Multiple Measures Placement
In accordance with the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education’s December 2018 Amendment to the 1998 Common Assessment Policy, and in conjunction with the goals set forth in the Vision Project, effective beginning in the Fall 2019 semester, Massasoit Community College has developed a multiple measures placement approach. This multiple measures approach allows the college to review additional evidence of student learning, rather than a single, high-stakes examination score to determine readiness for college-level coursework, with a goal of increasing student success and completion rates at the college.
The placement measures at Massasoit Community College include the following:
- High School GPA (GPAs from international or non-approved schools are not eligible)
- Massasoit College Placement Tests
- SAT and/or ACT Scores
- Prior Coursework/Credit by Examination
NOTE: Some students may be eligible for placement based on credit earned by the successful completion and transfer of college-level credit (from a regionally accredited college or university), or credit from examinations including Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or from college-level coursework completed outside the United States. Please refer to our Transfer and Credit by Examination policies for further information.
The placement rules below are general rules that apply to all placement measures used by the college to determine a student’s readiness for college-level work:
- Placement must be made using official documentation of student learning (i.e., high school or college transcript received directly from the sending institution via mail or electronically or test score reports provided directly to the College via mail or electronically from the testing body, etc.), unofficial college transcript, or testing information retrieved directly from the student’s active portal account in the presence of an Enrollment Services staff member.
- SAT, ACT, and college placement test scores are valid within five years from the date the assessment was completed. High School GPA may be used for placement within five years from the date the student graduated from high school.
- Students who do not qualify for GPA, test score, or prior coursework review for placement, or those who would like to reassess, will be required to use Massasoit’s College Placement Test to determine course placement.
Placement by High School GPA is available to students who have graduated from an approved high school within five years of their enrollment at Massasoit. Current high school seniors seeking enrollment at Massasoit in the semester directly after they graduate may submit an official high school transcript for review that contains, at minimum, first quarter grades for their senior year. Graduates seeking to use high school GPA for placement must submit an official final high school transcript for review. Unweighted cumulative high school GPA will be used for placement purposes.
Reading & Writing: A high school GPA of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale will receive placement into ENGL 101 English Composition I. A high school GPA below 2.7 on a 4.0 scale will require a student to complete the college placement test.
Math: A high school GPA of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale will receive placement into college-level math courses within the A1 or A2 Standard below. A high school GPA below 2.7 on a 4.0 scale will require a student to complete the college placement test.
- A1 Standard: A high school GPA of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale will receive placement into non-algebra track college-level courses as follows:
- MATH 115 Contemporary Mathematics
- MATH 116 Math Experience for Early Childhood Education
- MATH 152 Topics in Mathematics I
- MATH 153 Topics in Mathematics II
- MATH 158 Introduction to Statistics
- A2 Standard: A high school GPA of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale with a grade of “B” or higher in Algebra 2 will receive placement into either A1 Standard courses listed above and/or algebra track college-level courses as follows:
- MATH 125 Technical Mathematics I
- MATH 127 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I
- MATH 128 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II
- MATH 203 College Algebra
The College Board’s Next Generation Accuplacer is the computerized assessment currently used for course placement throughout public higher education in Massachusetts as determined by the Board of Higher Education. The Accuplacer assesses students in the areas of reading, mathematics, and writing. The tests are not evaluated in terms of passing or failing. Rather, the tests are used to decide which courses should be taken at the beginning of a student’s college career. Some students proceed directly into college-level courses, and some students will need to take skill-building courses in one or more areas to prepare for college-level work.
Placement by College Placement Test is available to all students entering Massasoit who do not qualify for or wish to use other Multiple Measures accepted for placement by the College, as well as for those who would like to reassess. The College Placement Test will be used as the default for placement if other approved assessments are not submitted for consideration.
Non-native speakers of English will have the opportunity to complete the Accuplacer ESL – Levels of English Proficiency (LOEP) for initial course placement. This test assesses English skills for those who have learned English as an additional language to their native language.
Students seeking placement out of BIOL 121 Biological Principles I have the option to complete the Biology Challenge Examination. A score of 70 or higher fulfills a BIOL 121 course prerequisite.
Placement by SAT or ACT Score is available to students who have completed the examinations within five years of their enrollment at Massasoit. Students seeking to use SAT or ACT Scores for placement must have an official score report sent to Massasoit by the College Board or ACT for review.
Reading: The following test scores will result in a placement of “No Reading Required”, meaning students will not be required to complete a developmental Reading course. Scores falling below those listed below will require a student to complete the college placement test.
- SAT Reading score (March 2016 or after) of 27 or higher
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 500 or higher
- SAT Total score of 1110 or higher
- ACT English score of 22 or higher
Writing: The following test scores will result in a placement into ENGL 101 English Composition I. Scores falling below those listed below will require a student to complete Massasoit’s College Placement Test.
- SAT Essay Writing sub-score of 6 or higher
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 600 or higher
- New SAT Total score of 1110 or higher
- ACT English score of 22 or higher
Math: The following test scores will receive placement into college-level math courses within the A1 or A2 Standard listed previously. Scores falling below those listed below will require a student to complete Massasoit’s college placement test.
- A1 Standard: The following test scores will receive placement into non-algebra track college-level courses according to the A1 Standard:
- SAT Math Section score between 540 and 669
- ACT Math score between 22 and 27
- A2 Standard: The following test scores will receive placement into either A1 Standard courses listed above, and/or algebra track college-level courses as follows:
- SAT Math Section score of 670 or higher
- ACT Math of 28 or higher