Academic Affairs

Course Placement Testing Policy

Complies with MnSCU Policy 3.3.1

To support student success and to meet the requirements of MnSCU Board Policy 3.3.1, Minnesota State University Moorhead has developed the following procedure for assessing new entering students' skills.

Exemption from Testing

Students who present current ACT sub-scores will be exempt from testing. The ACT sub-scores will be used for course placement for college-level courses. Students without ACT scores, or with ACT scores that signify the student is not ready for college-level work, must take the Accuplacer tests.

Shelflife of ACT scores for exemption from testing
The shelflife of ACT scores is five years from original test year in order to be considered for exemption.

Course completion or in-process exemption from testing
Students who have completed their math requirement at another institution will be exempt from testing. Students enrolled in courses leading up to their math requirement completion will also be exempt from testing and be able to register for the next course in the sequence. Students will be able to register based on "good faith" that they are passing the required prior courses. Any student who does not pass the prior course will have their registration dropped once grades are known and will not be allowed to remain in the course.

Appeal Process
The appeal process is described later in this document. Forms for appeal can be obtained online from Academic and Suspension Appeals.

ACT Cut Scores

Placement will be based on ACT scores as follows:

Mathematics

ACT Math Sub-Score	Highest Class
24 or above	MATH 142 or higher
23 or above	MATH127, CCGE 123
20 or above	PDEV 100, CCGE 100, MATH102, MATH 105, CCGE 119
Below 20	Must take the Accuplacer for Placement

English

ACT English Sub-Score	*Highest Class*
26 or above	ENGL 201 or ENGL 202
21 to 25	ENGL 101, regular section
Below 21	ENGLISH 101, small section

Accuplacer Testing

The MnSCU Assessment for Course Placement Committee has chosen Accuplacer as the primary testing instrument in Reading, Mathematics, and English as a Second Language (ESL) to assess student skills. Sample questions may be viewed on the Accuplacer website.

Fees
The first placement test is given at no cost to the student. Retests will cost $10.00 per test session.

Retesting
A two-week waiting period between tests for review and study is recommended.

Selflife of Accuplacer Scores
The shelflife of Accuplacer scores is 24 months from original test date for mathematics, 36 months for English

Accommodation for students with disabilities
Students will contact Disability Services for information regarding testing accommodations, dates and sites. Please be sure to make this contact two weeks before scores are needed for placement.

Accuplacer Cut Scores

The following cut scores in each of the areas determines placement as described below:

Mathematics and Statistics Courses

	CCGE 0050 MATH 0052	MATH 0090 CCGE 095	PDEV 100, CCGE 100, MATH 102, MATH 105, CCGE 119	CCGE 123, MATH 127	MATH 142 or higher
ACT math sub-score minimum			>=21	.=23	>=24
Accuplacer minimum	None required	ARIT>=56.5	EA>=75.5	EA>=75.5 and CLM>=49.5	EA>=75.5 and CML>=49.5

Students who complete MATH 102, MATH 105, or CCGE 119 and subsequently want or need to enroll in MATH 127 or CCGE 123 must meet the required ACT and Accuplacer requirements for College Algebra (MATH 127 or CCGE 123). Students may need PDEV 100 or CCGE 100 before College Algebra if the placement requirements are not met.

English Courses
Students who do not have an ACT English sub-score, must take the Accuplacer for appropriate placement. In order to enter ENGL 101, college-level writing, students must receive a 77.5 on the Reading Comprehension test and an 85.5 on the Sentence Skills test. Students who do not achieve these scores will be referred to the appropriate developmental writing courses at Minnesota State Community & Technical College-Moorhead.

Appeals Process
Students who do not believe they have been appropriately placed with their ACT sob-score, may take the Accuplacer to determine placement. Students who do not feel the Accuplacer has given appropriate placement may re-take the Accuplacer to attempt a higher scores