Placement Exam Information

How Old Westbury determines your placements

At your admission to Old Westbury, your Math and Writing placements will be determined based on your transcripts. We also look at your optional exam results (AP, ACT, CLEP, SAT, and/or TOEFL). However, there are some occasions that a placement exam is recommended or necessary.

Consult with your advisor or contact advising@oldwestbury.edu if you are unsure whether you need to take a placement exam.

Math Placement Tests:

We have a few variations to determine student's readiness to math courses. A small fee is charged to the student who takes the test.

Exam TitleWho should take it?
Algebra Readiness Test
  • Students who haven't completed any credit-bearing math course
  • Students who didn't earn a C or better in a math class that was a prerequisite to College Algebra
  • Students who are recommended by an advisor
Pre-Calculus Readiness Test
  • Students who need to register for MA2080 or MA2090 but didn't earn a C or better in a math class that was a prerequisite to Pre-Calculus such as MA1020
  • Students who want to register for a course (such as Natural Sciences or Computer Science) that requires a C or better in College Algebra but have never taken the course, yet have mastered the College Algebra content
  • Students who are recommended by an advisor
Calculus Readiness Test
  • Students who need to register for MA2300 or MA2310 but didn't earn a C or better in a math class that was a prerequisite to Calculus
  • Students who want to register for a course (such as Natural Sciences, Computer Science, or Mathematics) that requires a C or better in Pre-Calculus but have never taken the course, yet have mastered the Pre-Calculus content
  • Students who are recommended by an advisor

For more information, visit Math Learning Center

Writing Placement Exam 

Exam TitleWho should take it?
Writing Placement Exam
  • Students who didn't earn a C or better on English Composition I but earned a C or better on English Composition II
  • Students who want to register for English Composition II but didn't earn a C or better on English Composition I
  • Students who have taken an English Literature course but haven't earned credits for English Composition I and II.
  • Students who want to register for any course that requires a Writing Placement but haven't earned the appropriate composition course credits, yet are confident in their Writing ability

Arranging the Exam

To ensure proper placement in our English Composition I and II courses, we offer 
students the option to take an in-person writing placement exam. Students are 
required to register for the exam at least 48 hours in advance by emailing Professor 
Kahn (kahna@oldwestbury.edu). 

Date & Time (Summer 2026 & Fall 2026) 

Location: New Academic Building (NAB) Room 3123

  • Thursday, July 16 at 10am
  • Friday, July 24 at 12pm 
  • Friday, August 7 at 10am
  • Thursday, August 13 at 10am
  • Friday, October 16 at 3pm

Communication of Results

Professor Kahn will notify students of their results. 

If students do not pass on their first try, they may retake the writing placement exam 
one more time.

The writing placement exam can be used to place out of EL1000 or EL22**. It cannot 
be used to place out of both courses.

Cost

The Writing Placement Exam is offered at no cost to students.

Sample Exam

Sample Writing Placement Exam

Select ONE topic. Read and respond to the quoted excerpt. You may agree, disagree, or partly agree with the view stated. If you wish, you can offer a completely distinct view. Be sure to include at least ONE properly cited quotation from the excerpted article or book. If you’re unsure of citation format, do the best you can. 

1. There is no such thing as a neutral educational process. Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.

– From a book by Paulo Freire entitled Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Published in 1970 by Herder and Herder. Page 15. ____________________________________________________________________

Beginning of a sample student response showing how you MIGHT integrate a quotation from the excerpt into your essay. Remember that you MUST include at least one quotation AND a Works Cited or References listing: 

Sample Student Response

I believe education means training in the skills needed for today’s world, and skills are neutral. They can be applied for good or bad purposes. Therefore, I do not agree with Paulo Freire’s idea that “there is no such thing as a neutral educational process” (15). An example of neutral skills applied for a good purpose would be…. 

Work Cited 

Freire, Paolo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Herder and Herder, 1970. 

NOTE: The citation format above is MLA Style. Any academic format is OK (MLA, APA, or Chicago).

Revised: June 12, 2026