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Placement Testing Policy (AE 14)

Policy Statement

This policy explains the process through which students are initially placed into mathematics, English Composition, and Spanish language courses, as well as students' options for raising their placement level.

Definitions

Heritage Speaker: Student from a Spanish linguistic background.

Working Day: Monday through Friday excluding holidays.

Procedures

I. Placement Procedures

Upon a student’s admission to NSC, the College will determine an initial placement into math and English Composition courses based on a review of appropriate materials. Once a student’s initial placement has been determined, the NSHE Handbook (Title 4, Chapter 16, Section 1.2.c) allows students to complete additional placement testing to improve their initial placement into math and English Composition courses.

NSC does not charge students for placement testing.

Nevada State College follows the benchmarks provided in the Board of Regents Handbook (Title 4, Chapter 16, Section 1.2) for determining college-ready math and English Composition placements.

II. Math Placement

  1. Initial Placement Methods: Nevada State College uses three methods for making initial placements into the mathematics course sequence:
    1. The default placement for students is MATH 120E/ MATH 20 or MATH 126E/ MATH 26, depending on major. Students should speak to an advisor about which course is appropriate for their degree plan.
    2. Incoming students are strongly encouraged to submit SAT or ACT math scores. An appropriate score can change a student's placement from the default placement of MATH 120E or MATH 126E to MATH 120, or MATH 126, or MATH 181, depending on major; required scores are published in the academic catalog.
    3. Transfer students who have successfully completed a college-level math course at another institution will be placed into a math course based on their previously completed coursework upon receipt of official transcripts and evaluation of course equivalency.
  2. Raising Initial Mathematics Placement: Students have the option of using EdReady to attempt to place into a math course above MATH 120E or MATH 126E. Separately, EdReady goals for MATH 120 and MATH 126 are available in the directions on the NSC EdReady website. EdReady is a free learning platform that allows students to refresh and strengthen their mathematics knowledge. Students are encouraged to begin EdReady as soon as they are admitted to the College. EdReady scores must be submitted to mathplacement@nsc.edu a minimum of five (5) Working Days prior to the start of the upcoming term; while a students placement can be changed at that day, the College cannot guarantee that a seat will be available in the applicable course.

III. English Placement

  1. Initial Placement Methods: Nevada State College uses three methods for making initial placements into the English Composition course sequence:
    1. First-year students are strongly encouraged to submit ACT English or SAT Evidence-Based Reading/Writing scores. There is no minimum score to enroll in ENG 100; students who meet the placement thresholds will be placed into ENG 101 or ENG 102. Required ACT and SAT scores are published in the NSC academic catalog and Title 4, Chapter 16 of the NSHE Handbook.
    2. Transfer students who have successfully completed an English Composition course at another NSHE institution will be placed into a Composition courses based on their completed coursework.
    3. Transfer students who have successfully completed an English Composition course at an institution outside of NSHE must contact the Registrar's Office. The Registrar will facilitate evaluation of the student's coursework for appropriate placement.
    4. Students who do not submit ACT or SAT scores may take the Directed Self-Placement Survey. Students who do not submit ACT or SAT scores and who elect not to take the Directed Self-Placement Survey will be placed into ENG 100 or ENG 116.
      1. The Office of the Registrar publishes the required SAT and ACT scores to enroll in each English Composition course in the academic catalog.
      2. The Directed Self-Placement Survey is for initial placement only. Once a student has enrolled in, and started, an English Composition course, only successful completion of the course will allow the student to enroll in the next course in the Composition series; the Directed Self-Placement Survey will not be accepted in place of a passing grade in a pre-requisite Composition course. However, upon completing or withdrawing from a self-paced English Composition course, the student may opt to complete a lower level course in the composition series if they wish.
      3. Students must complete the Directed Self-Placement Survey no later than the first day of classes for their first semester of composition. However, students are encouraged to complete the DSP Survey as early as possible, as last-minute changes in composition course enrollment may be limited if all course sections are full.
    5. While NSC no longer offers Accuplacer as a placement method, students with existing Accuplacer scores can submit them for placement. Students with existing scores should contact the Academic Advising Office for information about required scores.
  2. Raising Initial English Composition Placement: Students who have received an initial placement based on ACT or SAT scores or transfer credit evaluation have the option of using the Directed Self-Placement Survey to place into a higher Composition course. The survey allows students to assess their knowledge and skills and self-select the level of English Composition they wish to enroll in. The following restrictions apply to self-placement:
    1. Students may use the Directed Self-Placement Survey prior to the start of their first term of enrollment at NSC. Once the student's first term at NSC has begun, this option is no longer available to students;
    2. Students who place themselves into a course cannot change their placement to a higher-level course once the self-placed course has begun;
    3. After completing or withdrawing from a self-placed English Composition, a student may choose to enroll in a lower-level Composition course.

IV. Spanish Language Placement

  1. Initial Placement: The default placement for Spanish coursework at NSC is SPAN 113: Elementary Spanish I. No placement exam is required to enroll in SPAN 113. Heritage Speakers who have regressed in Spanish read and writing skills may self-place into SPAN 226.
  2. Raising Initial Spanish Placement: Students who wish to place into a higher course may take a placement exam to determine the appropriate course placement. Placement exams are available to NSC students via Canvas in the Spanish Language Placement course shell.
    1. Students may take each level of the test or take the specific test they believe is suitable for their level of mastery. A score of 75% or higher is required to pass a level.
    2. NSC offers six placement exams, corresponding with SPAN 113, SPAN 114, SPAN 213, SPAN 214, SPAN 301, and SPAN 302. The course placement will correspond to the lowest level exam passed. For instance, if a student passes the exam for SPAN 213 but does not pass the exam for SPAN 214, the student will be placed into SPAN 213.
    3. Placement exams are for course placement purposes only. Students do not earn college credits for passing an exam.
    4. Students are encouraged to complete the Spanish Language Placement exam as early as possible. Course enrollment changes are dependent upon the availablity of seats in the appropriate course, and may not be possible in the immediately upcoming term.