New students may qualify to register early for select fall courses based on placement exams or test scores.
As a new student at Occidental, you may be able to register early for select courses in math, chemistry, and languages. To qualify, you’ll need to complete a placement exam or have eligible AP, IB, or SAT II scores on file.
Note: Early registration is limited to these placement-based courses. You’ll build the rest of your fall schedule during Orientation with your academic advisor.
Why complete placement exams now?
Completing placement exams over the summer helps you:
- register early for courses that may fill quickly
- start in the right course level from your first semester
- avoid delays in your academic plan
Many students put this off—but taking your placement exam now is one of the simplest ways to make Orientation registration smoother. Most exams take about an hour and can be completed online.
Step 1: Complete your placement exam or submit test scores
To be eligible for early registration, you must:
- Complete the appropriate placement exam(s) by July 24, or
- Submit qualifying AP, IB, or SAT II scores to the Registrar’s Office by July 24
Many placement exams are offered online and take about one hour to complete. Some exams may only be offered during Orientation. Not sure if you should take a placement exam? The Advising Center has a helpful ChatBot on their placement exams webpage that can help you make your decision.
Learn more about Placement exams
Step 2: Understand your placement results or test scores
Check your placement results
Placement exam results are typically posted within 48 hours in MyOxy. You’ll need to wait until your results are posted before you can register.
To view your results:
- Log into MyOxy using your oxy.edu credentials
- Select My Gateway
- Click Grades & Academic Records
- Select Placement Results
Your placement exam results will include your score and recommend which fall course you should register for.
Qualifying test scores and course eligibility
Your test scores determine which courses you’re eligible to register for early. If you scored high enough, you may be placed into a higher-level course in that subject.
| Mathematics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Test | Score | Placement |
| AP Calculus AB | 4 or 5 | MATH 120 or MATH 128 |
| AP Calculus BC | 4 or 5 | MATH 150, MATH 210, MATH 212, or MATH 214 |
| IB (Higher Level) | 6 or 7 | MATH 150, MATH 210, MATH 212, or MATH 214 |
| Spanish | ||
|---|---|---|
| Test/Score | Placement | Satisfies Core? |
| AP score of 4 | SPAN 201 | Yes |
| AP score of 5 | SPAN 202 | Yes |
| SAT II score 560-689 | SPAN 201 | Yes |
| SAT II score 690+ | SPAN 202 | Yes |
| French | ||
|---|---|---|
| Test/Score | Placement | Satisfies Core? |
| AP score of 4 | FREN 201 | Yes |
| AP Score of 5 | FREN 202 | Yes |
| SAT II score 560-689 | FREN 201 | Yes |
| SAT II score 690+ | FREN 202 | Yes |
| German | ||
|---|---|---|
| Test/Score | Placement | Satisfies Core? |
| AP score of 4 | GERM 201 | Yes |
| AP score of 5 | GERM 202 | Yes |
| SAT II score 550-679 | GERM 201 | Yes |
| SAT II score 680+ | GERM 202 | Yes |
| Japanese | ||
|---|---|---|
| Test/Score | Placement | Satisfies Core? |
| AP score of 4 | JAPN 201 | Yes |
| AP score of 5 | JAPN 202 | Yes |
| SAT II score 540-669 | JAPN 201 | Yes |
| SAT II score 670+ | JAPN 202 | Yes |
| Chinese | ||
|---|---|---|
| Test/Score | Placement | Satisfies Core? |
| AP score of 4 | CHIN 201 | Yes |
| AP score of 5 | CHIN 202 | Yes |
| SAT II score 550-679 | CHIN 201 | Yes |
| SAT II score 680+ | CHIN 202 | Yes |
| Latin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Test/Score | Placement | Satisfies Core? |
| AP score of 4 or 5 | LATN 201 | Yes |
| SAT II score 680+ | LATN 201 | Yes |
Step 3: Pre-register for select fall courses
Follow these steps to enroll in your eligible course:
- Log in at my.oxy.edu with your oxy.edu credentials
- From the Academics box, select Add or Drop Classes
- On the Registration landing page, click Register for Classes
- Choose the Fall 2026 semester and click Continue
- Enter your six-digit PIN: [insert PIN] and click Continue
- Click on the Enter CRNs tab near the top of the page
- Enter the four-digit CRN for your selected course and click Add to Summary
- In the Registration Summary box, click Submit
If the course is full, select another option and repeat the process. When you successfully register, your course will appear under Current Schedule—this confirms your enrollment.
Deadline for early registration is August 3, 2026.
Important: You may only register for courses in subjects where you have completed a placement exam or submitted qualifying test scores. You will register for the rest of your fall courses during Orientation.
Questions?
For questions about placement or early registration, contact the Advising Center:
advisingcenter@oxy.edu
(323) 259-1341