NMU Mathematics Placement Test
Frequently Asked Questions
The NMU Math Placement Program is designed to help freshman students to decide the right Mathematics or Computer Science courses to take during their first years at NMU. The program takes the considerations of your high school GPA and mathematics records as well as your Math Placement Test scores to give you recommendations as for which courses are appropriate at your level. Incorrect test results prompt misplacements that usually cause problems later for the students and the instructors.
Q. Who should take the NMU Mathematics Placement Test (NMUMPT)?
A: All freshman students.
Q. Who can take the test?
A. Anyone who has signed up for one of the orientation sessions.
Q. Who do not need to take the test?
A: Those who have taken the AP Calculus Test and obtained a score of 3 or above will be granted 5 credits of Calculus I and is ready for Calculus II at NMU without taking the Math Placement Test.
Q. Who can not take the NMU Math Placement Test?
A: Those students who are not freshmen at NMU or who are not current high school graduates. For instance, transfer students and non-traditional students should take Math Diagnostic Test instead. If the system can not find your high school record, you will be automatically lead to the Math Diagnostic Test.
Q. What is the NMU Math Placement Test like?
A: The test is multiple choice consisting of 53 questions. The first 51 are mathematics questions and the last two ask for your high school college-preparation math course grades if you had any. The test must be finished within 50 minutes. Students must take the test without using a calculator.
Q. What is Math Diagnostic Test?
A: Math Diagnostic Test is similar to Math Placement Test but it does not need students' high school grades to make placement recommendations.
Q. When can I take the NMU Math Placement Test?
A: The test is online and you can take the test 7 days a week from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM anywhere. Make sure you do this before the orientation session starts.
Q. What information do I need to have before taking the test?
A. You need to have your NMU Identification Number (NMUIN) ready and prepare to supply your senior year high school college preparation math grades (two semesters). These college preparation math courses are considered to be dealing with the subjects of Pre-Calculus.
Q. How does the Math Placement work?
A. The math placement recommendations are made by combining your Math Placement Test score with your high school GPA and math grades. The recommended courses will be displayed after you take the test.
Q. How do I find my Math Placement Results?
A. After you take the test online, the results will be displayed right after your submission of your answers. Or you can obtain an Access Code from your orientation staff and go to here to search your results.
Q. If my Placement Results do not recommend any mathematics courses, does that mean I can not come to NMU?
A. No. The results of the Math Placement does not change your NMU admission status. You still have the options of taking OC80 or not to take any mathematics courses at all depending on your major.
Q. Why my high school GPA displayed on the screen is different from what I remembered from my transcript?
A. NMU recalculates your high school GPA based on a list of academic courses.
Q. Who should I contact for further information?
A. You can send an email to Dr. Roxin Zhang at rzhang@nmu.edu.
Rev. March 2008