Placement Exams
MSU uses math, writing, and language placements to ensure incoming students register for the courses best suited to their current skills. All students need to receive math and writing placements to register for classes, and students wishing to take a language class need a language placement.
Math and writing placements can be based on several different metrics, including high school GPA, AP/IB test scores or college-level credit, and ACT/SAT scores. If students do not have a math or writing placement based on these metrics, or if they would like to attempt to improve their placement, they may take the EdReady Initial Math Placement and/or EdReady Initial Writing Placement exams.
If students are interested in taking a foreign language at MSU and have any prior experience in that language, they should take the appropriate language placement exam as outlined below.
Students must send any official ACT/SAT scores and any final, official transcripts to MSU prior to Orientation/Class Registration so they can be used for placement purposes. If a student does not have official test scores nor college credit, alternative placement methods are outlined below.
Signed up for Orientation and need to take your math and/or writing placement exams? These will be available through your online Orientation pathway starting May 1, 2025.
What is EdReady Montana?
EdReady is a FREE online math and writing readiness tool that is available to students at Montana State University and Gallatin College. EdReady features include online math and writing placement tests and math and writing review.
When you register for Orientation, an EdReady account will be created for you. Students entering MSU for the Fall semester who register for Orientation prior to May 1 will have access to EdReady on May 1. If you are having trouble accessing your account, please email orientation@montana.edu.
Current MSU students with questions about their EdReady math or writing placement or who wish to use EdReady's practice levels and study tools should reach out to the Math Department (edreadymath@montana.edu) or the English Department (english@montana.edu).
Math Placement
All students need a math placement to participate in academic advising and register for classes. This is to ensure that the math course they take is at the right level. MSU uses the EdReady Initial Math Placement to assess math readiness for incoming students.
All students, regardless of major, must meet the Quantitative Reasoning (Q) general education requirement in order to graduate; plus, many courses at MSU require mathematics prerequisites. MSU wants to place you in courses in which you will succeed. MSU offers many options to meet the Quantitative Reasoning (Q) requirement, but which is best for you will depend on your math placement and the math courses required by your major.
Yes, unless MSU received your official ACT, SAT, or AP/IB test scores by June 15.
Take the EdReady Initial Math Placement anyway to ensure that your placement reflects your current math skills. If you haven’t already, you must also have an official transcript sent to MSU showing successful completion of the college math course. Upon evaluation of the transcript, MSU will update with your highest math placement.
You can look up which math course is required or recommended for your major on this webpage: https://www.montana.edu/advising/toolkitresources/majors-required-by-math.html
No, but you can work up in placement! The Initial Math Placement works by assessing your current knowledge and identifying gaps. After you take it, you are encouraged to continue to work in the EdReady system through your study path. Your study path guides you in independent mathematics learning and review. You can advance one or two math levels, up to level 400 (pre-calculus), if you successfully complete your study path by August 15.
- You are not required to take the EdReady Initial Math Placement assessment.
- Please still reference the the math flowchart and what math placement is recommended for your major by viewing the Majors by Required Math list.
- If your math placement will allow you to take the recommended course for your major, you do not need to do anything else. If you have a math placement level that is lower than what is recommended for your major, you are strongly encouraged to take the EdReady Initial Math Placement to ensure that your placement reflects your most current knowledge.
- EdReady Initial Math Placement can only bring your placement up; there is no risk that your placement will drop.
- You are required to take the EdReady Initial Math Placement assessment.
- The assessment will be available at the start of your Online Orientation through your Undergraduate Admissions Checklist. You will log into EdReady using your MSU Net ID and password.
- You will need to complete this placement exam prior to meeting with your Advisor.
- After you complete your EdReady math placement, there will be a message informing you of your designated math placement.
- If students are content with their math placement, they can exit the program.
- If students would like to increase their math level, students can opt into the EdReady study paths allowing them to study (20 hours or less) and potentially improve their math placement.
Writing Placement
Writing placement is required for all students to participate in academic advising and to register for classes.
This is to ensure that students are placed into the correct writing level and learning environment. MSU uses test scores, cumulative high school GPA, college-level credit, and the EdReady Initial Writing Placement (IWP) assessment to evaluate the writing skills of incoming students.
All students, regardless of their major, must meet the Writing (W) general education to graduate from Montana State University. To receive Writing (W) CORE credit, students must earn exemption from the Writing (W) Core or take WRIT 101 College Writing or the WRIT 101/001 College Writing with Corequisite support for College Writing. Some students will start with WRIT 080 Basic Writing Skills to ensure they are thoroughly prepared for WRIT 101.
MSU will recognize your cumulative high school GPA and/or test scores to automatically place you into a writing placement level. If you do not have a self-reported GPA or test scores on file, you will complete the EdReady Initial Writing Placement to generate a placement. If you have college-level credit such as dual-enrollment credit, AP scores, IB scores, etc. that fulfills your Writing (W) Core requirement, please share official test scores and transcripts with the MSU Office of Admissions.
To view your writing placement level, please follow the steps below:
- Login to MyInfo using your NetID
- Select Personal Information tab
- Select Undergraduate Admissions Checklist
- Scroll to the Orientation/Class Registration section
- Review Writing Placement line. There will be a check mark next to this item if you have placement on file.
If you do not have a college-level credit, self-reported GPA, or test score on file, you are required to complete the EdReady Initial Writing Placement to generate a placement. It is also recommended that you complete the EdReady IWP if you are not satisfied with your current writing placement level.
The EdReady IWP is designed to evaluate what you already know. You will not need any additional materials. Please set aside at least one hour for proper completion. You are only eligible to complete the EdReady IWP once and not eligible to retake if you have already attempted.
If MSU Office of Admissions has received your official transcripts or AP/IB test scores, your Academic Advisor can use this information to place you into the following courses. More details are available on our writing placement webpage: https://www.montana.edu/english/core-writing/writing_placement.html.
Can I take the EdReady Initial Writing Placement to be exempt from the Writing (W) Core requirement?
No. The EdReady IWP assessment helps place you into Writing Placement level 100-300. You may only be exempt from taking WRIT 101 if you have equivalent college-level credit, ACT/SAT scores, or a cumulative high school GPA of 3.9 or higher.
| WRITING PLACEMENT | MSU / GALLATIN COLLEGE COURSE |
|---|---|
|
Level 100
|
WRIT 080 – Building Basic Writing Skills |
|
Level 200
|
WRIT 001 / WRIT 101W – Co-Req Support for WRIT 101W |
|
Level 300
|
WRIT 101W – College Writing I |
|
Level 400
|
Exempt from Writing (W) Core Course |
Language Placement
Acquiring proficiency in another language can be an important part of your university education regardless of your major. The ability to communicate with people from other cultures is an advantage in any career.
If you are thinking about taking a language course at MSU, please review the following information for language placement purposes. For more information see http://www.montana.edu/mll/placement.html.
If you have taken the AP or IB exam, OR took a dual enrollment college credit course in high school, OR grew up speaking the language at home, please see Modern Languages (Gaines 117) regarding placement. Please note that your AP/IB results must be sent from the testing agency to the Office of Admissions.
Students who have had at least one year of a language within the last five (5) years must take the WebCAPE exam and see Modern Languages (Gaines 117) for an oral proficiency interview and placement.
If you place in a language course level other than 101, there is good news. Once you receive your grade in your first language class at MSU (C or higher), see Modern Languages to request credit for the classes below that level for free. This is NOT automatic, so it is your responsibility to see the Modern Languages Department in Gaines 117 (406-994-4448) for assistance.