Placement Tests

The purpose of these tests is to ensure that students are placed in the correct levels of classes. Please read each of the descriptions below to determine which tests apply to you. Placement tests will be available between June 15 and August 1.

PLEASE DO NOT ACCESS THE ONLINE TESTS UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO TAKE THEM. When you enter the sites, you will be asked to read and accept the Hollins University Honor Code pledge. Please be sure to abide by this pledge while you are taking the tests. Any violation of the Honor Code will result in judicial charges. If you have questions about the Honor Code, please contact Alison Ridley, dean of academic services, at aridley@hollins.edu or 540/362-6333. If you experience technical problems while taking the tests, contact Ellen Witt at ewitt@hollins.edu or 540/362-6020.

IMPORTANT: Before beginning the German, French, or Spanish test, please make sure you can hear audio and type foreign characters by performing the Pretest Checkup.  Your browser must support frames. If you encounter problems, use the Troubleshooting the Placement Tests link.

Chemistry:
You should take the Chemistry placement test if you are: 1) interested in the subject of Chemistry, 2) interested in pursuing a degree in either Biology or Chemistry, 3) interested in pursuing a career in a health-related field, 4) interested in fulfilling your scientific inquiry or applied quantitative reasoning requirements with a Chemistry course, or 5) interested in earning elective credits in the sciences. Students who have dual enrollment or transfer credit in Chemistry should contact Alison Ridley, dean of academic services, at aridley@hollins.edu, prior to taking the test.

Languages:
Hollins has a language requirement (LAN) that is slightly different for each student population. Please read the following carefully:

First-year students can continue with a language studied in high school through the intermediate level at Hollins or take the elementary level (101-102) of a language not previously studied in high school. Please take placement tests for all languages studied in high school. Your scores will determine how much language, if any, you will need to take at Hollins. Students who have received a 4 or a 5 on an advanced placement test, or a 5 or above on an IB higher level test, have completed the language requirement and do not need to take a placement test. These students are, nevertheless, encouraged to continue their language studies at Hollins.  

Transfer students who are coming to Hollins with one complete year of university study in a language have completed the language requirement and do not need to take a placement test. Transfer students with no college-level language credit are held to the same requirement as first-year students (see above).

Horizon students must complete the elementary level of any language (whether it has been studied previously or not). Horizon students are encouraged to take placement tests in any language studied previously to see if they might place out of the requirement. Horizon students who come to Hollins with a year of transfer credit in a language have completed the language requirement.

Before taking the tests online, please feel free to visit the review sheets for Spanish, French, Latin, and German.  You should anticipate needing no more than one hour to complete a language placement test. If you have studied a language for which we do not offer a placement test, please contact Alison Ridley, dean of academic services, at aridley@hollins.edu, for more information.

Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning:
Every new Hollins student must take this placement test.  Placement will determine which course(s) you will need to take to fulfill your quantitative reasoning requirements and which math or statistics courses you are eligible to take. Click here to access the Quantitative Reasoning Study Packet (pdf format). You are encouraged to review the packet before taking the online test.

Psychology:
The following students should take the Psychology placement test: 1) All first-year students who have taken one year of Psychology in high school. 2) Students who have received credit for a general Psychology course from a college or university. 3) Students who received a four on a Psychology Advanced Placement test will receive four general credits. These students are asked to take the placement exam to determine which introductory course will be waived at Hollins. Students who received a five on an AP Psychology exam will receive four credits and will place out of PSY 141 and 142 without taking the test.

The placement tests can be accessed through the links to the right.

New Student Home Page

Chemistry Placement Test

French Placement Test

German Placement Test

Latin Placement Test

Math/Quantitative Reasoning Placement Test

Psychology Placement Test

Spanish Placement Test

Quantitative Reasoning Study Packet

Troubleshooting the Placement Tests

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CONTACT
Alison Ridley
Dean of Academic Services
Hollins University
Roanoke, VA 24020
(540) 362-6414
mailto:aridley@hollins.edu

In case of technical problems, contact:

Ellen Witt
Director, Instructional Technology
Hollins University
Roanoke, VA 24020
(540) 362-6020
mailto:ewitt@hollins.edu