Computer Science 1270, 2270, 2280 & 2300
Test‐Out Examinations
Test‐out examinations are usually (but not always) scheduled on the Friday before the semester begins. All students must complete a Qualtrics application for test‐out provided by the Computer Science Department.
Test‐out Policy (Credit by Examination or CBE)
- [CBE] Examinations are usually given just prior to, or within one week of, the beginning of fall and spring semesters. http://www.admissions.iastate.edu/cbe/
- No Computer Science test‐out will be given outside this period, except at the instructor's discretion and with notification to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
- Students may ordinarily attempt a CBE test only once for COMS 2270, 2280, or 2300. Under special circumstances, a re‐test may be taken upon approval of the department in which these courses are offered. Test-out for COMS 1270 may be attempted more than once but only once per semester.
- "Approval of the department" (above) shall mean "Approval of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee" for all undergraduate students and Computer Science courses.
- Students may be denied permission [to take a test‐out] because
- the nature of the course is such that proficiency cannot be measured by such a test,
- the student does not appear to have adequate background to pass the examination for the course or
- the student would not otherwise be allowed to enroll in the course.
- the student has previously attempted to test out of the course or
- the student has previously taken the course and has received a grade (this includes grades of P/NP, incomplete, or audit). Exception: Students who have previously taken COMS 1270 may take the COMS 1270 test-out.
Test‐out Procedures
Students must register for the test‐out by Qualtrics prior to the exam. Once you register for the test, you will be billed $100 on your University Bill no matter what occurs ‐‐ failure to take the test, failing the test or passing the test.
- Arrive several minutes before the scheduled exam time. These are timed tests ‐‐ no one will be admitted after the exam begins.
- Bring your ISU card to gain admittance to the testing room.
- Please bring a sharpened #2 pencil with you. No dictionaries or calculators are allowed.
- Each test may be taken only once.
There are no sample or practice exams available, except for the COMS 1270 course materials linked here https://stevekautz.com/cs127/misc/testout_info_practice_problems.pdf and the 2270 course materials linked here https://stevekautz.com/cs227f20/cs227f20_archived.html. Any college text may be used to prepare for the tests.
Credit earned by examination is not used in computing grade point averages. However, credit earned does become part of your official record and may be applied toward graduation requirements at Iowa State University. Iowa State University does not set a maximum number of credits that you may earn by examination. However, at least one year of residence is required for graduation.
COM S 1270 Test Out Information and Sample Problems
COMS S 2270, 2280, and 2300 Test Out Information
Transfer Credit Evaluation Policy and Procedures
TRANSFER CREDIT EVALUATION will be done only during the first three weeks of Fall and Spring semesters.
In order to graduate with a Bachelors in Computer Science, at least 15 credits from the list of required courses in the major at 3000‐level or above must be taken while in residence at ISU.
Students who want transfer credit evaluated should prepare a packet containing the following information and give it to the computer science advisors:
- Course number and description
- Institution where it was taken
- Name of textbook used
- Syllabus/topics covered
- List of programming assignments (if applicable)
- Samples of programming work done (if applicable) and exams taken
- Any other relevant information
- All transfer credit evaluations are to be submitted to the advising office and not directly to faculty or instructors.
- Transfer Credit evaluations must be done by the course supervisors and not by the advisors. The advisors’ role is to do a preliminary screening to ensure that a student has the prerequisites for a course that is evaluated (see below), to ensure that the student has submitted all the required materials for evaluation, and then to give the evaluation packet to the course supervisor.
- For a course to be evaluated for transfer credit, a student must have cleared all the prerequisites for that course – either by taking the course and passing it with a C‐ or better, or by testing out of the course, or by transferring credit for that course. It is the advisors’ responsibility to ensure that prerequisites are satisfied before giving the evaluation packet to the course supervisor.
- Students who do not satisfy the prerequisites for a course cannot have the course evaluated for transfer credit until all the prerequisites are cleared.
- Once a course is evaluated, students are not expected to re‐submit the same course for evaluation in subsequent semesters. However, if a student has taken a different course on the same material, then such a course may be resubmitted for evaluation provided the prerequisite criteria is satisfied (see above) and a new course packet is submitted for evaluation.
- Special cases are decided by the department’s Undergraduate Committee.