Skip to content

Test Scores and Placement Exams

In addition to taking coursework at UC Merced or another institution, students can take UC Merced's placement exams (new students only) or use test scores taken outside of UC Merced (ACT, SAT, AP, IB) to determine your level of readiness in writing, math, chemistry, computer science, and other courses. 

In the charts below, there are three types of tests.

  • Advanced Placement (AP) Tests
  • Self-Reported Advanced Placement (SP) Tests. These will begin with the word "Self" in the Description column under Testing within the portal.
  • UC Merced Placement Exams. Placement tests taken at UC Merced are for internal purposes only and are not transferable to other institutions
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Tests are not included below. You can learn more about IB Test scores in the catalog under Undergraduate Admissions.

It is important to note that the charts below show Course Placement not course credit or equivalency. Course placement refers to the course you are eligible to take.

You can view the test scores UC Merced has on record for you within Connect. Log into Connect and select My Student Record. From there, choose Student Profile then Testing.

Example:

With this information, using the charts below or the Class Schedule, you can learn which course you placed into. Using the above as an example, if you earned a score of 3 on the Writing Readiness Review you would register for WRI 001.

Jump to the following:

Biology Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

AP Biology

APBI

SPBI

3 or lower


4 or higher

BIO 005


Higher level course required for major

 

Chemistry Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

UC Merced

Combined Math and Chemistry Placement Exam

WPEX

42 or lower


43 or higher


48 or higher

CHEM 001


CHEM 002


CHEM 002H* or CHEM 002

AP Chemistry

APCH or SPCH

2 or lower


3


4


5

CHEM 001


CHEM 002


CHEM 002H* or CHEM 002


CHEM 008

*With faculty approval

Chinese Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

UC Merced

Chinese Placement Exam

CHEX

265 or lower


266-330


331-411


412 or higher

CHN 001


CHN 002


CHN 003


CHN 004

AP Language Other Than English:

Chinese Language and Culture

APCI or SPCI

1


2


3


4


5

CHN 001


CHN 002


CHN 003


CHN 004


Higher level course required for major

 

Computer Science Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

UC Merced

Computer Science and Engineering Placement Exam

IPEX

3 or lower


4 or higher

CSE 005


CSE 022 (gives CSE 005 exemption for MBE majors)

AP Computer Science: Comp Science A APCA or SPCA

2 or lower


3 or 4


5

CSE 005


CSE 022


Higher level course required for major

 

Economics Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

AP Economics: Macroeconomics and

AP Economics: Microeconomics

(APMR or SPMR) and

(APMI or SPMI)

3 or lower


4 or higher

ECON 001


Higher level course required for major

 

Environmental Systems Science Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement
AP Environmental Sciences APES or SPES

3 or lower


4 or higher

ESS 001


Higher level course required for major

 

French Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

UC Merced

French Placement Exam

FPEX

265 or lower


266-330


331-411


412 or higher

FRE 001


FRE 002


FRE 003


FRE 004

AP Language Other Than English:

French Language and Culture

APFR or SPFR

1


2


3


4


5

FRE 001


FRE 002


FRE 003


FRE 004


Higher level course required for major

 

History Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement
AP History: European History APEH or SPEH

3 or lower


4 or higher

HIST 031


Higher level course required for major

AP History: US History APAH or SPAH

3 or lower


4 or higher

HIST 016 or HIST 017


Higher level course required for major

AP History: World History: Modern APWH or SPWH

3 or lower


4 or higher

HIST 010 or HIST 011


Higher level course required for major

 

Japanese Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

UC Merced

Japanese Placement Exam

JPEX

265 or lower


266-330


331-411


412 or higher

JPN 001


JPN 002


JPN 003


JPN 004

AP Language Other Than English:

Japanese Language and Culture

APJL or SPJL

1


2


3


4


5

JPN 001


JPN 002


JPN 003


JPN 004


Higher level course required for major

 

Math Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

UC Merced

Calculus Placement Exam

APEX

22 or lower


23 or higher

MATH 005


MATH 011 or MATH 021*

AP Mathematics: Calculus AB APMA or SPMA

2 or lower


3


4 or higher

MATH 005


MATH 011 or MATH 021*


MATH 012 or MATH 022*

AP Mathematics: Calculus BC APMB or SPMB

2 or lower


3


4 or higher

MATH 005


MATH 012 or MATH 022*


Higher level course required for major

AP Mathematics: Calculus BC Subscore AB APMG or SPMG

2 or lower


3 or higher

MATH 005


MATH 012 or MATH 022*

*Dependent on major

 

Physics Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement
AP Physics: Physics C: Mechanics APPM or SPPM

4 or lower


5

PHYS 008 and 008L or PHYS 018 and PHYS 018L*


Higher level course required for major

*Dependent on major

 

Political Science Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

AP Government and Politics:

United States

APGU or SPGU

3 or lower


4 or higher

POLI 001


Higher level course required for major

AP Government and Politics:

Comparative

APGP or SPGP

3 or lower


4 or higher

POLI 003


Higher level course required for major

 

Psychology Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement
AP Psychology APPS or SPPS

3 or lower


4 or higher

PSY 001


Higher level course required for major

 

Spanish Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

UC Merced

Spanish Placement Exam

SPEX

265 or lower


266-330


331-411


412 or higher

SPAN 001


SPAN 002


SPAN 003


SPAN 004

AP Language Other Than English:

Spanish Language and Culture

APSL or SPSL

1


2


3


4


5

SPAN 001


SPAN 002


SPAN 003


SPAN 004


Higher level course required for major

 

Statistics Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement
AP Statistics APST or SPST

3 or lower


4


5

BIO 018, MATH 018, or PSY 010*


ECON 010, POLI 010, or SOC 010*


Higher level course required for major

*Dependent on major and additional course prerequisites. For instance, enrollment in PSY 010 requires PSY 001 and MATH 005 (or equivalent) as prerequisites. 

 

Writing Placement

Description Exam Code Score Course Placement

UC Merced

Writing Readiness Review Exam

WRR

1 or 3


2


4 or higher

WRI 001


Consultation pending


WRI 010

ACT English A07

29 or lower


30 or higher

WRI 001


WRI 010

ACT Combined Reading + English A49

62 or lower


63 or higher

WRI 001


WRI 010

SAT (2016) Reading and Writing S6RW

679 or lower


680 or higher

WRI 001


WRI 010

AP English: Language/Composition APEL or SPEL

2 or lower


3


4 or higher

WRI 001


WRI 010


Higher level course required for major

AP English: Literature/Composition APEN or SPEN

2 or lower


3 or higher

WRI 001


WRI 010