Shu Astrophysics Exam

 Testing of comments

First year students will be given an oral assessment of their background undergraduate-level astronomy knowledge. This assessment (sometimes referred to as the “Shu exam” for historical reasons) will be proctored by three faculty including the DGS and lasts approximately 45 minutes. The assessment will be conducted in the Fall (usually mid-October).  The assessment is centered around a list of 100 questions that the students will have access to well in advance of the exam. A random subset of these questions forms the basis of the assessment, but follow-up questions and some back-and-forth should be expected. The examiners are looking to see how deeply the student understands the material and how it connects to other concepts. In short, rote memorization of answers to the 100 questions is not necessarily sufficient for a passing grade. After the conclusion of the assessment the DGS will notify the student of the outcome by email and may provide specific recommendations of cou...