CUNY Assessment Tests
These pages give you general information about the CUNY Assessment Tests (CAT), and a set of resources to guide you in your preparation to take them. You can meet admissions requirements based on New York Regents test scores, the SAT tests, or the ACT tests. The CAT offers you an alternative route for admission to four-year colleges.
Reading
The CUNY Assessment Test in Reading is:
- un-timed
- multiple choice
- computer-based, and
- designed to measure reading comprehension
Writing
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The CUNY Assessment Test in Writing (CATW) is a standardized writing test that measures your ability to do college-level writing in English. The purpose of the test is to assess your reading, thinking, and writing skills to determine if they are consistent with the instructional goals of college-level writing courses, and to assess your readiness for introductory college courses. You will have 90 minutes to complete the test. You may bring one non-electronic dictionary to the test, bilingual if preferred. |
Math
The CUNY Assessment Test in Math is:
- un-timed
- multiple choice
- computer-based
- composed of four sections:
- numerical skills/pre-algebra
- algebra
- college algebra, and
- trigonometry.
Students' need for mathematics remediation is based on results of the first two sections of the test: numerical skills/pre-algebra and algebra. The scores that students must achieve to meet the proficiency requirement differs from college to college.
The test covers progressively advanced topics with placement into more advanced mathematics or mathematics-related courses based on results of the last three sections of the test. Minimum scores for entrance into these courses are set by the individual colleges based on their requirements and curricula.
Students are permitted to use only the Microsoft Windows calculator while taking the test.
FAQs
- What are CUNY's Skills Requirements?
- How do Skills Requirements Affect Admission to CUNY for Freshmen?
- How do Skills Requirements Affect Admission to CUNY for Transfer Students?
- What are the CUNY Assessment Tests in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics?
- What Scores on the CAT in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Must Students Achieve to Demonstrate Minimum Proficiency?
- What Skills do Each of the Tests Measure?
- What Resources are Available to Assist me in Preparing for the CATs?
- How do Students who have Placed into Developmental Courses Demonstrate Readiness to take College Level Courses?
- What Resources are Available to Assist me in Preparing for the CUNY Elementary Algebra Final Exam?
- Special Arrangements for Testing