A Comparison of Placement in First-Year University Mathematics Courses Using Paper and Online Administration of a Placement Test

Abstract

Today, many universities in the United States use mathematics placement tests in combination with high school grades and SAT scores to place students in freshman mathematics courses. In an attempt to make this process more convenient for students and universities, these tests are beginning to be given online. This paper describes the history of a university mathematics placement test, originally given in 1992, which was converted to an online format in 2005. The placement method is described and a logistic regression is used to evaluate the accuracy of the online placement procedure in comparison to the placement with the paper test.