Academic Catalog 2020-2021 > Policies > Admissions > Placement Testing Policy

Placement Testing Policy

All entering students who enroll in associate degree or certificate programs and those who enroll for more than seven credit hours or fourteen weekly contact hours will be placed into the appropriate mathematics and English course based on placement criteria developed by the Alabama Community College System. In the 2018-2019 academic year, ESCC joined other community colleges in piloting new methods of student placement. This will result in new students’ initial placement being evaluated in two possible ways, depending on the students time of registration.

Transfer students must take a placement test prior to registering for English Composition or mathematics courses or have credit in math or English on their transcript. Placement test scores are valid for five years. Students may retake the placement test one time only. A fee of $8.00 per test retake is charged.

Acceptable SAT and ACT scores can be used as part of the placement process at ESCC. These scores are valid for five years following the test.

All entering students will be placed into the appropriate mathematics and english course based on placement criteria developed. Transfer students must take a placement test prior to registering for English Composition or mathematics courses or have credit in math or English on their transcript. Placement test scores are valid for five years. Students may retake the placement test to improve their placement. A fee of $8.00 per test retake is charged.

Placement into mathematics and English courses will be based upon specific prerequisite requirements, which may include a student’s ACT scores, high school grade point average in conjunction with final grades in designated high school courses, and ACCUPLACER placement assessment scores. Placement scores and the high school GPA are valid for five years. If older than five years, the student must take the ACCUPLACER assessment. ESCC advisors will assist students with determining the appropriate placement into mathematics and English courses.

Students must consult the current College Catalog and Student Handbook in order to determine the appropriate math level in the A.A.S. degree program. Students who successfully complete the starting math level may progress to the next math course as required by their major. Students who earn a “D” or “F” grade in their math course are required to retake that class before progressing to the next course in the sequence.

Exemptions from Placement Testing

Any student scoring 510 or higher on the SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing section or a 25 or higher test score on the SAT Writing and Language or 18 or above on the ACT English within five years of enrollment is exempt from the English assessment requirement.

Any student scoring a 510 section score or higher on the SAT Math or 25.5 test score or higher on the SAT Math or 20 or above on the ACT Math within five years of enrollment is exempt from the math assessment requirement.

Advanced Placement

All Alabama community colleges will accept a score of three (3) or higher on the Advanced Placement subject examinations for credit for a minimum of one course in the subject area corresponding to the test. Additional Advanced Placement Credit in a single subject area may be awarded by the individual institution at its discretion based on an evaluation of the student’s high school record and career goals. A maximum of twenty (20) semester hours may be awarded for Advanced Placement by the state’s community colleges.