Placement Testing

Students are required to complete placement testing in English, mathematics, reading, health, and/or other areas in the Testing Center, Room W124, and/or the Clinton Extension Center.  Test results will be used to determine a student's eligibility for courses with prerequisites and/or placement in developmental courses (courses numbered 087 through 098).

Some of these tests are administered on a computer, and some are untimed.  Photo identification is required for all testing.  Review materials for the mathematics and English sentence skill tests are on reserve in the Kitty Lindsay Learning Resources Center, Room C155, or can be downloaded from our website.  Other review options are available by asking in the Student Learning Center, Room S117.  Retesting for some placement tests for a fee is possible if a student meets certain guidelines.  Placement testing results are valid for two calendar years.  Once a student begins a sequence of courses based on the test results, the student may not retake the placement test in that area regardless of the amount of time that has eapsed since the course was started.

English-Reading

Each student will receive an English placement report based on his/her transcripts and/or ACT test scores. ACT and SAT scores are valid for three years. The report advises in which English class (ENGL 088, 090, 095, 097, ENGL 101, or
OT 119) the student is to enroll. In some cases, students may be required to take English and Reading Placement Tests to help determine their level of competence. The English and Reading Placement Tests are also used to determine eligibility in some collegelevel courses. See the course description to determine prerequisites for courses.

Students unsure about their placement into reading/writing courses should contact a counselor in the Student Services Center or the Dean of Communications.

Foreign Language

Students who have not studied a specific foreign language are to begin their college study with the course numbered 101. All persons whose most recent prior study of the language was more than five years ago should also start their college study with the course numbered 101.

Students who have studied a specific foreign language in high school within the past five years are to begin their study at Richland with the course number determined by the earned quality points. Quality points are computed on the basis of full years of high school study and are assigned on the basis of the grade earned for each semester divided by two. (A = 4.00, B+ = 3.50, B = 3.00, C+ = 2.50, C = 2.00, D+ = 1.50, D = 1.00, F = 0.)

Example: A student who studied a foreign language for one year and received an “A” for both semesters would have earned four quality
points, (i.e., 4.00 + 4.00 = 8.00 divided by 2 = 4.00). Another student who completed one year with a “B” for onesemester and an “A” for one semester would have earned three and one-half quality points (i.e., 4.00 + 3.00 = 7.00 divided by 2 = 3.50).

Any person who wishes to register for a specific foreign language with course placement different from that shown above should consult with the Dean of Communications, Education, Humanities, & Fine Arts (C162), Ext. 386, regarding appropriate placement.

Mathematics Placement

Some mathematics and science courses require prerequisites for enrollment. In some cases students will be required to take a placement test in arithmetic, elementary algebra, or college mathematics.

Students seeking clarification regarding their math placement should see a counselor in the Student Services Center or the Dean of Mathematics and Sciences in Room S119.