Math Placement - Middle School

In order to make our new students have an experience with mathematics at Sage Hill that is meaningful and productive as possible, we need to ensure that you are placed in the appropriate mathematics class. 

The math placement exam will be administered on the Sage Hill campus on Saturday, April 11 at 9:30 AM. Placement exams are only required for incoming 7th and 8th grade students who wish to enroll in a math course higher than Pre-Algebra.

On the Middle School Course Registration Form that will be provided to all newly enrolled students, you will be asked to indicate whether you plan to take the math placement exam. 

Placement exams are necessary for many reasons. We have found that area elementary and middle schools differ greatly in curriculum and standards. Taking the appropriate mathematics class based on your skills and abilities is the best path to success. As an additional benefit, our placement exam will help reveal gaps in knowledge and areas of strength. Your mathematics teachers can use results of the placement exam to give them insight into your strengths and weaknesses as you progress through the Sage Hill mathematics curriculum.

Since our placement exam is designed to test students’ current mathematical knowledge and skills based on their coursework, we do not recommend that students try to self-study material beyond what they have already taken in math classes. 

Calculators are not allowed during the placement exam. The only thing you need to bring with you is a pencil. 

Please note: Middle school students who continue on to upper school at Sage Hill will not need to take a placement exam when entering ninth grade. In order to be eligible to apply to the University of California system, students must have completed and received a course credit for a year of Geometry (or equivalent) in grades 7-12.

Contact Mathematics Department Chair Drew Ishii directly via email at mathplacement@sagehillschool.org if you are unable to take the in-person placement exam on April 11 and will need to schedule a make-up exam. A make-up date will be offered on Saturday, May 9 at 9:00 AM.

What to Expect on the Placement Exam
Here are the topics that you will be expected to know for the exam to place out of Pre-Algebra:
  • Operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing) with whole numbers
  • Operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing) with integers
  • Operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing) with fractions
  • Operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing) with decimals
  • Rounding and estimation
  • Order of operations
  • Simplifying algebraic expressions
  • Solving linear equations in one variable
  • Simplifying complex fractions
  • Ratios and rates
  • Solving proportions
  • Square roots and Pythagorean theorem
  • Percents, decimals, and fractions
  • Solving percent problems
  • The rectangular coordinate system
  • Graphing linear equations
  • Adding and subtracting polynomials
  • Properties of exponents

Sage Hill School

A college preparatory independent day school for grades 7-12.

20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657
Phone: 949.219.0100  |  Fax: 949.219.1399
Sage Hill School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other School administered programs.