve placed into, by logging into <strong>Brightspace,<\/strong> clicking <strong>My Grades<\/strong> in the banner, then <strong>Grades<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-top: 0.5cm; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;\">However, once each assessment is completed, it may take up to <b>10 business days<\/b> for the registration system to update to allow a student to register for a course they placed into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n            \n                      <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n\n              <li>\n          <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion-trigger \" id=\"heading-1-3-AJv40B3TDd\" aria-controls=\"section-1-3-AJv40B3TDd\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-disabled=\"false\">\n                          <span class=\"item-title\">Retaking the Exam<\/span>\n            \n                      <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"section-1-3-AJv40B3TDd\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"heading-1-3-AJv40B3TDd\" class=\"accordion-panel\">\n\n                            \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p style=\"margin-top: 0.5cm; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;\">Students may attempt each assessment <strong>once per semester<\/strong>, by self-enrolling in the latest Math Placement course in Brightspace.<\/p>\n<p>Assessment scores do not transfer between Brightspace courses; i.e., from semester to semester. The goal is to assess a student&#8217;s <em>current<\/em> mathematical ability, not <em>past<\/em> ability.<\/p>\n<p>To request that an assessment score be reset in the <em>current<\/em> semester because of some technical or logistical issue, students should email placement@usc.edu for assistance.\u00a0 Once reset, the old score will persist in the Brightspace gradebook until the assessment is reattempted, and then it will be overwritten by the new score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n            \n                      <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n\n              <li>\n          <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion-trigger \" id=\"heading-1-4-AJv40B3TDd\" aria-controls=\"section-1-4-AJv40B3TDd\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-disabled=\"false\">\n                          <span class=\"item-title\">OSAS Accommodations<\/span>\n            \n                      <\/button>\n\n          <div id=\"section-1-4-AJv40B3TDd\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"heading-1-4-AJv40B3TDd\" class=\"accordion-panel\">\n\n                            \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p style=\"margin-top: 0.5cm; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;\">A student with <a href=\"https:\/\/osas.usc.edu\/\">OSAS<\/a> accommodations for extra time should contact their OSAS advisor, who will forward the necessary information to our Placement office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n            \n                      <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n\n          <\/ul>\n  \n  \n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":328,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8490","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - 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