Placement Testing
What are placement tests?
Placement tests help us identify the courses that best suit your needs. They allow us to place you in the appropriate classes within our course structure. It’s important to note that these tests are not entrance exams, and their results do not impact your admission to the university.
Students attending the downtown campus may attend their placement exams through the portal. Once all necessary documents and payments have been received, a voucher number for your placement exams will be uploaded to your portal.
Students attending the Military Campus may schedule placement exams through the satellite office of their choice. Students who are not located on Oahu may take the exams remotely.
Depending on your declared major, you are encouraged to take a writing test, a math test or both.
Placement Test Requirements by Major
Writing Placement: All Majors
Math Placement: Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology Engineering, Business Administration*, Chemistry, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Mathematics, and Oceanography
*All concentrations
Residential Honors students are exempt from English Writing Placement assessment.
ACT and SAT Scores
Depending on ACT, SAT, or other test results, you may be exempt from placement testing. Please review our placement guide and contact advising@hpu.edu if you believe you may be exempt.
Math Placement Courses by ALEKS Exam Scores
| ALEKS Score | Math Courses |
|---|---|
| 0-45 | MATH 1105 Intermediate Algebra |
| 0-45 | MATH 1123 Statistics |
| 46-60 | MATH 1130 Pre-Calculus I |
| 53-75 | MATH 1150 Accelerated Pre-Calculus I and II |
| 61-75 | MATH 1140 Pre-Calculus II |
| 76-100 | MATH 2214 Calculus I |
NOTE: Military campus students should contact their base advisor for additional information on math placement exam options.
Writing Placement Courses by SAT, ACT, AEWP
| SAT Reading & Writing | ACT English | ACT Writing | Accuplacer Score | Course Placement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≥630 | ≥28 | 12 | 8 |
WRI 1200 Research, Argument, and Writing OR WRI 1250 Introduction to Research in the Humanities |
| 500-620 | 21-27 | 9-11 | 6-7 |
WRI 1150 Literature and Argument OR WRI 1100 Writing and Analyzing Arguments |
| 480-490 | 20 | 8 | 5 |
WRI 1100 Writing and Analyzing Arguments AND WRI 1101 Writing and Analyzing Arguments Lab |
| <480 | <20 | ≤7 | ≤4 |
WRI 1050 Introduction to Academic Writing OR WRI 1050 Introduction to Acdemic Writing-SLA |
If you’re accepted into Hawaii Pacific 欧美A片 Military Campus Programs you may take your placement exams from one of our on-base satellite offices or, if located off the island of Oahu, remotely. Please contact the Director/Academic Advisor closest to your location to determine which method meets your needs.
Students enrolled in a major with a modern language requirement or interested in pursuing the study of another language are encouraged to sit for a placement assessment.
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- French
- Hawaiian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Spanish
To schedule a Modern Language placement exam:
- Contact Testing Services: Email your proposed date or date range and preferred times to assessment@hpu.edu.
- Availability Check: Testing Services will confirm if your proposed time is available or already booked.
Exam Duration: Modern language exams typically last about 90 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes for scoring. Plan to be occupied for a minimum of 100 minutes.
ACCUPLACER
(English Writing placement)
(Military Campus students only)
(Military Campus students only)
ALEKS (Downtown Campus students only)
ALEKS offers its own tutorial material. After each attempt, ALEKS analyzes your performance and assigns interactive learning modules to address areas that need improvement. These prescribed modules must be completed before you can retake the exam.
Various websites and publications available in retail bookstores offer resources for preparing for both the ACCUPLACER and ALEKS exams. Hawaii Pacific 欧美A片 neither endorses nor recommends any specific product over another. Students are free to choose whichever reference best suits their needs.
The placement tests are designed to assess true proficiency and determine an appropriate starting point. Keep in mind that many courses build upon each other. Focusing solely on placing into a higher-level course, without being genuinely prepared, can be disadvantageous and does not address any areas that should be developed to support more advanced topics.