Quick facts about introductory chemistry and advanced placement:

  • A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Chemistry exam entitles the earner to six college credits.
  • The introductory chemistry sequence at Lawrence includes Chem 115 and 116.
  • Students with experience in IB/AP chemistry, or with other strong chemistry backgrounds, may consider starting the introductory sequence at Chem 116.
  • Students who wish to place out of 115 and proceed to 116 must take a placement exam (see below) on Canvas and score a minimum of 75% (18.75/25) on that test.
  • Students who place into 116 without AP/IB exam scores will not earn college credit for Chem 115, and Chem 115 will not appear on their college transcripts.
  • Medical, dental, and pharmacy schools typically require two "inorganic" chemistry courses on applicants' transcripts. Students that proceed directly to Chem 116 by placement exam may consider fulfilling this requirement by taking Inorganic (320) or Analytical (210) Chemistry in addition to Chem 116. In some cases, a letter from our department chair explaining our introductory chemistry policy is sufficient.

Chemistry Placement Examination

The placement exam is a set of 25 questions available on the Canvas.

The exam is open book and covers CHEM 115 topics such as atomic structure, periodic trends, stoichiometry, and basic reactions. Review is strongly encouraged. You’ll need a periodic table, calculator, scratch paper, and any general chemistry textbook (e.g., OpenStax Chemistry: Atoms First 2e). 

New students can access the exam through the New Student Advising and Registration Canvas course. Log in and complete the exam from there.

Returning students must be manually enrolled in the Canvas course. Please email both the course instructor and the Chemistry Department Chair to request access.

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