Placement Exam Information

The Placement Exam assists the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in determining whether placement in Chemistry 103 or Chemistry 104 is more appropriate. Students who enter with advanced placement should register for Chem 107 when offered* and CHEM 0104, if not. CHEM 107 is offered some fall semesters. See the department website for further details.

Exam components:
60-minute online exam; may use a calculator.  Follow instructions below.

Exam window:
Students entering in Spring 2025 should take the exam prior to December 9. Continuing students should take the exam at least one week ahead of registration to allow for processing.

Exam results:
After you have completed the exam and received your score, please go to https://www.middlebury.edu/college/academics/chemistry-and-biochemistry/placement-exam-information#placement-exam-results-interpretation, to interpret your results.

Contact with questions:
Professor Molly Costanza-Robinson, mcostanz@middlebury.edu  

Online Placement exam link and instructions:

Read these instructions completely before you begin.

Step 1: Activate your Middlebury user account. If you have already activated your account, proceed to step 2. If you have not activated your account, open your web browser and enter this URL: go.middlebury.edu/activate, then follow the on-screen instructions provided.

Step 2: Login to Canvas. Open your web browser and enter the URL. 

Chemistry and Biochemistry

https://middlebury.instructure.com/enroll/FK3JH3

Note: If you are not already logged in, you will be taken to a login screen. When prompted, enter your Middlebury College username (first part of your e-mail address) and password to proceed to the exam.

Step 3: Enroll in the exam. You will arrive at the enrollment screen. It indicates the name of the exam that you will be taking with the heading, Enroll in____Placement Exam. Click once on the Enroll in Course button at the upper right corner of the screen to continue. The screen will change to indicate that you have successfully enrolled, and two buttons, Go to your Dashboard and Go to the Course, will appear.

Step 4: Complete the exam. Click once on the Go to the Course button at the top right. A screen with the exam name and instructions will appear. Read the instructions completely, then click where indicated to begin.

Step 5: Log out. After completing the exam, click once on the Account icon in the left sidebar. Then click once on the grey Logout button that appears in the slide-out menu.

After you have completed the exam, please go to http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/chem/resources/placementexam/chem-exam-results, to interpret your results.

Requirements for Online Placement Exams

•         Your Middlebury College ID number and Middlebury email address (ending in @middlebury.edu)

•         An Internet connection with web access and a speed of at least 512kbps

•         A computer that meets these minimum specifications (tablets and mobile devices are not recommended)

Operating System: Windows 7 and newer, Mac OS X 10.6 and newer, or Linux Chrome OS

Computer Speed and Processor (use a computer 5 years old or newer when possible): 1GB of RAM, 2GHz processor

Supported Browsers: Chrome 52 and 53, Firefox 48 and 49 (Extended Releases are not supported), or Safari 9 and 10 (Macintosh only). Internet Explorer is not recommended for placement exams.

For technical questions on these exams: Please contact the Technology Helpdesk, 802-443-2200 or helpdesk@middlebury.edu

If you have specific questions about the exam you are taking, contact the department chair for that subject area.

Score interpretation page

All students wishing to take chemistry are required to take the chemistry placement test, except for those who have received credit based on the AP exam (score ≥4), International Baccalaureate HL exam, or British A levels. 

The Placement Exam assists the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in determining whether placement in Chemistry 103 or Chemistry 104 is more appropriate. Students who enter with advanced placement should register for Chem 107 when offered* some fall semesters), if it is being offered, if offered, and CHEM 0104,  if not. CHEM 107 is offered some fall semesters.

The Placement Exam can be taken over the summer prior to arrival on campus, during First-Year Orientation prior to registration, or at any time prior to registering (e.g., during the fall semester ahead of spring registration). The Chemistry and Biochemistry Placement Exam is an online written test that is available any time. You may use a calculator. It takes approximately 60 minutes to complete.

Placement Exam

You will need:

• An internet connection with access to the Web
• Your Middlebury College ID
• A recent version of a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Chrome

Instructions: 

• Open a web browser and go to: https://middlebury.instructure.com/enroll/FK3JH3
• Click on the Start the exam now link at the bottom of the paragraph.
• When prompted, log in with your Midd username (1st part of your email address) and password.

Additional Information:

• Once you have completed the exam, please see below for an interpretation of your score.
• Once you interpret your results, if you still have questions, please contact the department chair, Professor Molly Costanza-Robinson, mcostanz@middlebury.edu.
• For technical questions, please contact our Helpdesk at (802) 443-2200 or helpdesk@middlebury.edu.

Placement Exam Results Interpretation

After you complete the Chemistry and Biochemistry Placement Exam, you will receive a numerical score. Your score will be automatically entered into the course registration system and determine which introductory chemistry course(s) you are eligible for. .

Scores of 21 and up indicate that you are eligible for CHEM 0104: General Chemistry II. CHEM 104 will be the only option available to you during registration.

Scores of 19 - 20 indicate you are “on the bubble” in terms of which introductory chemistry course is best for you. The choice of CHEM 0103 or 0104 is largely up to you based on your own comfort and confidence level. If you feel comfortable with your knowledge of chemistry, you should start in CHEM 0104: General Chemistry II. If you are not sure of your knowledge of introductory chemistry, then you should start with CHEM 0103: General Chemistry I. During registration, both CHEM 103 and 104 will be listed as options for you.

Scores 19 and Below indicate that you are eligible for CHEM 103: General Chemistry I will be the only introductory chemistry option you will see during registration.

Further Inquiries:

If you have questions about where to begin your chemistry journey at Middlebury, please see the Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty at the Academic Forum or email the department chair, Prof. Molly Costanza-Robinson (mcostanz@middlebury.edu) to discuss.