learning Support Placement GUIDELINES

LEARNING SUPPORT PLACEMENT GUIDELINES

Columbia State’s Learning Support Guidelines follow TBR Learning Support Policy 02.03.00.02.

• Degree seeking students, non-degree seeking students, and career and technical program students will be assessed for college level placement in reading, writing, and mathematics as defined by academic program requirements and/or as required by the program’s respective admission requirements.
• Valid Assessment Scores from standardized testing must be no more than five years old at the time that the college is determining placement.
• Transfer students with accepted college-level transfer credits in associated disciplines may be exempt from learning support.

• ACT
• SAT
• ACCUPLACER
  • ACCUPLACER® Placement Testing is a battery of standardized tests used by many TBR Institutions as a measure of proficiency in the Basic Academic Competencies needed by an entering college student. The battery includes tests in writing, reading comprehension, and mathematics.
• SAILS Math Program Completion
  • Seamless Alignment and Integrated Learning Support (SAILS) is a Bridge MATH program administered by high schools. Not all Bridge Math programs are SAILS. Columbia State only accepts SAILS.
• High School GPA

• Students with a subject score that is equal to or greater than the listed cut score will be exempt from learning support and placed into college-level courses.

Cut Score Notes:

1. If a student presents multiple scores for the same assessment method (e.g., ACT subject scores from two test attempts), the highest score should be used to determine placement.

2. SAT concorded cut scores are based on 2016 Revised SAT scores.

3. Students must complete SAILS Statistics before completing SAILS Algebra.

4. Students with a high school grade point average (GPA) of 3.60 or higher should be placed out of corequisite learning support and into college-level courses. Columbia State will use the cumulative high school GPA on a 4.0 scale calculated with internal quality points awarded for advanced placement, honors, or other similar courses, according to the Uniform Grading Policy adopted by the State Board of Education. Columbia State will use the in-progress/seventh-term GPA if the final GPA is unavailable upon placement.

5. For dual enrollment, high school students enrolling in college-level math, reading, or writing courses must meet the placement requirements listed above, consistent with TBR's policy on Early Postsecondary Opportunities (2.01.00.05). For dual enrolled students with high school GPAs of 2.80-3.59 and no other assessment scores that would place them into college-level courses, enrollment in college-level math, reading, or writing courses shall be allowed upon recommendation of the student by their high school.

Challenging Placement Scores:

• Students may challenge placement scores that fall below college-level by taking the ACCUPLACER.
  • Once the Learning Support course for which the student has registered has started, the student may no longer challenge placement. Once the student attempts or completes a course in a content area, they cannot re-test to challenge placement.
  • For information about the ACCUPLACER or to schedule the ACCUPLACER test, visit: Schedule Your Appointment.

Transfer Students: