New Student Placement Testing

Our math & writing placement exams will be administered via Canvas. To access the exam, you will need to login to Canvas using your netID and password.  An invitation and testing instructions will be sent to you via email 24-48 hours before your exam start time.

• The writing test is administered online via Canvas. You will be allotted 90 minutes for the exam.

• You will be presented with an article and asked to write an analytical essay in response to a prompt.  Keep in mind that your essay should propose a thesis, be framed with topic sentences, and offer analysis and textual support in each paragraph. 

• The math test is administered via Canvas. You will be allotted 2 hours for the exam.

• It consists of three multiple-choice sections covering topics in computation (30 minutes), algebra (30 minutes), and precalculus (60 minutes).

English Exam Exemption

• Incoming first-year students who receive an average score of 550 or above on the written and verbal portions of the SAT on the old SAT Critical Reading exam (prior to March 2016)
• Incoming first-year students who receive an average score of 580 or above on the on the new SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing exam (March 2016 to present)
• Incoming first-year students who receive  above 26 on the ACT 
• New students who scored a "4" or "5" on the AP English Language & Composition or English Literature & Composition  
• New students who have completed Rutgers University-Newark's equivalent of  21:355:101 or 21:355:102 with a grade of "C" or higher will NOT need to take the placement exam. 
  • PLEASE NOTE: Writing course below 100 level will not exempt you from testing.

NOTE: If Rutgers University-Newark has not received your AP placement scores by your scheduled placement test date, you MUST still complete the English placement exam. However, if you submit the score of “4” or “5” after your placement test date, it will override the score of your placement test.

Math Placement Exemption 

• New students who have completed Rutgers University-Newark's equivalent of 21:640:106-109 or 21:640:211 or 21:640:114 or higher with a grade of "C" or higher
• New students who scored a "4" or "5" on the AP/AB series (Calculus I) or AP/BC series (Calculus II)

NOTE: If Rutgers-Newark has not received your AP placement scores by your scheduled placement test date, you MUST still complete the Math placement exam. However, if you submit the score of “4” or “5” after your placement test date, it will override the score of your placement test.

• Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University's educational programs. To begin the accommodation process, please complete the Registration form on the ODS website or call the Office of Disability Services at (973)353-5375. 
• If you have a temporary injury, condition, or illness that will require adjustments for Orientation, Registration, and/or Placement Testing, please complete https://temporaryconditions.rutgers.edu/.