Placement Tests

Students admitted as test-optional are required to take the math placement test. Alternatively, if you have previously taken the SAT or ACT, please request that your official scores be sent via College Board (SAT I- Code 2758 and ACT- Code 2590) to the Office of Admission. Students that self-upload their scores will not be accepted.

Business students admitted with test scores: 

• Students with a math SAT score of 570 or ACT score of 23 or higher are placed in “Quantitative Methods for Business” (MSD105). No placement test is required.
• Students with a math SAT score of 560 or lower or ACT score of 22 or lower are required to take the online math placement test. 

For students required to take the online math placement test, refer to the instructions below to access the math placement test for your major.

To access the math placement test, please follow the instructions below:

1. Schedule a time when you have 60 uninterrupted minutes to complete the exam.
2. Visit canvas.rider.edu.
3. Login with your Rider Key username and password. 
4. Accept the invitation to the Business Math Placement Exam.
5. Follow the on screen instructions to complete the exam.

A foreign language course is not required for business students but can be used to fulfill one of the four liberal arts electives requirements. Students interested in taking a foreign language course must fill out a Foreign Language Placement form in order to register.

If you have any questions, please contact ugbusiness@rider.edu.

Only education students with a second major in math or a science program are required to take the online math placement test. Refer to the College of Arts and Sciences placement testing information below for further instructions.   

All students are required to take a foreign language course. Students who are native speakers or have previously studied a foreign language offered at Rider (Spanish, French, Chinese, Italian or German) are required to take the foreign language placement test. Students interested in starting a new language must indicate this on the form and do not need to take the placement test. Please complete the online foreign language placement test.

If you have any questions, please contact ridercehs@rider.edu. 

Foreign Language Placement

All students in the College of Arts and Sciences (except Music Education majors) must complete a foreign language requirement. Students who are native speakers or have previously studied a foreign language offered at Rider (Spanish, French, Chinese, Italian or German) are required to take the foreign language placement test. Students interested in starting a new language may indicate this on the form and do not take the placement test. Please complete the online foreign language placement test. 

Math Placement

The math placement test is required only for science, technology, or mathematics majors* who were admitted test-optional. Alternatively, if you have previously taken the SAT or ACT, please request that your official scores be sent via College Board (SAT I- Code 2758 and ACT- Code 2590) to the Office of Admission. Students that self-upload their scores will not be accepted. Social science, humanities, communication, media, or performing arts majors don't need to take the math placement test.

*Science, technology and mathematics majors include actuarial science, behavioral neuroscience, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, cybersecurity, earth sciences, environmental sciences, environmental studies, exercise science, general science, health sciences, and mathematics.

Science, technology and mathematics students admitted with test scores are not required to take the math placement test. Placement will be determined as follows:

• Students with an SAT math score of 560 (ACT math score of 23) or below will be placed into “Intermediate Algebra” (MTH 100).
• Students with an SAT math score between 570 and 640 (ACT math score between 24 and 27) will be placed into “Algebra & Trigonometry” (MTH 105). Students majoring in actuarial science, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, and mathematics will be placed into “Pre-Calculus” (MTH 106).
• Students with an SAT math score of 650 (ACT math score of 28) and above will be placed into “Calculus I” (MTH 210).

Students may challenge these placements by taking the placement test.

Accessing the math placement test

If you are required to take the math placement test, please follow the instructions below: 

1. Schedule a time when you have 60 uninterrupted minutes to complete the exam.
2. Visit canvas.rider.edu.
3. Login with your Rider Key username and password. 
4. Accept the invitation to the CAS Math Placement Test.
5. Follow the on screen instructions to complete the exam.

If you have any questions, please contact casdean@rider.edu.

Westminster Choir College

• All WCC students will complete a piano placement hearing to ensure placement in the correct piano class or to waive one or more semesters of piano study. Piano hearings will take place during the week before the start of classes. For those with prior piano experience, please bring repertoire with you. For those without piano experience, the hearing will consist of basic identification of note names. Individual times will be shared with you via your Rider email.
• All WCC students will also complete a choral hearing which will take place during the week prior to the start of the semester. Non-WCC students interested in singing in a choir should also complete a choral hearing for placement in the appropriate choir. The hearing will consist of a prepared piece of music, (preferably a folk song, art song, or aria with piano accompaniment) and sight reading. Instructions for choral hearings will be distributed by the Office of Performance Management via your Rider email.
• All WCC students will complete music theory placement testing prior to the start of the semester, with the exception of students who scored a 4 or 5 on the AP Music Theory test (these students will be automatically placed in TH 142 once their scores are received by the university). The initial placement test will consist of basic music theory knowledge including note names, key signatures, scales, triads, etc. This will take place online during the summer during specific windows of time. Students wishing to place into higher levels of music theory may take additional placements in person during the week prior to the start of the semester. Invitations to access the placement tests will be distributed by the Department of Music Studies via your Rider email.
• Transfer students who wish to earn credit by exam for MH247 (Western Art Music to 1750) and/or MH248 (Western Art Music 1750-1900) are required to take placement tests. In order to take the placement tests, you must have taken similar university-level courses elsewhere and earned a B or better in the course. Contact the chair of the Department of Music Studies to provide documentation (course syllabus and transcript) and to schedule an examination time.

If you have any questions about placement testing, contact casdean@rider.edu

School of Communication, Media and Performing Arts

• All musical theatre and music production majors will complete music theory placement testing during the week prior to the start of the semester. Instructions will be delivered to all musical theatre and music production majors via your Rider email.
• Dance placement testing for dance and musical theatre majors will take place during the week prior to the start of the semester. Instructions will be delivered to all dance and musical theatre majors via your Rider email.

If you have any questions please contact casdean@rider.edu.