Chemistry Placement for Incoming First-Time, First-Year Students

For Incoming 2024 First-Time, First-Year Students (Freshmen)

This information is specifically for incoming Fall 2024 first-time, first-year students (freshmen) with majors requiring one or more semesters of General Chemistry. For more details please contact the College Advising Center for your major.

Continuing CSULB students should instead refer to Chemistry Placement - Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.

Please see the section Review of High School Chemistry Key Concepts to prep during summer and start strong in your first college chemistry class.

Students majoring in chemistry, biology, environmental science and policy (ESP), geology, materials science, chemical engineering, and biomedical engineering, are required to complete general chemistry (CHEM 111A and 111B) as part of the chemistry sequence.

Students with strong high school chemistry preparation (A or B in a year-long high school chemistry or AP chemistry) and place in calculus 1 (MATH 119A or MATH 122) or above are eligible to take CHEM 111A. Students with strong chemistry preparation who place in pre-calculus course (MATH 113) may also place in CHEM 111A but must complete CHEM ALEKS (see below).

Chemistry Course Schemes By Semester
If Your 1st Sem. Calculus Course Is: And You Meet the Following Chemistry Criteria: Your 1st Sem. Chemistry Course Will Be:
MATH 119A, 122, 123, or 224 (or you have met calculus requirement for your major) ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
  • High school chemistry class with grade of A or B.
  • AP Chemistry Exam score of 2.
 CHEM 111A
MATH 113 or higher ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
  • AP Chemistry Exam score of 2.
  • CSULB CHEM ALEKS course with a score of 80 or higher.
 CHEM 111A
MATH 113 or higher none of the chemistry criteria above CHEM 102
MATH 112A (chemistry criteria irrelevant) CHEM 102

Review of High School Chemistry Key Concepts

For students who anticipate being placed into CHEM 111A (e.g., from earning an A or B in their high school chemistry class and being placed in calculus 1 or higher), we strongly recommend that key concepts be reviewed before the start of the fall semester.

Here is a compilation of resources to review key chemistry concepts you will need to be successful in CHEM 111A:

If you feel your understanding of many of these concepts is not strong, CHEM ALEKS can help you get better prepared for your first semester of college chemistry.

Chemistry ALEKS Assessment and Prep Course

The Chemistry Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (CHEM ALEKS) Assessment and Prep Course is designed to assess and map your preparation in key chemistry concepts and provide modules to review and refresh knowledge.

Deadline Reminder: you must complete the Chemistry ALEKS Assessment and Prep Course by July 7, 2024. Please note that this task may take several hours and mostly likely cannot be completed in a single day.

Module Topics

CHEM ALEKS learning module is designed to evaluate individualized knowledge gaps and utilize computerized adaptive learning software to enhance your preparation in basic chemistry concepts. The learning module contains 78 topics, as follows:

  • Math and Physics (6 Topics)
  • Matter, Measurement, and Problem Solving (28 Topics)
  • Atoms and Elements (13 Topics)
  • Molecules and Compounds (22 Topics)
  • Chemical Reactions and Chemical Quantities (6 Topics)
  • The Units of Measurement (3 Topics)

The learning module will take 4-40 hours to complete depending on your level of chemistry knowledge, you may spread this over multiple days/weeks.

You need to score 80% for unrestricted access to CHEM 111A. Please note that 80% means that you have "mastered" or "learned" 63 topics (out of 78 topics total). The learning module will also help you review for CHEM 111A and counts in place of the extra credit assignment in ALEKS which is given in CHEM 111A the week before classes start.

How to Sign Up for CHEM ALEKS

To complete the online learning module, go to ALEKS - Student Registration, enter the class code H3AA4-6UKDE, and follow directions. You will need to purchase the ALEKS license, the cost is $30 for 6 weeks access.

Questions?

For more information about chemistry placement, email chemistry.placement@csulb.edu.