physics placement exam

<p>was there ever a physics placement exam? i never got any notice about it and i can't find anything on it on caltech's website. my registration thing says i should have taken it so can anyone fill me in on this?</p>

<p>The exam is here:</p>

<p><a href="http://wwww.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/froshplacement.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://wwww.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/froshplacement.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>There's a page about it in the student info packet. The due date was the 13th. There are more instructions at the link. Good luck!</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/froshplacement.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/froshplacement.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>(removed one w :))</p>

<p>Heh, thanks. I can type, I swear...</p>

<p>For the record, anyone considering applying to Caltech should not look at that exam (until accepted, matriculated, and asked to do so).</p>

<p>This exam, obviously, is not crucially important, but they definitely don't change it from year to year.</p>

<p>I'm not a techer (almost Caltech '11, but not quite) so I decided to go ahead and look at the questions. I thought they would be difficult problems, but I see that they test knowledge of basic concepts. Any comments?</p>

<p>That it is only a diagnostic exam to determine which section of Physics 1a you should be placed in. If you score in the top 2 sections, then you are given the option of testing out of 1a and other physics courses.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/freshmanphysics.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/freshmanphysics.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I took this test this year and I was pleased to see that it only tested basic concepts since I would have no calculator or equations. I was afraid that it would be really difficult after taking those math tests.</p>

<p>The first week of class (or perhaps right after frosh camp ends) a test that allows you to place out of Ph1a will be <em>due</em>.
Placement out of Ph1bc is done only orally through speaking to the Ph1a supersection TA (usually section 10).</p>