Placement testing season is upon us! As of February 1, you can sign up for your testing dates and locations online at www.testing.wisc.edu.

It’s not uncommon for students to have a few questions about placement testing, so here are some important things you need to know — straight from one of our fantastic admissions counselors — to make sure you’re up to speed on what you need to do and how you need to do it! These are in no particular order…because they’re all important. 🙂

1. You don’t have to come to UW Oshkosh to take your placement tests. If you live closer to another UW System campus and would prefer to take it there, that’s totally fine! (There is also a location in the Minneapolis area and one near Chicago to accommodate out-of-state students. You can find dates for those locations here.)

2. Math and English tests are required. Taking a foreign language test in Spanish, German or French is optional, but you need to have studied that foreign language for at least two years to qualify to take the test.

3. You might not have to take the math or English tests based on college credits you’ve earned, which generally happens via your CAPP, AP or IB experience. If you’re currently taking an AP or IB course, you definitely still do have to take the respective math or English placement test. However, if you’re currently enrolled in a CAPP English, math or foreign language course, you do not have to take the test for that respective area. If you’ve already completed your CAPP, AP or IB course(s), see the links under Earning College Credit While in High School on our placement testing page.

4. If you choose to take a foreign language placement test, you have the chance to earn retroactive credits. This is really cool but also a little difficult to explain. Basically, you can test into a higher level class based on your test results. Then, if you earn a B or higher in that class when you take it at UW Oshkosh, you can earn credits without actually having to take the classes to earn them! (i.e. If you test into Spanish 203 and earn a grade of B or better in it at UWO, you get 3 credits from Spanish 203, plus 8 credits from Spanish 110 and 111.) This will be explained much more in depth during your Odyssey day.

5. You need to take your placement tests at least two weeks prior to your Odyssey date. If you wait, your adviser might not have your scores — which means that you might not be able to sign up for all your classes.

6. During your placement testing sign-up process, a registration code will be sent to whatever email address you provided earlier in the process. You’ll need this code to complete your registration. Once you sign up, you will only receive confirmation via email and will not receive any paper verification in the mail. Note: Your registration code is not generated by UWO, so if you contact us with any questions about it, we will unfortunately not be able to help with this step.

7. The testing website can provide you with dates and locations of placement testing, directions to and parking information for the location you choose, FAQs and contact information for each testing site. (Note: This page is also the homepage for UW Madison’s testing, so don’t get confused — you’re in the right spot!)

8. On your testing day, the English/math portion will last from 8 a.m.—12 p.m. If you choose to take the foreign language portion, you will be there until 1 p.m. Plan accordingly!

9. It costs $25 to take the paper and pencil test. This is the most common option and the most convenient. You do not pay the $25 fee when you take the test; you’ll simply be charged this fee as part of your fall tuition. (A computer-based test is available, but is significantly more expensive.)

10. Last but not least, register early! Some dates and locations have limited spots available, so the sooner you sign up, the more likely it will be that you get the date and location that is most convenient for you.

I hope these help answer some of your most common questions. But if you’re ever in doubt, it’s always better to ask and make sure you’re prepared! You can contact our office at nextsteps@uwosh.edu if you have any questions and we’d be happy to help look at your specific situation.

Good luck!!