Central Alabama Community College is required to assess student readiness for college-level course work using the state approved placement test, Accuplacer. The Accuplacer is a computerized test for students who have not tested within the last three years. The test is untimed and assesses abilities in English, writing, and mathematics, and determines appropriate class placement for these courses. With this information, students and their advisors will be able to increase chances for success by selecting appropriate classes.
State approved placement testing may be exempt with acceptable high school GPA of 2.5 or higher and coursework with a grade of C or higher in English and math courses. If requirements are not met, then ACT or SAT scores as designated in the Placement Score Chart would follow. Students with an associate degree or higher, students who transfer degree-creditable, college-level English or mathematics courses with a grade of “C” or better from an accredited institution, students who have successfully completed required developmental coursework at another Alabama Community College System college or an accredited college within the last five years, students enrolling to audit a course, students who scores 165 or higher on the Mathematical Reasoning or Reasoning Through Language Arts subject tests of the 2014 series GED, transient students with documentation, and students enrolling for personal enrichment purposes only are exempt from taking the ACCUPLACER.
The following ACCUPLACER score ranges will be used for student placement in math and English.
| Placement | ACCUPLACER Writeplacer |
|---|---|
| ENR 098 | 0-3 |
| ENG 101 with ENG099, ENG 131 | 4 |
| ENG 101 | 5-8 |
| Placement | ACCUPLACER Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS) Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF) |
|---|---|
| MTH 098, MTH 116 | QAS 200-242 |
| MTH 100 with MTH 099 | QAS 243-252 |
| MTH100 | QAS 253-266 or AAF 200-235 |
| MTH 110, MTH 112, MTH 231, MTH 232, MTH 265 | QAS 266-300 or AAF 236-255 |
| MTH 113 OR MTH 120 | AAF 256-270 |
| MTH 125 | AAF 271-300 |
Act and SAT Exemptions
| ACT | SAT (prior to 2016) | New SAT (Section Score) | New SAT (Test Scores) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English/Writing | ≥ 18 (English) | ≥ 440 (Writing) | ≥ 510 (Evidence based Reading and Writing) | ≥ 25 (Writing and Language) |
| Reading | ≥ 20 | ≥ 480 | ≥ 510 (Evidence based Reading and Writing) | ≥ 26 |
| Math | ≥ 20 | ≥ 480 | ≥ 510 | ≥ 25.5 |
Any student scoring at or above the established ACT or SAT scores for either English/Writing, Reading, or Math within three years of enrollment is exempt from the subject specific placement assessment.
A student who wishes to challenge placement results may retest once per calendar year provided there is evidence the student has completed test preparation activities. Additional preparation includes, but is not limited to, academic boot camps, online pre-tests, and placement test applications. There will be a $10 fee for retesting per session. Placement test scores will be valid for five years from the date of the original or retest assessment.
Students are encouraged to enroll in developmental courses within the first two semesters, preferably the first semester of enrollment, to ensure adequate preparation for college-level courses. Students will be provided an evaluation report of assessment test results and given appropriate advisement and a plan of study when developmental courses are required.
Non-high school graduates or non-GED recipients seeking admissions must be assessed using Level-D or higher of the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) and must attain the following minimum scores.
| TABE | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| Reading | 567 |
| Math | 566 |
| English | 560 |
The placement assessment is administered at each of our four CACC locations. For a schedule of testing dates, times, and locations, please visit our website at: www.cacc.edu. Applicants MUST bring a photo ID on the day of testing. All applicants should complete any required testing at least one week prior to CACC Connect. For questions about testing policies, please contact the Testing Coordinator.