Placement Exam Samples
English
If you scored a 600 or above on your Verbal SAT you are exempt from taking this placement exam. You will be placed directly into our Seminar in Composition class.
If you scored 600 or above on your Verbal SAT and have a 5 on your AP exam, then you earn six credits total. You will get three credits for Seminar in Composition and three for Literature that counts as an elective. See the AP Credit sheet (PDF) to see how AP scores translate into credits.
If you scored below 600 on your Verbal SAT you will have to take this placement test unless you took an equivalent College in High School course or you transfer in credits from another college.
Download the Sample English Placement Exam: PDF | Word
Algebra
If you had a 600 or above on the Math SAT then you are exempt from taking this test. However, if you plan on entering a major or Pre-Professional program such as Education, Pre-Med and so on, that requires Calculus (either Business or Scientific), then you should take the Trig exam. (There is no sample test for trig.) Be advised that you are not allowed to use a calculator during the Trig test and scratch paper will be provided.
You are also exempt from this placement exam if you earned credit in Calculus on the MATH AB or the MATH BC advanced placement exams. See the AP Credit sheet (PDF) to see how AP scores translate into credits.
You can exempt this placement exam if you received a sufficient grade in Algebra, Trig or Calculus in College in High School or at another college before you came to the University of Pittsburgh.
Download the Sample Algebra Placement Exam: PDF | Word
Sample Algebra Placement Exam Answers:
| 1. a | 6. a | 11. e | 16. e | 21. a | 26. d | 31. b | 36. c | 41. a |
| 2. a | 7. a | 12. a | 17. d | 22. b | 27. e | 32. e | 37. b | 42. b |
| 3. a | 8. c | 13. a | 18. d | 23. b | 28. a | 33. d | 38. c | 43. a |
| 4. b | 9. a | 14. c | 19. d | 24. d | 29. d | 34. b | 39. e | 44. c |
| 5. b | 10. d | 15. c | 20. d | 25. d | 30. c | 35. c | 40. b | 45. b |
