As part of the Board of Higher Education's accountability for the quality of education in the public higher education system, each institution is required to assess the basic academic skills of entering students. Common testing instruments and identical cut-off scores are used on all campuses. This entry assessment, or placement testing, occurs in three areas: reading, mathematics, and writing.
The College Board’s Accuplacer Computerized Placement Test is used to test reading. The cut-off score is 68. Students who score over 500 on the SAT I-Verbal exam are exempt from the reading test.
The College Board’s Accuplacer Computerized Placement Test is used to test mathematics basic skills. Cut-off scores are 40 on the College Level Math test or 82 on the Accuplacer Elementary Algebra test. All students take the math test.
To test basic writing skills, campuses use an impromptu writing sample that is evaluated by local campus faculty using common scoring guidelines. Students who score over 600 on the SAT I-Verbal exam are exempt from both reading and writing tests.
Students can make arrangements to take the Accuplacer at any public institution. Dates and times for placement tests vary by college but can usually be found on the college’s website.