Course Placement Policy

Custodian of Policy: Registrar

Relevant Minnesota State System Policy: Minnesota State System Policy 3.3

Relevant Procedures: Minnesota State System Procedure 3.3.1

Effective Date: Spring 2020

Last Review: Fall 2016

Next Review: Fall 2022

English Placement Policy

English Placement
If these requirements are met:		 The student qualifies to begin at the selected,  , or preceding ENGLISH course(s).
ENGL 099 TEFL 104 ENGL 101
(small section)		 ENGL 101
(regular section)		 ENGL 201
Any of the following:
ACT ≤ 17
SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing < 480
SAT Writing < 430
Next Generation Accuplacer Reading ≤ 249
Classic Reading Comprehension ≤ 78		          
Any of the following:
ACT = 18-20 or
Next Generation Accuplacer Reading = 250-263 or
HS GPA of 2.5 or above and one of the following:
  • ACT English 16-17
  • SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing 440-479
  • Next Generation Accuplacer Reading 236-249
  • Classic Reading Comprehension of 78-85
 		          
Any of the following:
ACT English ≥ 21
SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing ≥ 480
SAT Writing Score ≥ 501
Next Generation Accuplacer Reading > 264
Classic Reading Comprehension ≥ 97
 		          
ACT English ≥ 26 or
SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing ≥ 600		          
ESL Accuplacer Scoring: Combined Reading Skills, Language Usage, and Sentence Meaning ≥ 330          
ESL Accuplacer Scoring: Combined Reading Skills, Language Usage, and Sentence Meaning scores < 330          

In order to be considered valid for placement purposes, ACT/SAT scores and ACCUPLACER scores must have been earned within five years from the start of the class. High school GPA must be within the last ten years. The English Placement policy will be reviewed every two years.

English Placement for International Students who do not have English as their first language.

  • Students completing the ESL version of the Accuplacer with a combined Reading Skills, Language Usage, and Sentence Meaning score of 330 or higher will be placed into ENGL 101 small section
  • Students completing the ESL version of the Accuplacer with a combined Reading Skills, Language Usage, and Sentence Meaning score of less than 330 will be placed into TEFL 104

Math Placement Policy

Mathematics Placement
If these requirements are met:		 The student qualifies to begin at the selected,  , or preceding MATH course(s).
090A 090 095 099 105 110 134 127 227 142 143 210 229 234 261
QAS < 250                              
AR ≥ 57 or AR + EA ≥ 100 or 250 ≤ QAS < 255                              
ACT Math ≥ 19 or EA ≥ 76 or QAS ≥ 255 or 234 ≤ AAF ≤ 249                              
HS GPA ≥ 2.7 and{ ACT Math 20-21
or
236 ≤ AAF ≤ 249
or ACT Math ≥ 22
or IA ≥ 60 or AAF ≥ 250
                             
ACT Math ≥ 23 or IA ≥ 60 or AAF ≥ 255                              
ACT Math ≥ 24 or CLM ≥ 50 or AAF ≥ 255                              
*MCA ≥ 1146                              
*MCA ≥ 1158 or 1152 ≤ MCA ≤ 1157 and HS GPA ≥ 2.7                              

Two sets of Accuplacer placement scores are available:

  • Classic Accuplacer
    • Arithmetic (AR)
    • Elementary Algebra (EA)
    • Intermediate Algebra (IA)
    • College Mathematics (CLM)
  • Next Generation Accuplacer (NGA)
    • Arithmetic (AR)
    • Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS)
    • Advanced Algebra Functions (AAF)

ACT Math and SAT Math Scores Comparison: ACT 19 = SAT 510; ACT 22 = SAT 530; ACT 23 = SAT 560; ACT 24 = SAT 580.

ACT, MCA and SAT scores are valid for 5 years. Accuplacer scores are valid for 2 years.

*MCA, Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment, Mathematics score will be used for only MATH105, MATH134, and MATH127 placement.

Rationale

The purpose of this policy is to improve student success in college and university courses through student assessment and course placement that addresses reading comprehension, written English, and mathematics knowledge and skills.