college placement test essay examples

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Sample Essays

Below are two sample essays. Both essays are in response to the writing prompt below. The first sample essay demonstrates a readiness for English Composition I (a writing course required in all degree programs). The second contains weak areas demonstrating a need for additional support to foster success in English Composition I.

Penn College faculty evaluate essays based on the following:

• organization
• development of ideas
• sentence structure
• word choice
• punctuation

The Faculty Evaluation section explains how effectively the student addressed each essay component and provides a rationale for each student’s placement.

English Composition I (ENL 111)

Write about a sport, hobby, or extra-curricular activity that you were involved with in high school and the impact that sport or activity had on your life. Be sure to clearly identify the sport or activity, and use specific details how this involvement made an impact on your life.

Student Essay:

One hobby or skill I pride myself in is my ability to cook, one that I have only obtained in my last 2 years working as a cook. When I started at Rotelli (an Italian restaurant in State College) it was right after my senior year in High school.

Fresh out of High school with no prior experience in the “real world” I was more or less forced to mature to meet the basic standards of a high-end kitchen employee. Allowing people to walk all over me due to my nonthreatening appearance and stoic resolve was no longer an option. Most of my coworkers were/are gruff, seasonal restaurant employees who will verbally “go for the throat” without a moments notice.

After several months of this environment and dreading going to work, I picked up on things to sharpen my wit, making what was before an entire night of being picked on into just playful verbal abuse. After this realization literally everything seemed less of a hassel, as well as near complete immunity to any sort of heckling. I even pushed the envelope by getting my lip pierced to “draw more heat” but no such insidents occurred.

In summation, the restaurant not only turned me into a good cook but also prepared me for the hassel and hardships of the real world, something that will be a definite benefit to me in the future.

Faculty Evaluation:

The essay shows a significant degree of organization . In the opening paragraph, the student mentions the specific hobby (cooking) that will be the subject of the essay, and then each paragraph relates to this particular hobby and its impact on the student’s life. The development of ideas occurs in each paragraph because the student writes about how the experience at this restaurant has impacted the student at the restaurant and the possible impact on the student’s future. There are some minor errors in punctuation , word choice , and spelling , but they do not take away from the reader’s ability to understand the paragraphs individually and the essay as a whole. The sentence structure is consistently strong throughout the essay, and evident in each paragraph. The essay contains specific details. The student connects the paragraphs to the prompt, clearly showing the impact that the experience at this restaurant has had on the student’s life. This student was placed in ENL111.

English Composition I (ENL 111) with English Composition Lab (ENL105)

Write about a sport, hobby, or extra-curricular activity that you were involved with in high school and the impact that sport or activity had on your life. Be sure to clearly identify the sport or activity, and use specific details about how this involvement made an impact on your life.

For my essay I will be choosing number two. The activity I will be writing about is highschool wrestling. I chose this sport in nineth grade. The reason I chose it was because I herd it had good rewards. I will be writing to you about the difficulties, rewards, experience, all what I learned from challenges.

There are multiple problems with word choice and spelling.

I will start with the difficulties. The one major difficulty for most people is eating. You must keep your weight minimal or you shouldnt even show up. What you learn from this is disapline. The second is fear with anciaty. You may want this actualy before a match. You get scared and prepare better. Your anciaty gives you speek and strength when you get on the mat. This teaches you how to use your weakness.

The ideas are not developed here. For instance, there are no details on why weight is a problem.

The last difficultie is physical pain and edurance. The best way to deal with it is to ignore it. Your mind is whats telling you it hurts and you need to stop. Tell it to ignore it and over time it will. This teacies you the more important thing which is you can do anything if you beleive you can. Those are some of the Difficulties and lessens you learn from wrestling.

In addition to spelling, punctuation, and grammar problems, this paragraph does not connect the ideas to each other, nor to the prompt.

The rewards you experience are great. The greatest reward is self greatness. When you train and win you feel accomplishd. You also have respect from your team and coach. It feels like you have some power. The last reward is the body. You get a great body from it and you feel great. Girls will offten give you attention for having it. Those are some of the rewards of wrestling.

Spelling issues are present and the ideas are listed, but not developed.

Over all highschool wrestling is a great way to improve yourself. I have learnd many skill and discipline from it. I have changed my life because of it. There will always be difficulties but you will always get somthing out of it. That is what I have to discuss on my activity.

While the student demonstrates some understanding of five paragraph format, there are numerous errors overall and little idea development in the essay.

The essay shows a degree of organization . In the opening paragraph, the student mentions three points to be made in the essay: difficulties, rewards, and experience. In the body of the essay, however, there is very little development of ideas . In the second paragraph, the student does not develop the idea of disciplined eating or anxiety. Paragraph four is a list of three rewards from wrestling, but the ideas are only listed, not developed. While there are some errors in punctuation , there are significant problems with sentence structure throughout the essay, especially with grammar , word choice , and spelling . These are pervasive throughout the essay. This student was placed in ENL111 with the additional support of ENL105.

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College Placement Test

Free Math and English Online Practice Exams

English Placement Test Essay Examples

You will find English placement test essay examples for your college entrance exam on this page.

In the writing section of the test, you will see literary nonfiction, essays, and informational passages.

The passages are around 300 words in length and there are five questions on each one.

Our free study guide will help you learn all of the grammar rules that are covered on the test.

Here is a free sample from our writing test PDF download :

Instructions: Read the first of our English placement test essay examples below and answer the questions that follow.

(1) The Department of Education in our state recently stated that more discipline is needed in the classroom. (2) Can you believe it? (3) It comes a bit late – I’m sure you’ll agree – but then the employee’s at the Department have had a great deal to think about over the years. (4) I don’t generally put much stock in the Department of Education’s opinions. (5) For several years, I’ve seen bad behavior in some schools and nothing serious being done about it. (6) In the meantime, the Department of Education has insinuated through its silence that everything was just great. (7) Evidently, however, now it’s not.

(8) Consider for instance, one of the children in my gifted class. (9) Since the school is discontinuing the program, he has to move back into the main school, understandably, he’s told me that he doesn’t want to go. (10) He wants to stay where there are very high standards of behavior and work. (11) He’s done so well. (12) His parents can’t believe the high level he achieves. (13) How great is that?

1. What is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 3, reproduced below?

It comes a bit late – I’m sure you’ll agree – but then the employee’s at the Department have had a great deal to think about over the years.

A. Leave it as it is now. B. employees C. employees’ D. employees’s

2. What is the best decision regarding the underlined portion of sentence 7, reproduced below?

Evidently, however, now it’s not.

A. Leave it as it is now. B. Remove the comma after “Evidently” C. Remove the comma after “however” D. Delete “Evidently,” from the beginning of the sentence

3. What is the best decision regarding the underlined portion of sentence 9, reproduced below?

Since the school is discontinuing the program, he has to move back into the main school, understandably, he’s told me that he doesn’t want to go.

A. Leave it as it is now. B. Place a period after “school” and begin a new sentence with “Understandably,” C. Use a dash after “school” instead of a comma D. Use a colon after “school” instead of a comma

English Placement Test Essay Examples – Answers

1. The correct answer is B. The word “employees” forms the grammatical subject of the sentence. The writer is speaking about all of the workers at the Department of Education, so we need to use the plural form. An apostrophe is not required since we do not need the possessive form.

2. The correct answer is A. The sentence is best as it is written in the original essay. A comma needs to be placed after “evidently” as it is a transition word used at the beginning of the sentence. A comma also needs to be used after “however, because it is used within the sentence. The use of both words in this sentence serves as a logical connector to the previous argument that the writer is making.

3. The correct answer is B. We have two complete sentences here since each has its own grammatical subject and verb. So, a period should be used after “school” and a new sentence should be made starting with the next word.

Online Placement Test Sample

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Sentence Skills

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How to Write an Essay for a College Placement Exam

When just beginning or transferring to a college, students may be required to take a college placement exam that includes math, reading and writing tests. As part of the writing exam, students are expected to write an argumentative essay that states a clear position and provides analysis and evidence. The exam is rated and evaluated by faculty members at the college, and the scores determine into which level English course each student is placed.

Most college placement essays require students to read a set of circumstances and formulate an argument based on those circumstances. Often the prompts for college placement exams involve community- and school-related issues. Once you have carefully read and understood the prompt, decide which position you will take in your essay. Then take a few minutes to plan the basic structure, or outline, of the essay before you write it. Begin by writing a clear thesis statement -- a single sentence that sums up the main point of your entire essay. Then jot down and plan the order of the main supporting point and evidence you will present in the essay.

Writing the Essay

Typically, the essay portion of a college placement exam should be structured in a five-paragraph format consisting of an introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion. The thesis statement should be placed in the introduction and all subsequent information should directly support -- with explanation, analysis and specific examples -- the thesis statement. For example, if you are arguing that school days should be lengthened for public schools, you can support your claim with the following reasons: working parents will benefit from having their children stay longer in school, students will have fewer opportunities to get into trouble and students will be better prepared for college as a result of the additional schooling. Make certain as you write that each body paragraph's central idea is distinct from the others while still proving the thesis statement.

Part of the score of the college placement essay is determined by grammar, spelling and clarity of structure. Once you have completed the essay, take a few minutes to carefully read through it and proofread the text for errors. Reviewing the essay before you submit it also provides you the opportunity to develop or clarify the sub-arguments. Take time to read through and polish the essay to improve your chances of earning a higher score.

Time Management

A key strategy in the college placement exam essay is to take full advantage of all the time that is allotted. By managing your time wisely, you can allow sufficient time to plan, compose and proofread the essay before you submit it. Typically, each student is allowed 60 to 90 minutes to read the prompt, as well as to plan, write and review the essay. Keep your eye on the clock and allot at least 5 to 10 minutes at the start and the end of the allotted time to properly complete your pre- and post-writing.

• ACT Compass: Writing Essay (e-Write)

Soheila Battaglia is a published and award-winning author and filmmaker. She holds an MA in literary cultures from New York University and a BA in ethnic studies from UC Berkeley. She is a college professor of literature and composition.

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Reading/Essay Placement Test Resources

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We highly encourage students to study/review prior to testing. below are some sites you may find helpful.

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Essay Practice & Resources

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English Assessment Preparation

How to prepare for your english assessment.

We've outlined what you can expect from your English assessment, including what content will be covered and the format it will take. We've also provided some resources to help you prepare.

Assessment Content and Format  

In your Accuplacer WritePlacer assessment, you’ll be provided with a short passage and you’ll be asked to respond to it by writing a multi-paragraph essay to develop a point of view and support it with arguments and examples.   

• You will have  80 minutes  to plan and write the essay. 
• Your essay must be  300-600 words .   
• Use of dictionary is not allowed 

Your response will be evaluated on the following criteria: 

• Purpose and Focus  – Have you addressed the topic? Have you presented the information clearly and logically?  
• Organization and Structure  – Have you connected and ordered your ideas?   
• Development and Support  – Have you developed and supported your ideas? 
• Sentence variety and Style –  Are your sentences varied in length and style, demonstrating control of vocabulary, voice, and structure?  
• Mechanical Conventions  – Have you used correct grammar and spelling?   
• Critical Thinking  – Have you communicated your point of view and demonstrated consistent relationships among ideas?  
• Read the passage and the question carefully so your essay addresses the topic.  
• Before you start writing, take some time to plan your essay. 
• Be sure to develop a clear point of view.  
• Follow a standard essay format: introduction, body paragraph(s), and conclusion.   
• Relate each paragraph to your main argument. Relate each sentence in your paragraph to the paragraph’s topic sentence.    

Essay Preparation

For more information, review: 

• WritePlacer Sample Essays  

GBC Tutoring and Learning Centre (TLC) writing resources

Assessment Content

The ACCUPLACER Next Generation Reading Comprehension Test includes four types of questions.   

• Information and Ideas questions  focus on determining central ideas and themes of a passage, summary of a passage, and understanding relationships between ideas presented. 
• Rhetoric questions  focus on analyzing a passage for the author’s word choice, text structure, point of view, purpose and arguments used.  
• Synthesis questions  focus on relating the information and ideas from different texts. 
• Vocabulary questions  focus on finding the meaning of word and phrases used in contexts.  

Assessment Format 

• 20 questions, multiple choice 
• The test software will select questions based on your previous answers. Answer all the questions to the best of your ability and do not skip any, as you cannot go back.   
• No time limit (on average, students take 30 – 60 minutes) 
• Score range: 200-300 
• Use of a dictionary is not allowed 

Reading Comprehension Sample Questions 

  ACCUPLACER Next Generation Reading Sample Questions    

See pages 2-7.  The answer key is on pages 8-13. 

Free ACCUPLACER App  - ACCUPLACER has created an App containing a sample Reading Comprehension test. To find the sample test and review test content, please create an account. 

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Writing Placement Test

In This Section

To demonstrate college-ready writing skills, review the testing scores summary to determine if you need to take placement testing.

Writing Placement Test FAQ

What is the Accelerated Learning Program?

Rather than taking two semesters to complete ENG-098 and ENG-101, if you're placed into ENG-098 can take both classes in just one semester. Some ENG-098 students take the ENG-101 course, with students placed directly into ENG-101. The ENG-098 class meets immediately following their ENG-101 class for additional support.

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Who needs the writing placement test?

All new degree-seeking students are required to demonstrate initial placement levels in English upon entry to the College in order to register for their first semester.

Additionally, any student wishing to register for courses may also need to demonstrate specific placement levels in order to satisfy a particular course prerequisite.

• 19 or higher on the English portion of the ACT; or 480 on SAT or PSAT reading and writing; valid for 5 years; or
• 4 or higher on the PARCC reading and writing assessment; or
• Successful completion with a C or better of ENG 098 or LTC 099 at ECC or an equivalent course at a regionally accredited college (official transcripts required); or
• Successful completion with a C or better in college-level courses at another college/university (official transcripts required); or
• High school cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on an unweighted 4.0 scale; or
• GED score of 165 or higher or HiSet score of 15 or higher plus essay score of 4; or
• A minimum score on AP, CLEP, or IB exam .
• Attain the specified level from the ECC English placement test (valid for 5 years).

How does the test work?

Using a computer, you will write an essay of approximately 2 pages in length. You will select one of three topics to focus your essay response. You are allowed to use a single piece of scratch paper. 

An effective essay will include each of the following:

• A thesis or main idea;
• Several paragraphs of sufficient, relevant, and specific detail or examples related to the topic selected based on your experience, observations, or readings;
• Good organization, including an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion;
• Correct grammar, spelling, and sentence structure.

Before you submit your essay, you should proofread (reread and correct) your essay. You can use spell-check and scratch paper. 

We strongly recommend that you take a few steps to get ready before taking your writing placement essay test. Students who review first typically do much better than those who do not. You can prepare by reviewing the sample scored essays .

Placement test results will be available within 7 business days.

How can I prepare for the test?

We strongly recommend that you take a few steps to get ready before taking your Writing placement essay test. Students who review first typically do much better than those who do not. You can prepare by:

• Review the sample scored essays .

When will I get my score?

Writing placement test results will be available within 7 business days. Please plan accordingly to have the Writing placement test results completed prior to registration. You can view all placement test results on the  accessECC portal .

What does my score mean?

If your writing placement test score is:

• Prepare to retake the placement test.
• Developmental course required. Enroll in LTC-099 (College Literacy)
• Developmental courses required. Enroll in ENG-098 and ENG-101 (Accelerated Learning Program (ALP))
• No developmental course required. Enroll in college-ready courses, including ENG-101.

If you are not happy with your first attempt, you may retake the placement tests twice, providing you have not started a reading or English course. Once you have completed a reading or English class at ECC, you may retest with the approval of the placement coordinator. Your reading and writing placement results are valid for five years.

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English Language Placement Test Sample

International students applying for admission without providing any TOEFL or other English proficiency test scores  will take an English language placement test during orientation . This test was designed by an experienced team of  Shoreline faculty members  with advanced degrees in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). The English placement test has three sections: reading, writing, and listening. Click the tabs below to see each section.

The reading section of Shoreline Community College's English placement test has five passages. Each passage is followed by five multiple-choice questions. Here is a sample:

"Ted Serios is not a normal person. He was in his mid-forties when he was introduced to Jule Eisenbud, Professor of Psychiatry at Denver Medical School in 1963.

"During the next several years, Eisenbud showed that Serios had the bizarre ability to produce images on film by simply staring into a camera. Together, Eisenbud and Serios produced more than two hundred of these "thoughtographs." Most of them were images of buildings, landscapes, people, and machines. The thoughtographs were created under carefully controlled conditions and the process was observed by many witnesses, some of whom were very skeptical of Serios' claimed abilities. The experimenters were careful to exclude the possibility of fraud by using methods such as medical examinations and X-rays. They even put Serios in a straightjacket and removed all of his clothes.

"No one has ever been able to give a satisfactory explanation for the pictures that Serios and Eisenbud made."

1. What is the main idea of this reading passage?     a. A man named Ted Serios met a psychiatrist named Julie Eisenbud.     b. A man was able to create photographic images by looking into a camera.     c. Ted Serios was examined very carefully by scientists.     d. Electromagnetic radiation can create images on film. 2. Which of the following is true, according to the reading passage?     a. Ted Serios was a doctor at a medical school in Denver .     b. The images that Serios created were limited to people and buildings.     c. Serios forced some other people to wear a straightjacket.     d. No one has ever been able to explain how Serios created “thoughtographs”. 3. What is the most likely meaning of the word “fraud”?     a. disease     b. fakery     c. machinery     d. beauty 4. The word “them” in paragraph 2, line 3 refers to...     a. Eisenbud and Serios     b. “thoughtographs”     c. people and buildings     d. respectable witnesses 5. If this reading passage continued, what do you suppose the next part might be about?     a. some other strange phenomenon     b. Ted Serios' family life     c. the history of Denver Medical School     d. difficulties in taking good vacation photos

Answers: B, D, B, B, A

For the writing section of Shoreline Community College's English placement test, students may choose to write for the higher level or the lower level.

Higher level : a student who writes an essay based on a higher level topic will be placed in English 101, the appropriate English for Academic Purposes (EAP) level, or the appropriate ESL level.

Lower level: a student who chooses to write a paragraph based on a lower level topic will be placed in the appropriate ESL level.

Here is an example of the Writing Section of the English placement test:

Higher level : If you would like to be considered for English 101 or EAP, please write an essay on ONE of the following topics:

1. Explain two ways that some form of transportation has changed urban life.

2. Argue that people should not be allowed to marry until they are more than thirty years old.

Lower level: If you would like to be considered for ESL, please write one or two paragraphs on one of the following topics:

1. Tell about a time you lost something important.

2. Tell about a funny experience you had with a friend.

The listening section has five passages that are tape-recorded. Students listen to each passage on tape and then answer five multiple-choice questions. Here is a sample:

"The following short listening passage is part of a listening test. You will hear a short sample of speech followed by five questions. Each question will be repeated on the tape, but the questions do not appear in the test booklet. You may take notes on the provided piece of paper. When you answer the questions, be sure to mark your answers on the scantron and not on the test booklet. Your notes will be collected after the test."

Listening passage one

"The banjo is a musical instrument which originated in Africa. Because African music is very much based on rhythm, the banjo looks very much like a drum and probably developed from a drum. It also has a neck and from four to six strings. The banjo was probably brought from Africa to America by slaves in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the United States, white country musicians began using the banjo to play their dance music. Eventually, the four-string banjo became an integral part of early jazz, called Dixieland and the five-string banjo became the foundation of a kind of fast country music called bluegrass.

"Listen to the following questions and mark your answers on your scantron sheet." 

1.   What is a banjo?     a. a musical instrument     b. a slave     c. a kind of music     d. a dance 2.  Where did the banjo originate?     a. in Asia     b. in Europe     c. In Africa     d. In America 3.  What are two kinds of music in which the banjo is used?     a. four-string and five-string     b. rhythm and strings     c. the 16th and 17th century     d. dixieland and bluegrass 4.  What would be the most likely source of this listen passage?     a. a music appreciation lecture     b. a radio advertisement     c. a political speech     d. a TV situation comedy

5.  If this listening passage continued, what would the next topic probably be?     a. types of drums in Africa     b. the problem of slavery in America     c. some famous banjo players     d. classical music today

Answers: A, C, D, A, C

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The English Test

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Students taking WritePlacer® are presented with a prompt and asked to write an essay of 300 to 600 words. A prompt consists of a short passage. Following the passage is an assignment that requires the student to focus on the issue addressed in the passage.

Your essay will be given a holistic score that represents how clearly and effectively you expressed your position. The following six characteristics of writing will be considered:

• Purpose and Focus The extent to which you present information in a unified and coherent manner, clearly addressing the issue.
• Organization and Structure The extent to which you order and connect ideas.
• Development and Support The extent to which you develop and support ideas.
• Sentence Variety and Style The extent to which you craft sentences and paragraphs demonstrating control of vocabulary, voice, and structure.
• Critical Thinking The extent to which you communicate a point of view and demonstrate reasoned relationships among ideas.

Scores on WritePlacer® range from 1 to 8.  An essay that is too short to be evaluated, written on a topic other than the one presented, or written in a language other than English will be given a score of zero.

• Online Writing Lab at Purdue University Students can use this link and search for help in the following areas: writing process, sentence structure, or specific grammar work such as subject/verb agreement, use of pronouns, capitalization, punctuation, etc.  The site has a teaching section and quizzes for every aspect.
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English and Math Placement

Get Started in Classes at the Right Level for You

Placement helps the College determine your academic skill levels in English and math so we can place you in classes that are at the right level for you.

In this Section

• Admissions Process
• Admissions Events
• Prior Learning Assessment Course
• International Students
• Contact Admissions
• Request Admissions Information
• Paying for College

Placement in Math and English Courses by High School GPA

Unweighted high school gpa – english placements:.

• HS GPA between 2.75 to 2.89
• HS GPA between 2.9 to 3.19
• HS GPA between 3.20 and above

Unweighted High School GPA – Math placements:

• HS GPA 2.89 and below
• HS GPA 2.90 to 3.04
• HS GPA 3.05 to 3.29
• Keystone Algebra Score – 1500 or higher
• HS GPA 3.30 and above with a grade of "C" or higher in Algebra II or higher level math (If no Algebra or higher level math, placement will be in FNMT 118)
• HS GPA 3.50 and above with a grade of "C" or higher in Trigonometry or Calculus (If no Trigonometry or Calculus, placement will be in FNMT 118)

Applicants with a High School GPA older than 5 years must take the ACCUPLACER Math Portion.

Any student can take the ACCUPLACER Math Portion to see if they can place at a higher level math course.

College Level Math by Pathways:

Note: FNMT 118 is required for students who need to take Pre-Calculus (MATH 161)

Placement Test Options

By taking the ACCUPLACER tests, applicants will be placed in the most appropriate English and Math courses as indicated by their ACCUPLACER test results.  There are three options for testing.  

Accuplacer Test Takers Must Be:

• Applicants with a HS GPA of 2.74 and below
• GED students
• Students who cannot obtain a high school transcript
• English as a Second Language (ESL) students will take their ACCUPLACER placement and be placed in Pre-ESL or ESL courses 

Please note: If you were involved in a high school program that included modified assignments, modified tests (other than extended time or distraction-reduced setting), substantial one-to-one services, life skills support, or other modified instruction, we advise you to take the placement test . Any student who needs accommodations for taking the placement test should contact the Center on Disability at COD [at] ccp.edu .

Remember to bring a valid photo ID.

Main Campus

Monday through Friday: You can test in-person anytime between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. No need to make an appointment.

Northeast Regional Center

Wednesday through Friday: You can test in-person anytime between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Click here to complete a form to see if you’re eligible to receive a placement test voucher through Accuplacer and Examity. After you complete the form and we determine that you are eligible, we’ll send you a test voucher within 2 business days. Look for an email from Accuplacer/Examity with the subject line REMOTE VOUCHER NOTIFICATION.

Click here to make sure your computer is compatible with Examity .

Please note that to test virtually, you must have a computer with a webcam and audio capabilities. Tablets, cell phones and chrome books are not compatible with the test.

This service is offered Monday through Friday during business hours.

Send your full name, J number, date of birth and phone number to assessmentcenter [at] ccp.edu . Add that you’d like to take the test virtually with a CCP proctor.

Click here to make sure your computer is compatible with Accuplacer .

Students can alternatively submit the following to meet placement:

• SAT score: A minimum score of 560 in English and 510 in mathematics, taken within the last five years
• ACT score: A minimum of 21 in English and 21 in mathematics, taken within the last five years
• Keystone Algebra Score (HS Transcript): A score of 1500 or higher
• AP English Lit/Com Exam: A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Exam
• AP Calculus AB or Calculus BC exam: A score of 4 or 5 on the exam, taken within the last five years
• IBT (internet based TOEFL): A minimum score of 77 overall and a 20 in writing, taken within the last two years
• IELTS score: A minimum of 6.0 overall and a 6.0 in writing, taken within the last two years
• An official transcript from an accredited U.S. college or university: indicating you have earned a U.S. college degree or have passed college-level English or math with a grade of “C” or higher
• All documents (transcripts and test scores) submitted for placement should be sent to the Transfer Credit and Placement Office at traneval [at] ccp.edu (traneval[at]ccp[dot]edu)

Taking and Preparing for the Placement Test

Take a practice accuplacer placement test.

Because the test determines your first year course load, it is very important that you familiarize yourself with the test format, test questions, and test strategies and that you practice taking the test. To do so, we highly recommend that you:

Visit the official ACCUPLACER site

Download the free ACCUPLACER Study app

Test Structure

Please take a moment to look at the test descriptions below. They will help give you an idea of what to expect on the actual placement test. Overall, the placement test consists of two parts: an English or ESL part and a Math part.

If your primary spoken language is other than English, you may be asked to take the ESL part, which includes ESL Listening, ESL Writing and ESL Reading Skills sections.  

On the other hand, if you are a native English speaker, you will be asked to take the English part, which includes English Writing (Writeplacer) and English Reading Comprehension (Next-Generation Reading) Sections.

Finally, the Math Part consists of three sections:

• Next-Generation Arithmetic
• Next-Generation Quantitative Reasoning Algebra, and Statistics (QAS)
• Next-Generation Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF)

Depending on your performance, you may be asked to take one, two, or all three sections of the Math test.

All parts and sections of the placement test are computer-based, and offered at the Main Campus and Regional Centers. No computer skills are required. You simply use the mouse to click on the answer.

English and ESL Writing Sections

In the English or ESL writing sections, you will have 60 minutes to write about a topic you will be given that day. Topics are chosen randomly.  The writing sample is then scored by ACCUPLACER; if necessary, it may also be reviewed by members of the English Department who are trained to read and evaluate placement essays. Your essay will be read by at least one faculty member, who will rescore your essay for placement. The combined scores of the faculty reader and ACCUPLACER, together with your score on either the Next-Generation Reading or ESL Reading Skills section, will be used to determine your placement in English classes.

For how the essays are evaluated and for sample practice questions as well as scored writing samples, please download the set of or the set of ESL Sample Essays.

Reading Comprehension, ESL Reading Skills, ESL Listening and the Math Sections (computerized):

The Next-Generation Reading, ESL Reading Skills, and ESL Listening sections are comprised of 20 questions each and are untimed, allowing you to work at you own pace.

The Math Part begins with either the Next-Generation Arithmetic or QAS section and may progress to AAF, depending on your skills. Each math section may consist from 17 to 25 questions.

Taking the Test

While the sections are untimed (except the English or ESL Writing section, which is limited to one hour), you should plan on spending at least two hours taking the tests. 

You will have two options for taking the ACCUPLACER test:

• In-person. A limited number of appointments are available for in-person testing. Please contact the Assessment Center by email at assessmentcenter [at] ccp.edu (assessmentcenter[at]ccp[dot]edu) to schedule an in-person test.
• Online with remote proctoring via Zoom. If you want to take the test online, applicants should check their CCP email for an email from the Admissions Office with directions on how to schedule a remote testing appointment.

When you have finished the required sections of the placement tests, you will receive your placement results and instructions on how to login to your Online Orientation. The Online Orientation will provide information on financial aide, registration, payment options and college resources.

Test Prep Sites

Besides the official ACCUPLACER site and the study APP, other test prep sites for the Placement Test may be accessed on the internet by typing "ACCUPLACER Practice" from any browser search field. A number of sites will be listed, some for English and some for Math. Any of the free sites provide valuable practice opportunities; there is not need to use any site for which you need to pay a fee. Some of the better sites are as follows

• https://www.mometrix.com/academy/accuplacer-test/
• http://owl.excelsior.edu/essay_zone/
• http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm
• http://accuprep.pccc
• http://www.accuplacerpractice.com

Placement Levels and Courses

Based on your performance on the placement test, and depending on your specific English language and mathematics abilities and needs you will be placed in one of CCP’s college-level courses or pre- college-level courses.

Please review below the CCP placement levels and courses and visit the relevant department links to view brief course and program descriptions.

English Placement Levels and Courses Your placement in English courses is based on how you perform in the English Writing and the Reading Comprehension sections. The set of pre-college and college English levels and courses that you may be placed in are shown in the chart below.

If you are placed in ABE, you will able to retest upon successful completion of the ABE classes. Learn more about ABE classes .

If you are placed in Level 2 and pass the courses at that level with a grade of "Pass," you automatically move to College Level courses ENGL 101 and ENGL 098.

ESL Placement Levels and Courses Your placement in ESL courses is based on the combination of how you perform in the ESL Reading Skills section, the ESL Writing Section, and the ESL Listening. The set of pre-college and college ESL courses that you may be placed in are shown in the chart below.

If you place in Pre-ESL, you must contact the ESL Institute and pass their highest ESL level before retesting. You will need to bring a letter of completion to the Assessment Center in order to retest. For more information, please visit the ESL Institute .

All ESL Reading, ESL Writing, and ESL Listening/Speaking courses are part of a series and have to be taken sequentially depending on where you are initially placed.

Math Placement Levels and Courses

Your placement in mathematics courses is based on how you perform in the Arithmetic, Elementary Algebra, and/or College-Level Math sections.  The set of  pre-college and college math courses that you may be placed in are listed in the chart below.

The Foundational Math courses and Math courses are part of a series and have to be taken sequentially depending on where you are placed. 

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Fall and Spring Semesters: 

Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m

Summer Semesters: 

Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m  

Those Who Preach Free Speech Need to Practice It

Too many leaders, on campus and in government, are failing to uphold the First Amendment rights they claim to champion.

Updated at 9:35 a.m. ET on April 30, 2024

Say you’re a college senior, just a few weeks from graduation. For as long as you can remember—even back in high school, before you set foot on campus—older people have talked about free speech. More specifically, older people have talked about free speech and you : whether your generation understands it, whether you believe in it, whether you can handle it.

After watching some of those same people order crackdowns on campus protests over the past few days, you might have a few questions for them.

Last week, from New York to Texas, cops stormed college campuses clad in riot gear. They weren’t there to confront active shooters, thank goodness, or answer bomb threats. Instead, they were there to conduct mass arrests of students protesting the war in Gaza.

As the legal director of a First Amendment advocacy nonprofit, I teach students across the country that the government can’t silence speakers because of their beliefs, even—and perhaps especially—if those beliefs are unpopular or cause offense. That’s a foundational principle of free-speech law. But many of the crackdowns appear to be a direct reaction to the protesters’ views about Israel.

After sending a phalanx of state law-enforcement officers into the University of Texas at Austin campus, for example, Governor Greg Abbott announced on X that students “joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled.”

Erwin Chemerinsky: No one has a right to protest in my home

But no First Amendment exception exists for “hate-filled” speech. And for good reason: In our pluralistic democracy, everyone has their own subjective idea of what, if any, speech is too “hateful” to hear, making an objective definition impossible. And empowering the government to draw that line will inevitably silence dissent.

At UT, the officers arrested scores of protesters for “ trespassing .” But the students don’t appear to have violated school rules. And you can’t trespass on a place where you have the right to be, as students at the public universities they attend clearly do. Even a cameraman for a local news station was tackled and arrested . The next day, the Travis County attorney’s office dropped all of the trespassing charges for lack of probable cause—a telling indicator of the disturbingly authoritarian response. (Shockingly, the cameraman does face a felony charge , for allegedly assaulting a police officer—an allegation difficult to square with video of his arrest.) The government can’t throw Americans in jail for exercising their First Amendment right to peaceful protest.

Governor Abbott’s illiberal show of force has no place in a free country. It’s especially galling given the governor’s previous posture as a stalwart defender of campus free speech: In June 2019, he signed a law prohibiting Texas’s public colleges and universities from shutting down campus speakers because of their ideology. So much for that.

Governor Abbott isn’t alone. During her congressional testimony earlier this month, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik pledged investigations of students and faculty who voiced allegedly anti-Semitic criticism of Israel and Zionism, and agreed—on the fly—to remove a professor from his position as a committee chair because of his speech.

Michael Powell: The unreality of Columbia’s ‘liberated zone’

Columbia is a private institution, so it isn’t bound by the First Amendment. But the university promises freedom of expression to its students and faculty—and Shafik’s willingness to sacrifice faculty and student rights to appease hostile members of Congress betrays those promises.

If such things had happened only at UT and Columbia, that would be bad enough—but the problem is spreading. At Emory University, in Atlanta, police officers reportedly used tear gas and Tasers against protesters. State troopers with rifles directed toward protesters stood watch on a rooftop at Ohio State University. At Indiana University, administrators rushed out a last-minute, overnight policy change to justify a similar show of force from law enforcement, resulting in 34 arrests. It’s hard to keep up.

Students nationwide are watching how the adults who professed to care about free speech are responding under pressure. And they are learning that those adults don’t really mean what they say about the First Amendment. That’s a dangerous lesson. Our schools and universities could still teach the country a better one.

“Free Speech 101” starts here: The First Amendment protects an enormous amount of speech, including speech that some, many, perhaps most Americans would find deeply offensive. You may not like pro-Palestine speech; you may not like pro-Israel speech. You may think some of it veers into bigotry. The answer is to ignore it, mock it, debate it, even counterprotest it. But don’t call in the SWAT team.

George Packer: The campus-left occupation that broke higher education

Granted, free speech is not without carefully designated exceptions, and these exceptions are important but narrow. True threats and intimidation, properly defined, are not protected by the First Amendment. Neither is discriminatory harassment. Violence is never protected.

And public universities can maintain reasonable “time, place, and manner” restrictions on speech. That means, for example, that for the authorities to place a ban on playing heavily amplified sound right outside the dorms at 2 a.m. likely does not violate the First Amendment. A prohibition on camping overnight in the quad probably doesn’t either. And taking over a campus building, as Columbia students did early this morning , is not protected.

But the enforcement of these rules must be evenhanded and proportionate. The use of force should be a last resort. Students must be given clear notice about what conduct crosses a line. And any student facing punishment for an alleged infringement should receive a fair hearing. Consistency counts. Our leaders—in government, in university administration—must demonstrate their commitment to free expression in both word and deed.

Students are protesting on campuses nationwide, and they’re watching the reaction of university presidents and elected officials closely. The current moment presents a generational challenge: Do older people and people in authority really mean what they say about the First Amendment? Do they believe in free speech—and can they handle it? Right now, too many leaders are failing the test.