The Diagnostic Exam is a collection of exercises from Algebra I, Algebra II, and Precalculus. The exam was created by a committee consisting of members of MSU Mathematics Department, MSU Division of Science and Math Education, and local high school math teachers (for complete list see Acknowledgements). The goal of this exam is to ensure that students possess certain basic skills so that they are prepared for college level mathematics.

The exam consists of six 20 question blocks. The online solutions provide (in most cases) step by step solutions to each question. Each solution also contains a classification (title) which should reference topics from most (if not all) high school textbooks. In many cases, the solutions include references to other helpful (requisite) problems as well as suggestions on specific topics to review.

Students are encouraged to take the test in the appropriate blocks (see link) under exam conditions (i.e. pencil, paper, calculator). Although there is no grade assigned, students should be able to answer 18+ questions correctly in each block to consider themselves proficient in the area tested.

Warning: This does not guarantee success at the university level but the exam should serve to guide students in proper direction.

Finally, students are encouraged to take this exam (the appropriate block) as soon as it becomes practical during the corresponding high school course (for instance, it would be impractical to take the Precalculus II block before learning any trigonometry) and perhaps once again as the course comes to completion.