What's on the placement tests and how to prepare?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

Hi!

So I am a little worried about the placement tests for Michigan and I have a few questions about them.

  1. What type of questions are on the math exam? I know it's precalculus stuff and no calculator but how "easy" would it be if it doesn't need a calculator? Like, will it be trig, solving simple algebraic equations, etc? Also, I took precalc in 10th grade so really I don't remember anything, so what are your tips on how to prepare for the test?
  2. What's the format of the Chinese placement exam? I emailed the department but the answer wasn't really clear. So, is it like the AP where you speak, listen, and write on the computer? Or do you have to write Chinese with pencil and paper instead of typing in pinyin on a computer?

Thanks in advance!

Alice

2

  1. The math exam is really easy if you remember some rules, like log rules and exponent rules, as well as what graphs look like based on their equations. Basically everything is on there, but only basic concepts are tested (do you know how to use the Pythagorean theorem, etc). I couldn’t finish, but that’s because I went too slowly trying to remember these rules. I’m also generally slower at math, taking much more time in comparison to my peers when solving problems on subjects I haven’t worked with in a while (I can finish a quiz/test in math class in about 3/4 the time allotted, but I needed about 80 minutes to fully finish a practice ACT math test and get all the questions correct).

  2. I took Spanish, and it was listening and speaking with some fill in the blank. I do not know how the Chinese exam is like, but I can’t imagine it being very different from the Spanish.