The Physics Placement Exam
If you are planning to take Physics courses during your time at Skidmore, you might
consider completing the Physics Placement Exam. This Exam is optional, and you are
not required to take the Placement Exam.
Skidmore offers two courses of Introductory Physics through the first-year physics
curriculum. This Placement Test will determine whether or not you can enroll directly
in the second course of the Introductory Physics course sequence (PY 140) and skip
the first course (PY 130). If you plan to enroll in the first course of the sequence
(PY 130), there is no need to take the Placement Exam.
If you have already taken classes covering the material in both PY130 and PY 140,
please speak with a faculty member in the Physics department about the possibility
of skipping both of those courses and enrolling in next course in the Physics sequence
(PY 210 鈥� Modern Physics).
Instructions for the Placement Exam
Please DO NOT study or review before taking the test. It is very important that you
are accurately placed into the correct course based on your knowledge and previous
experience with Physics, NOT your ability to study for the test. You are also NOT
allowed to use any outside sources, such as a textbook, notes, or electronic resources.
Do not consult with anyone. You can use a calculator ONLY for simple arithmetic.
To begin the test, click the link below. This will lead you to the Exam page. You鈥檒l
need to sign in using your Skidmore credentials (username and password). Once you
sign in, you will be presented with 37 multiple choice questions. The test is not
timed, but you can only take it once. Choose an answer for each question, and click
on the 鈥淪ubmit鈥� button at the end of the test when you are finished. An e-mail will
be sent to your Skidmore e-mail account with the results.
If you have any questions about accessing or taking the test, please contact Javier Perez-Moreno.