Placement Testing: Required Placement Testing Notice for
New Freshman and Transfer Students
Tom Rousseau, Assistant Dean of Academic
Support Services administers the required placement tests in Algebra,
Reading, Writing and Foreign Languages. Students also receive advisement
on the required beginning sequence of courses appropriate for them
at Fitchburg State College.
Prior to orientation and course registration,
all first year students must take the computerized placement test
in Writing, Reading Comprehension and Algebra. The required assessment
is designed to assist students entering college to achieve their
educational goals by determining the most appropriate academic placement
in these critical skill areas. You will your scores immediately
after the test. These results identify the required English, Mathematics,
Writing and Reading courses most appropriate for you at Fitchburg
State College.
All students planning to take French,
German or Spanish must take a Foreign
Language Placement Test prior to registration.
You cannot register for courses unless
you have completed the required placement tests.
Placement Test Exemptions
The Admissions office will provide your SAT scores to the Placement Test
Center. Students who have a verbal SAT score between 500 and 599
are exempt from taking the Reading placement test. Also, students
who have a verbal SAT score of 600 or above are exempt from the
Reading and Writing placement tests. Students who have earned a
score of 3.0 or better on the Advanced Placement (AP) English Examination
are exempt from the reading and writing placement exams.
Most transfer students have college credits
for Writing I and therefore do not need to complete the Reading
Comprehension or Essay Placement exams. However, transfer students
must take the Algebra test if a math course is needed to meet graduation
requirements. Students who have college level transfer credit for
Calculus I or higher are exempt from taking the Algebra
placement test. Also, students who have transferred mathematics
courses that will satisfy the graduation requirement for their major
are not required to take the Algebra Placement Test.
Accommodations
If you have a disability or temporary
disabling condition for which you would like an accommodation, please
request this when you request a reservation.
Preparing for the Placement Test
The essay placement test is 1 hour. All
other tests are not timed. If you are a first year student and need
to take 3 tests, please plan on 2-2 1/2 hours for the testing session.
Plan on 30 - 45 minutes for each test that is not timed. Students
not satisfied with their test results can re-take a placement test a total of two additional times during their first two semesters.
The Essay is a test of spontaneous writing
ability. Students are expected to write, using the computer, a multiple
paragraph three hundred to six hundred word essay in one hour. The
essay is scored using "IntelliMetric" artificial intelligence and
the result is provided immediately upon completion. A score of eight
or above allows a student to enroll in Writing I. Students that
score a seven or below must enroll in the three-credit pre-requisite
course Basic College Writing. The
test is scored using the following criteria:
- Appropriateness: The extent to which you effectively address
the topic and use appropriate language and style to communicate
a message to the reader;
- Focus: The clarity with which you maintain your main idea and
point of view;
- Organization: The clarity with which you structure your response
and present a logical sequence of ideas;
- Development and Support: The extent to which you elaborate on
your ideas and the extent to which you present supporting details;
- Sentence Structure: The effectiveness of your sentence structure
and usage;
- Mechanical Conventions: The extent to which your writing is
free of errors in usage and mechanics.
You may not use any books or papers or other reference
materials during the test
Students who have not taken an Algebra
course within the previous year find that reviewing the Algebra
Practice Questions improves their results.
These placement test results identify
the required English, Mathematics, Writing, Reading and Foreign
Language courses most appropriate for you at Fitchburg State College.
Results are provided immediately after the test for Algebra, Reading,
Writing and Foreign languages. For further information see Course
Advisement.
To Reserve a Seat for the Placement Tests
All new freshman will be recievuing a letter indicating the date that they are required to attend the placement test. Student must bring this letterb wuith them to be admitted into the test room.
Testing Location
Test sessions begin promptly at 9:00 AM and at 1:00 PM. The testing
location is McKay Campus School room B-145.
Please plan to arrive at the test room at least fifteen minutes
prior to testing.
Please bring a picture ID and a pencil. Calculators and reference
materials are not allowed.
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