University Assessment & Testing

Math Placement & Remediation

Every first-time student entering OSU (new freshman or transfer student with fewer than 24 hours) is provided an Entry Level Placement Assessment (ELPA) report that contains recommendations for course placement.  These recommendations follow OSU guidelines that have been approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE).  OSRHE policy on student assessment and remediation also requires students with basic academic skills deficiencies or lacking curriculum requirements in four subject areas (English, mathematics, reading, and science) to remediate those deficiencies.  OSU also places enrollment restrictions on courses that must be satisfied by meeting placement requirements and/or course prerequisites.  The following placement information pertains to mathematics, statistics, and select science courses.

Enrollment Restrictions and Placement Requirements

The OSU Math Placement Exam is required for enrollment into most math courses at OSU.  All incoming freshmen, transfer students, and continuing students needing placement in one of the mathematics or statistics courses listed on the OSU Math Placement Exam Information site are expected to take the OSU Math Placement Exam prior to enrollment unless they have already successfully completed the prerequisite course(s).  Additionally, certain sciences courses, also listed on the exam information page, also require completion of the OSU Math Placement Exam for enrollment.

 

NOTE:  OSU Math Placement Exam scores are only valid for enrollment for ONE YEAR from the date on which the exam is taken, after which they expire.  Students who do not successfully enroll in and complete a math course with the minimum grade required during the ONE YEAR validity period will have to take the OSU Math Placement Exam again and earn a valid score in order to remove enrollment restrictions.  Additionally, the OSU Math Placement Exam system is only accessible for a ONE YEAR period after a student's first login.  After that ONE YEAR period expires (even if a student has not exhausted all 5 attempts at the exam), a student needing to take the exam again will have to purchase a new account, which can ONLY be done at the OSU-Stillwater Testing Center.

 

Since the OSU Math Placement Exam does not contain calculus questions, it cannot be used for placement into any course above MATH 2144 (Calculus I).  Enrollment in courses above this level is based on meeting course prerequisite requirements.  Students who anticipate earning AP credit for Calculus I should still take the OSU Math Placement Exam in case their AP score does not meet OSU's minimum AP credit requirements and to identify areas of strength and weakness that can be improved before starting class.

Required Remediation

OSU requires the completion of a remedial/developmental math course (UNIV 0123 at OSU or equivalent) when:

• The student's ACT Mathematics subscore is below 19 AND the student's PGI coefficient* for math is below 2.0, OR

• Curricular deficiencies in mathematics are indicated.  Curricular deficiencies occur if the student did not complete the required number of high school units in the subject area.

*The PGI (Predicted Grade Index) coefficient represents a student's predicted grade in selected entry-level courses.  Predictions are based on formulas using high school GPA, high school core curriculum grades, and highest ACT subscores.

 

OSRHE policy further requires that the student must satisfactorily complete the required remedial/developmental math course within the first 24 hours of college-level coursework at OSU (excluding repeats, pass/fail and 0-level courses). A student who does not remediate the deficiency during this time period must attend another institution until the work is completed.

Alternate Methods for Math Remediation

Students may also satisfy the math remediation by:

• Having a PGI coefficient of 2.0 or greater for any OSU math course (Note: PGI scores cannot be used to meet curricular deficiencies)

• Scoring at or above the minimum placement score required for an OSU mathematics course.  Thus, a score of 25 or greater on the OSU Math Placement Exam will clear the remediation requirement.

• Scoring a 19 or greater on the Mathematics section of the National ACT Exam

• Scoring a 19 or greater on the Mathematics section of the ACT Residual Exam

• Scoring a 530 or greater on the Math Section of the SAT Exam (SAT R Math Section, offered March 2016 or later)

• Scoring a 460 or greater on the Math Section of the previous SAT Exam (SAT Mathematics, offered prior to March 2016)

• Successfully completing UNIV 0123 or equivalent

• Earning a high school math GPA of 3.0 or higher (Note: high school GPA cannot be used to meet curricular deficiencies)

Note: Students who clear mathematics remediation must still earn the required placement score on the OSU Math Placement Exam or have earned credit in the appropriate prerequisite course in order to enroll in an OSU math course.