Five Pace students walking through a park at night.

Instructions For New Incoming Students

The purpose of placement testing is to ensure that you enroll in coursework for which you are prepared. Pace uses several factors, including Advanced Placement (AP) credit, transfer credit, final high school transcripts, and placement tests administered prior to Orientation, to make sure you take the appropriate classes.

Placement tests are open to all students; incoming students should take them promptly (and prior to attending Orientation).

English

New first-year students

Incoming first-year students must take the English placement test. This test requires students to write an essay. Students who have been accepted into the Honors Program will be informed by their Honors Advisor if they need to take the English Placement test.

Online English Placement Test for New York City Students

If you are attending the New York campus, take the English placement test. Use your Pace Portal Username and Password which you can activate on the Apps, Downloads & Account Management webpage.

Online English Placement Test for Westchester First-Year Students

If you are attending the Westchester campus, Access the English Placement Test. Use your Pace Portal Username and Password which you can activate on the Apps, Downloads & Account Management webpage.

New Transfer Students

New York City Transfer Students

If you are required to take an English placement test, you will be notified by the Office of Undergraduate Admission. If are instructed to take the English Placement test, take the English placement test.

Westchester Transfer Students

If you are required to take an English placement test, you will be notified by the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Access the English Placement Test.

Mathematics

New First-Year Students

Incoming first-year students will take the mathematics placement test to determine the appropriate mathematics course to take in their first semester. Questions range from word problems to trigonometry and pre-calculus. Students may use calculators.

Even if you have pending AP credit or college transfer credits, please take the test. Mathematics placement will be reevaluated upon receipt of official AP scores or appropriate college transcripts.

Online Mathematics Placement Test

The test will take, at most, an hour. It can take less time if your level is determined quickly by the test. Note that you can't go backward to previous questions on this test. You will be allowed to use a calculator, paper, pencil or pen. Make sure to take the test in a distraction-free environment. No other aids are allowed.

Login for the Mathematics Placement Test

New Transfer Students

New York City Transfer Students

If you are required to take a placement test, you will be notified by the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Login for the Mathematics Placement Test.

Westchester Transfer Students

If you are required to take a placement test, you will be notified by the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Login for the Mathematics Placement Test.

Modern Languages

All students with two or more years of high school study in Chinese, French, Italian, Russian, or Spanish who plan to continue their study of the same language in their first semester must take the online placement test to determine the appropriate level of college study. The test may only be taken once. Test scores remain valid for one year.

Take the Chinese, French, Italian, Russian, or Spanish placement test

Email newstudentexperience@pace.edu with any questions about placement testing.

Accommodated Placement Testing

If you have a disability that requires accommodations, please contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS) on the campus you will be attending prior to your Orientation. SAS recommends contacting the office as soon as you register for Orientation.

  • New York City Campus Student Accessibility Services: (212) 346-1526
  • Westchester Campus Student Accessibility Services: (914) 773-3710

College Credit and Advanced Placement (AP) Course Equivalency

If you have taken college courses for credit or have participated in a dual enrollment or Bridge program, please be sure to have all official college transcripts forwarded to the Office of Undergraduate Admission for evaluation. Prior credit will only be evaluated once your official transcript has been received. A minimum score of 4 is required on all AP exams with the exception of the Computer Science A and Computer Science AB exams. A score of 3 or above is acceptable for the Computer Science A and Computer Science AB exams.