Lurleen B. Wallace Community College requires a comprehensive assessment of students upon admission to the College and prior to enrollment in an associate degree or certificate programs. All first-time students who enroll in associate degree or certificate programs and who enroll for more than four credit hours per semester will be assessed in the areas of English, mathematics, and reading through the administration of a placement test and placed in the appropriate level as indicated by the assessment results. The tests are designed to assist advisors and counselors in placing students into appropriate college credit courses or developmental courses.
Placement Assessment Information
Students must present a valid picture identification and have an application for admission on file with the Office of Admissions and Records in order to take the test. Admission to testing will not be granted without proper identification. Tests scores are valid for a period of three years. After three years, scores become invalid, and students must retest.
Exemptions
Students are exempt from assessment requirements in a specific subject area if they meet one of the following criteria:
- Score 18 or above on the ACT English and 20 or above on mathematics, or score 510 or above on the SAT I mathematics, reading, and writing, and enroll within three years of high school graduation.
- Students can be placed into math and English courses based on high school transcripts with a GPA of 2.75 or higher and a "C" or higher in the appropriate high school class. High school transcripts used to determine placement cannot be older than five years.
- Possess an associate degree or higher.
- Transfer degree-creditable, college-level English or mathematics courses with a grade of C or better.
- Be a student who is enrolling in a particular short certificate program having no English, mathematics, or reading requirements.
- Be a student who is enrolling for personal enrichment purposes only.
- Have completed required developmental coursework at another Alabama Community College System institution within the last three years.
- Be an audit or transient student.
- Be able to provide documentation of assessment within the last three years.
To be eligible for these exemptions, assessment scores and/or college transcripts must be on file in the Admissions Office.
Retesting
A student who wishes to challenge placement results may retest once per academic year provided there is evidence that student has completed test preparation activities. Additional preparation includes but is not limited to academic boot camps, online pre-tests, and placement test applications. Students are required to pay $8 to retest whether they take one or two portions of the test. Students must retake the placement test before enrolling in a developmental course. Once students enroll in a developmental course, they must complete the developmental course sequence. Students will not be allowed to retest once remediation in the program has started.
For assistance in preparing for the Placement Tests:
Accuplacer Preparation
Accuplacer WritePlacer Guide with Samples
Accuplacer Sample Questions
Get the Accuplacer App!
