Starting this year, the testing part of the First-Year Testing, Counseling and Advising Program (FTCAP) will be given to all incoming freshmen online.

Since students can complete the test at home without university supervision, they might have the chance to receive help from outside sources, which is considered cheating.

"Cheating doesn't get them anything, except putting them in the wrong place," said Jan Jacobs, vice provost of undergraduate education and international programs.

According to the FTCAP Web site, the test serves three functions -- to determine placement, to assess basic skills and weaknesses and to evaluate educational plans.

Students who do well on the tests may schedule higher level courses without having to take the introductory classes.

"FTCAP is a low-stakes test. A student cannot receive any credit or test out of courses; it is simply a recommendation of courses to schedule," said Eric White, executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies.

The decision was made to facilitate the testing process after three or four years of discussion, White said.

Last year, out-of-state and country students could take the test online, White added.

"I completed FTCAP online last year and it was convenient for me because I live out of state," Vinnie Di Domenico (freshman-meteorology) said.

"While I did not cheat, it certainly would have been very easy for me to do so.," he said.

Some students who took the test on Penn State campus are skeptical about online testers being honest.

"I took the test at the Beaver campus and we had two proctors in the room monitoring our actions," William Rust (freshman-premedicine) said.

"There is no way to ensure fairness with the online testing," Rust added about the test.

Before beginning the test, students are made aware of proper test-taking behavior.

"When students log on to take the test, they must first read through our integrity statement," White said of the test.

"By reading the statement, we trust that each student did their own work for themselves."

For those students who do not have access to a computer in their home, or are disabled and cannot use a computer, White said accommodations will be made.

"Students with special circumstances will be allowed to come onto a campus computer and take the test," he said.

While testing methods have changed, the scoring and distribution processes have not.

"Student scores will be processed and distributed at the educational planning and academic advising, just as in years past," White said.

To date, about 3,000 incoming students have taken FTCAP online, and everything is going smoothly, he added.