So, you are taking a Chemistry class this semester, and some of the professors and other students have struck the fear of God into your heart with 3 simple letters. A…C…S… What does that even mean? What is the ACS Chemistry Exam? If you look it up online, there might a lot of weird information that will only confuse you. For example, the Chemistry Olympiad Exams given by the ACS. Totally… irrelevant.

In this article, we will discuss what ACS Chemistry Exam means in regard to your Chemistry Final.

What Is The ACS Chemistry Exam (College Final)?

ACS is the American Chemical Society

The American Chemical Society, or ACS, is a United States nonprofit organization that was founded in 1876. It is a science organization with a member base of approximately 157,000 individuals. The focus of the organization is entirely around Chemistry. The ACS supports students, professors, education, abstracts, scientific advancement, research, and everything else involved with the Chemistry community.

In regard to college chemistry, some schools offer ACS accredited degree programs. This typically means that the university has gone through the process of becoming ACS accredited, and that the chemistry classes will require you to take the ACS college chemistry exams.

The ACS College Chemistry Exams

There are many variations of the ACS college chemistry exams. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• General Chemistry, Full Year
• General Chemistry, First Term
• General Chemistry, Second Term
• Organic Chemistry, Full Year
• Organic Chemistry, First Term
• Organic Chemistry, Second Term
• General, Organic, Biochemistry Condensed
• Analytical Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry

As you can see there are several topic versions of the exam. In addition, they have different “Year Versions” (for lack of a better term) for each of the topics. For example, let’s say it is 2019, and you are about to take the ACS Chemistry Exam for First Term General Chemistry. At the university you attend, the Chemistry department might give you the 2015 version of that particular exam.

However, not all chemistry students will have to take all of the different topics of chemistry. For example, at your university, you my have a student in a dietetics degree program that is required to take General Chemistry 1 and 2. If this university uses the First Term and Second Term ACS General Chemistry Exams, the student may have to take those ACS Exam finals for those General Chemistry classes. After that, they may have an Organic Chemistry class that is specifically for health science majors. But that doesn’t have an ACS Final Exam. Sometimes, a student might be in a degree program that only requires General Chemistry 1. It really depends on the college.

Conclusion – What is the ACS Chemistry Exam?

Generally speaking, for most of you reading this, the ACS Chemistry Exam is a college chemistry final. This ACS Chemistry Exam is typically given in a specific format, with a 2 hour time limit. Typically, there is a lot of fear among students regarding this exam… and for good reason. In short, the ACS Chemistry Exams are 2 hour standardized tests that have a lot of mystery surrounding them (See link at bottom for more on the format). Although, it’s good to keep in mind that the exam is typically graded on a scale or compared to the national average. See a chart and sample formula at the link below.

Sample Chart and Calculation: https://www.chemexams.com/test-prep/how-is-the-acs-exam-graded/

In any event, it really is good to know what you are getting into. For more information on the ACS Chemistry Exam format, read this article: How to Take the ACS Exam