Testing

Placement Testing & Guides

Welcome to UW-Whitewater!

Incoming, first-year students have the following options for placement testing for Math, English, and World Languages.

If you are an incoming Rock County student, over the age of 21, or an international student, please see the bottom of the page for your options.
If you have dual enrollment credits (transcripted college coursework) in Math, English, or a World Language, then those credits will be used for course placement and you do not have to provide any other scores or take a placement exam in the subject area of that coursework.
If you have AP or IB exam scores in Math, English, or a World Language then those credits will be used for course placement.
- The College Board submits AP scores to UW-Whitewater every July. Most SOARs happen before the most recent AP scores are available. You will be able to adjust your course enrollment after your AP scores arrive if the scores affect your placement levels.

Math and English

ACT/SAT scores

For Fall 2023 incoming students the Mathematics and Literature, Writing, & Film department Departments at UW-Whitewater will continue to accept ACT/SAT scores for course placement in English and Math. If you have not sent in your scores from either of these tests, please do so unless you would prefer to take the UW System Placement tests.
You can email your Name, ID Number, and a screenshot/photo of your scores from the ACT or SAT website—we need all the subscores too—to testing@uww.edu. Please make sure that your name is within sight in the image along with the scores.
If you know your ACT/SAT scores, you can look at the placement guides to see what course you’ll be placed into.
- If you are happy with that, then great! You are done and don’t need to do any further testing (unless you want to continue in a World Language).
- If you are NOT happy with your placement in Math, English, or both, and want to try to test higher, then go to the section for UW System Placement tests. UW-Whitewater accepts the highest scores for placement purposes. You will not be placed lower if your UW System scores end up not matching your ACT/SAT placement levels.

UW System Placement Tests

UW Whitewater will accept online, unproctored versions of all tests.
Please take the test(s) at least 2 weeks before you attend a SOAR, so your scores can be processed and available for course registration during the event.

World Languages

If you have taken language classes previously and would like to continue taking French, German, or Spanish coursework at UWW, then you will need to take the appropriate World Language placement exam. These are available only as online, unproctored exams. Please take the test at least 2 weeks before you attend a SOAR, so your scores can be processed and will be available for course registration during the event.

Please contact Pilar Melero, the Chair of the World Languages Department, if you are:

A heritage speaker/speaker of Spanish: The World Language Department Coordinator will determine whether or not you should take the UW System Spanish Placement test.
Interested in taking Arabic, Chinese, or Japanese and have prior experience with that language.

Exceptions:

UW-Whitewater at Rock County students are placed using ACT/SAT scores or multiple other measures if you do not have ACT/SAT scores. Contact the Warhawk Solution Center with any questions.
First-year students over the age of 21 should connect directly with your assigned academic advisor, or the Math department (262-472-1313), and/or the Literature, Writing, & Film department (262-472-1036) for assistance with placement.
International students must take the UW System Math Placement Exam.

Retaking Placement Exams

English placement exam retakes are not allowed at this time.
If you wish to retake a World Language exam, please contact Pilar Melero for approval.
You may retake the Math placement exam one time.
All retake exams (for Math and World Languages) must be an in-person, paper and pencil exam taken at the Testing Center after the period of UW System Regional Testing (April through June) has concluded.
Please schedule your exam by emailing testing@uww.edu. There will be a $40 fee will be placed on your student account for test proctoring and scoring.

Welcome to UW-Whitewater!

UW-Whitewater at Rock County Transfer and Re-entry students will meet individually with an advisor to determine placements. Contact the Warhawk Solution Center for more information.

Transfer Credits as Placement

If you have direct equivalents for UW-Whitewater English, Math, or World Languages (French, German, Spanish) courses, then those credits will be used for placement. You can view your transfer credits in WINS by selecting Academics and then Transfer Credits. Learn more about potential transfer credits at Transfer Wisconsin.
If you do not have direct equivalents for UW-Whitewater courses in English and Math, you may still be able to receive course waivers along with your transfer credits that would satisfy the placement requirements. Please contact Annie LaValley, the Transfer Review Coordinator in the College of Letters and Sciences, if you have questions about Math and English coursework that are not direct equivalents.

UW System Placement Testing

If you do not have direct equivalents or course waivers for UW-Whitewater English and/or Math courses, you must take the UW System Placement Test for whichever equivalents you are missing.
If you have taken French, German, or Spanish classes previously, but do not have recent transfer credits, and would like to place out of introductory language classes, then you will need to take the appropriate World Language placement exam.
- Please contact Pilar Melero, the Chair of the World Languages Department, if you are:
  - A heritage speaker/speaker of Spanish: The World Language Department Coordinator will determine whether or not you should take the UW System Spanish Placement test.
  - Interested in taking Arabic, Chinese, or Japanese and have prior experience with that language.
UW Whitewater will accept online, unproctored versions of all tests.
Please take the test(s) at least 2 weeks before you attend a SOAR, so your scores can be processed and will be available for course registration during the event.
If you previously completed any of the UW System placement exams, we will be able to access your scores. You can contact the Testing Center before your SOAR date to have your UW System Placement scores uploaded to WINS.

UW-Whitewater at Rock County students should contact the Warhawk Solution Center with any placement questions.

First Time Taking a UW System Placement Test

You are encouraged to take in-person, paper and pencil exams at the Testing Center for English and Math placement tests.
Please schedule your exam by emailing testing@uww.edu. There will be a $40 fee for in-person, paper and pencil test proctoring and scoring.
You will take an online, unproctored exam for the French, German, and Spanish placement tests.
Register for UW System World Languages Placement Testing »
- Please contact Pilar Melero, the Chair of the World Languages Department if you are:
  - A heritage speaker/speaker of Spanish: The World Language Coordinator will determine whether or not you should take the UW System Spanish Placement test.
  - Interested in taking Arabic, Chinese, or Japanese and have prior experience with that language.

Retaking Placement Exams

English placement exam retakes are not allowed at this time.
If you wish to retake a World Language exam, please contact Pilar Melero for approval.
You may retake the Math placement exam one time.
All retake exams (for Math and World Languages) must be an in-person, paper and pencil exam taken at the Testing Center after the period of UW System Regional Testing (April through June) has concluded.
Please schedule your exam by emailing testing@uww.edu. There will be a $40 fee will be placed on your student account for test proctoring and scoring.

If you have more than one score that could be used for placement, the higher of the scores will determine your placement level.
If you will use UW System Placement Exam scores for your placement, please read the charts starting from the left side.
If you will use ACT or SAT scores for your placement, please read the charts starting from the right side.
If your placement level indicates that you have more than one course option, you will have an opportunity to discuss the options with an advisor at a SOAR and/or before course registration.

Math

UW System Math Placement Exam			COURSE PLACEMENT Course Descriptions	MILESTONE LEVEL	ACT Math Score	SAT Math Section Score
MFUND	AALG	TAG
150-245	any	any	MATH 41*	0	≤ 14	≤ 340

246-405	any	any	MATH 93* & MATH 139	10	15-17	350-480

406-465	any	any	MATH 139 OR (MATH 124 & MATH 142)	20	18-21	490-530

466-500	any	any	MATH 139 OR MATH 142	30	22-24	540-580

501-850	150-450

	451-555	any	MATH 143, OR 147, OR 148, OR 152, OR STAT 230	40	25-26	590-620

	556-850	150-585	MATH 143, OR 147, OR 148, OR 151, OR 152, OR 243, OR 250, OR STAT 230	50	≥ 27	≥ 630

		586-850	MATH 143, OR 147, OR 148, OR 151, OR 152, OR 243, OR 250, OR 253, OR STAT 230	60	N/A	N/A

* Course credits count towards the semester credit load and GPA, but are not included in the 120 credit graduation requirement.

Milestone 40 and above		University Calculation Skills Requirement Fulfilled

		Calculation Skills Requirement WAIVED PER TEST SCORES

English

UW System English Placement Exam	COURSE PLACEMENT Course Descriptions	ACT English Score	SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing Section Score


150-305	English 90*	≤ 13	≤ 340

306-355	English 100	14-16	341-420

356-545	English 101	17-29	421-670

546+	English 102	30+	671+

N/A	English 105**	24+ & eligible for Honors	590+ & eligible for Honors

* Course credits count towards the semester credit load and GPA, but are not included in the 120 credit graduation requirement.
** English 105 is an Honors course that will cover both English 101 and 102. The University Honors Program website has more information about eligibility.

World Languages

Exam scores indicate appropriate course placement. If you would like to take a different course than your placement indicates, you should speak with Pilar Melero, the chair of the World Languages and Cultures Department.

French

UW System Placement Exam Score	French Course Options
150 – 411	Beginning French 141
412 – 496	Beginning French 142
497 – 590	Intermediate French 251
591 – 725	Intermediate French 252
726 and above	Advanced French Language Study 321

German

Score	German Course Options
150 – 381	Beginning German 141
382 – 435	Beginning German 142
436 – 526	Intermediate German 251
527 – 563	Intermediate German 252
564 and above	Advanced German Language Study 321

Spanish

Score	Spanish Course Options
150 – 420	Beginning Spanish 141
421 – 478	Beginning Spanish 142
479 – 532	Intermediate Spanish 251
533 – 600	Intermediate Spanish 252
601 and above	Advanced Spanish Language Study 321

Retroactive Credits in World Language

Request Form

To earn retroactive credits, you must earn a grade of B or better in a language course numbered 142 or above (except Phonetics French/German/Spanish 310 and Conversation French/German/Spanish 390). You are then eligible for the retro credits for the courses below the course completed. (For example, if you complete Spanish 251 with an A you are eligible to earn 4 credits for Spanish 141 and 4 credits for Spanish 142, earning 8 retro credits).
The retro credits are used for credits toward graduation and will not count toward general education requirements. Retro credits may, however, count in some college or major requirements.
Only UW-System courses are eligible for retroactive credits. If you took a course at a non-UW System institution, only retroactive credits that appear on your official transcript will transfer as credit to UW-Whitewater.
If you earn world language course credit through an AP exam, you must complete a subsequent course at UW-Whitewater (with a B or better) to be awarded retroactive credits.