New Student FAQs

Is there a Deadline to Take the Placement Assessment?

It is strongly recommended that students complete their required placement assessment(s) as soon as possible to allow for on-time course selection and participation in placement challenge opportunities, if needed.  

Please note that the placement assessment activities will continue to be made available, as the start of each term approaches, to meet our students’ needs.  

Reading and Writing Placement Survey

The FDU writing faculty have developed a survey to collect feedback regarding your past experiences with reading, writing, and study skills. 

In this survey, you will find questions that ask about your prior experiences with some of the key concepts that are covered in our writing courses. Please be sure to reflect carefully and to be honest with yourself when answering the questions; you will also be asked to compose and submit an essay based on a reading prompt with which you will be provided. On the first day of College Writing and College Reading courses, students will be given diagnostic assessments to confirm course placements.

  • Once you begin the survey, you will have 48 hours to complete it, so be sure that you have enough time to complete the questionnaire and the required essay before you begin. It is also a good idea to make sure that you will have a quiet, uninterrupted workspace while working on the survey.
  • Important Note: We encourage you to complete the Writing Survey as your first step in the placement process and as soon as possible in order to ensure that the Writing Program has adequate time to evaluate your responses and essay in order to determine the best placement.

Accuplacer Reading Placement Information

Students who are eligible for the reading and writing survey will also be required to complete the Accuplacer Next–Generation Reading placement assessment. This assessment activity is a computer-adaptive assessment that measures students’ abilities to gain meaning from a variety of text types and to determine the meaning of words and phrases in the context of a passage. 

Accuplacer Mathematics Placement Information

The mathematics assessment is comprised of up to two untimed, computer-adaptive tests that are designed to help assess your prior knowledge of several mathematical concepts. This information will help us identify the course in which you can be most successful in your first semester of study, based on your chosen academic program.

Students are permitted to use pencil and paper for all questions, if they so choose. The use of scrap paper could aid students’ efforts as they attempt to solve the problems; however, students will not be asked to provide or otherwise demonstrate their use of scrap work. A built-in calculator is available for select questions only; students are not permitted to use their own external calculators on the math assessment(s). 

  • All students will begin the Accuplacer math assessment by taking the Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS) Assessment. 
  • Following the QAS Assessment, some students will be prompted to continue to the Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF) Assessment. 

What Should I Study to Prepare for the Accuplacer Assessments?

Students are encouraged to review the study materials below.

Students can find even more information about the Accuplacer assessments online, with FAQs and interactive online learning tools at https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/student.

How Do I Take the Accuplacer Assessment(s)?

Students who are eligible to take one or more Accuplacer placement assessments will receive information regarding scheduling their assessment(s) via their FDU email.

The Accuplacer placement assessments are currently being administered virtually via our partner proctoring service Examity. Additionally, we will announce socially-distanced, on-campus proctoring opportunities as soon as local safety and health protocols allow. We will be sure to apprise you of these changes. 

An assessment voucher will be sent to your FDU student email address. The voucher code will allow you to access your placement assessment activities from the comfort of home, or anywhere convenient (in a quiet, private room) with online access and a webcam. Your session will be recorded online and reviewed by our staff members.

Please follow the steps outlined in your placement assessment email to register for an account and schedule your assessment at https://accuplacer.examity.com/web. Make sure to select Fairleigh Dickinson University – Metro/Tea as your institution. 

Before you begin your online exam, you should test your computer’s compatibility with Accuplacer’s specifications here: https://www.accuplacer.org. 

Is it possible to retake the placement assessment(s)?

Mathematics

Students may participate in math placement assessment retest opportunities, if desired. Retests will be offered during the summer up until the start of the fall term.  

Reading and Writing

On the first day of College Writing and College Reading courses, students will be given diagnostic assessments to confirm the accuracy of their course placements. 

There are no retests for Accuplacer’s Next Generation Reading assessment, the Writing Placement Survey, or writing sample/essay.

Is there a fee for taking the placement assessments?

There is no fee to take the initial placement assessments. However, students who wish to participate in a math re-test assessment activity will be charged Examity’s $7.50 proctoring fee; this fee will be added to your tuition bill.

How Should I Send My SAT or ACT Scores?

If you have participated in the SAT or ACT assessments, we ask that you please share these scores with us to help guide appropriate course placement.  

You have two options when submitting either your SAT or ACT scores for placement-related purposes. You can pick one of the following two options that is most convenient for you: 

  1. You can request that scores be sent directly to FDU’s Admissions Office through the College Board’s website if you completed your SAT assessments or the ACT’s website, if you took the ACT assessments. 
  2. You can also download an official score report that includes your full name, test scores and score breakdown, along with the College Board or ACT logo, and send the PDF directly to myapp@fdu.edu.

Language Placement Information

Students whose academic program requires a language elective will be given the option to continue studying the language(s) they may have studied in high school or as a heritage speaker. Students may also elect to begin studying a new language. If a language assessment is required, students will be notified accordingly.

What If I Required Testing Accommodations Due to A Disability?

If you require any academic adjustments or accommodations due to a documented disability, please contact us at metrodss@fdu.edu or 201-692-2076 at least 2 weeks prior to your scheduled assessment.  

If you are accepted into the Regional Center for Learning Disabilities program and will be receiving academic adjustments/accommodations from that office, contact the Regional Center office (201-692-2716) and request a list of your approved accommodations to be sent to metrodss@fdu.edu.

How Do I Obtain My Placement Assessment Results?

Your placement assessment scores will be sent automatically to the designated academic advisors on campus who will review your scores within the context of your selected academic program’s placement criteria and create your schedule.

After your placement assessment session is complete, your academic advisor is the best point of contact for any questions pertaining to your scores, placements, or schedule.

What If I Have More Questions?

If you have any questions pertaining to the outlined placement assessment processes, please contact the Academic Resource Center at metrotesting@fdu.edu or 201-692-2076.

Your Semester Schedule

I completed a Schedule Planning Guide (SPG) asking me about my preferences for courses. Why aren’t those courses on my schedule?

When advisors create schedules your preferences are always taken into consideration. However, they cannot always be guaranteed due to course availability, curriculum requirements and placement assessment results.

I have AP credits and/or Middle College credits. How do I get credit for those courses?

In some cases, the University does not receive Advanced Placement (AP) scores until the middle of July. If you do not receive notification that your scores have been received by August 1st, please contact Coleen Curtis at coleen_curtis@fdu.edu or by telephone at 201-692-2732 to ensure your scores have been received. If you receive AP credits, please contact your academic department or the Advisement Center to make sure your fall semester schedule is correct. 

If you have questions regarding your Middle College credits, please contact Jordan Mitchell, Senior Program Director of the Middle College Program at 201-692-6504 or via email at mcp@fdu.edu.

I have a course on my schedule called “Recitation”. What does that mean?

Recitation sections are used to compliment and supplement larger lecture sections. The primary goal of recitation is working in small groups to solve problems in an environment that is designed to foster collaboration and discussion among group members. The small class size promotes interactive learning opportunities and allows for more personalized interactions with a professor. This often fosters confidence in students to participate and ask questions, without the pressure of a large audience. Recitation activities may include group work, practice problems, homework, review, discussion, and quizzes. As such, student performance in recitation is a component of their lecture grade.

What is “Transitioning to University Life?”

Transitioning to University Life is a 1 credit course required for graduation by all students. This course helps students make a successful transition from high school to college. It provides entering students with a learning experience that supports them during their first semester at FDU.

Do I have to take a Foreign Language?

Students whose academic program requires a foreign language assessment will be given the option to continue studying the foreign language(s) they may have studied in high school or as a heritage speaker. Students may also elect to start a new foreign language. If a foreign language assessment is required, students will be notified accordingly.

I am interested in the QUEST Teacher Preparation program. Can I take an Education course my first semester?

Students already accepted into the QUEST program will be registered for EDUC1108 Seminar in Professional Practice I: The Teacher’s Role in School and community (3 credits). Students who place into developmental courses may be required to delay entrance into QUEST until completing developmental courses. If you are interested in QUEST but have not yet spoken to the QUEST Coordinator, please contact Dr. Kathryn Spence at 201-692-2863 or through email at Kathryn_spence@fdu.edu.

Engineering majors

I took the placement assessment for math and placed into MATH 1105: College Algebra. Does that class count towards graduation?

College Algebra is considered to be a lower math than Pre-calculus and therefore will not carry credit toward graduation and will be considered excess credit.

Why am I not registered for General Physics I if it is part of my requirements?

If you place in Pre-calculus or higher as determined by the placement assessment, you will be registered for General Physics I and its lab. If you placed below Pre-calculus, you will be registered for an alternate required course.

My schedule does not show any Engineering courses. Why?

If you placed in College Algebra or higher as determined by the placement assessment, you will be registered for ENGR 1301: Engineering Practices, Graphics, and Designs. If you placed below College Algebra (i.e. Algebra Skills or Computation and Algebra skills), you will be registered for an alternate required course.

Science Majors

I thought I needed to take CHEM 1201: General Chemistry I in my first semester. Why aren’t I registered for it?

In order to take General Chemistry I, you must have a specific math assessment score. If you did not receive that minimum score, you will be registered for an alternate course based on your assessment. 

Students interested in the Nursing major

Students who desire Nursing as their major must be accepted into the program. If you are not initially accepted into the program via your entrance into FDU through Admissions, your acceptance is then based on completing prerequisites along with attaining certain grades and GPA.

It is necessary for the student who desires entrance into the Nursing program to directly contact the School of Nursing regarding specific entrance requirements. Please contact the School of Nursing at 201-692-2880.