Placement
In accordance with North Dakota University System Policy 402.1.2, and North Dakota University System Procedure 402.1.2, students are placed into Mathematics and English courses based on qualifying exam scores. The intent is to appropriately place students into courses that are both challenging and for which they are adequately prepared
The following criteria are used to determine placement of students who have been offered admission to NDSU into entry-level English courses.
- All students, whether from the United States, Canada or abroad, have the option to take the COMPASS English exam to determine placement or to attempt to place into a higher level English course.
English Placement for U.S. Students, Canadian Students, and U.S. Permanent Residents
- All students are required to successfully earn credit for ENGL 110 and 120 or equivalent as part of the NDSU general education requirements.
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Eligible students with disabilities may seek reasonable accommodations to take the placement test. Please submit disability documentation to NDSU Disability Services at least two weeks prior to the time in which the accommodations are needed. Documentation will be reviewed and students will be notified if additional documentation is needed to make an eligibility decision. Please submit the request and documentation to: NDSU Disability Services ; Dept. 5160; P.O. Box 6050; Fargo, ND 58108-6050; (701) 231-8463.
- Students who have not taken the ACT or SAT are eligible to enroll in a developmental English course, ASC 087, prior to enrolling in ENGL 110 with 100. ASC 087 will be delivered by North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) on the NDSU campus. Students must register through the collaborative student registration process. Course textbooks for ASC 087 may be purchased through the NDSU bookstore .
- For students who have multiple exam scores, the highest placement may be used.
- Students who are required to begin in ASC 087 must successfully complete the course with a grade of 'S' (satisfactory) before they may enroll in ENGL 110 with 100, or equivalent.
- Students with an ACT sub-test score of 18 or higher (or SAT of 430 or higher) are advised to enroll in ENGL 120. Upon completion of ENGL 120 with a 'C' grade or higher, students will be awarded placement credit (3) for ENGL 110.
- Students with an ACCUPLACER WrtiePlacer score of 5 are advised to enroll in English 120.
- Students with a MELAB score should contact the IELP coordinator for information on English placement.
The table below lists exam scores and corresponding course placement:
| English ACT Sub-test Score | Writing SAT | COMPASS English Test Score | Course Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 or lower | 350 or lower | 0-40 | ASC 087: College Writing Prep II (NDSCS collaborative) |
| 14-17 | 360-420 | 41-76 | ENGL 110 with ENGL 100: College Composition I/Corequisite Writing Lab |
| 18 or higher | 430 | 77-100 | ENGL 120: College Composition II |
English Placement for International Students
- All students are required to successfully earn credit for ENGL 112 and 122 (or 110 and 120 for native English speakers) or equivalent as part of the NDSU general education requirements.
- Students who are required to begin in LANG 109 must successfully complete the course with a 'C' grade or higher before they may enroll in ENGL 112 with 100, or equivalent.
- For students who have multiple exam scores, the highest placement may be used.
- Students with qualifying exam scores are advised to enroll in ENGL 122. Upon completion of ENGL 122 with a 'C' grade or higher, students will be awarded placement credit (3) for ENGL 112.
The table below lists ACT and SAT exam scores and corresponding course Placement:
| Exam Type | LANG 109: Language Use in Writing ESL II | ENGL 112 With ENGL 100: ESL College Composition I | ENGL 122: ESL College Composition II |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT English sub-test | 13 or lower | 14-17 | 18 or higher |
| SAT Writing | 350 or lower | 360-420 | 430 |
The table below lists placement exams for International students and corresponding course placement:
| Exam Type | LANG 109: Language Use in Writing ESL II | ENGL 112 With ENGL 100: ESL College Composition I |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Overall) | 5.5 or lower | 6.0 or higher |
| TOEFL (Composite) | 70 or lower | 71 or higher |
| Pearson (Overall) | 49 or lower | 50 or higher |
| ELS Center | ELS 109 or lower | ELS 112 Certificate/Completion |
NDSU Math Placement Procedures
ACT or SAT mathematics sub-test scores, as well as COMPASS mathematics scores and the NDSU Math Placement Test are used to determine placement of students into entry-level mathematics courses. The following guidelines apply to math placement practices:
- For students who have scores from multiple tests, the highest placement may be used.
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Eligible students with disabilities may seek reasonable accommodations to take the placement test. Please submit disability documentation to NDSU Disability Services at least two weeks prior to the time in which the accommodations are needed. Documentation will be reviewed and students will be notified if additional documentation is needed to make an eligibility decision. Please submit the request and documentation to: NDSU Disability Services ; Dept. 5160; P.O. Box 6050; Fargo, ND 58108-6050; (701) 231-8463.
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Current, incoming or returning NDSU students who do not have prior college-level mathematics OR a Math ACT sub-test score (or SAT score) must take the COMPASS test to determine course placement.
- Students from countries other than the United States and Canada who do not have prior college-level mathematics OR a Math ACT sub-test score (or SAT score) must take the COMPASS test OR the NDSU Math Placement Test to determine course placement.
- Students with a Math ACT sub-test score of at least 21 (or SAT 990) may elect to take the NDSU Math Placement Test to attempt to place into a course above MATH 103 or MATH 104.
- Students with a Math ACT sub-test score of 20 or lower may elect to take the COMPASS test to attempt to place into a course above MATH 98.
- Students with a ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra score of 116 may enroll into MATH 103.
- Students needing to take the COMPASS test may contact Testing Services in the NDSU Counseling Center for more information. Questions about the NDSU Math Placement Test can be directed to Bison Connection .
Exam scores and corresponding course placement possibilities are listed in the table below:
| Math ACT Sub-test Score | Composite SAT (Math + Critical Reading) | COMPASS Mathematics Test Score | Course Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 or lower | Lower than 990 | Algebra < 49 | MATH 98 |
| 21 or higher | 990 or higher | Algebra >= 49 or College Alegra <= 49 or Trigonometry <=39 | MATH 103 or MATH 104 |
| - | - | College Algebra 30-49 and Trigonometry 30-59 | MATH 107 |
| - | - | College Algebra >= 50 | MATH 105 or MATH 146 or MATH 144* |
| - | - | College Algebra >= 60 and Trigonometry >=60 | MATH 165 |
*MATH 144, "Mathematics for Business", is only available for College of Business majors.
Options for Students Who Placed into MATH 98:
Students who believe that their mathematical abilities exceed their placement into developmental MATH 98 may take the COMPASS test to demonstrate their ability. If a student does not have an ACT (or SAT) or prior college credit, they must either enroll in MATH 98 or take the COMPASS test for placement testing into a higher level mathematics course (students from countries other than the United States and Canada may also take the NDSU Math Placement Test). Students who begin in MATH 98 must successfully complete the course with a 'C' grade or higher before they may continue to MATH 103 or 104.
NDSU Math Placement Test Option:
Students with a Math ACT sub-test score of at least 21 (or SAT 990) or students from countries other than the United States and Canada may take the NDSU Math Placement Test to determine if they are eligible for higher level placement. Students should consult the curriculum guide for their intended major(s) to determine the level of math courses required for that program. The table below lists possible NDSU Math Placement Test scores and corresponding course placement.
| NDSU Math Placement Test Score | Course Placement |
|---|---|
| Algebra <=5 | MATH 98 |
| Algebra 6-9 | MATH 103 or MATH 104 |
| Algebra 8-9 and Pre-Calculus >=2 | MATH 103 or MATH 104 or MATH 107 |
| Algebra 10-12 | MATH 105 or MATH 146 or MATH 144* |
| Algebra > 13 and Pre-Calculus =0-3 | MATH 105 or MATH 146 or MATH 144* |
| Algebra >13 and Pre-Calculus 4-9 | MATH 146 or MATH 144* or MATH 165 with co-requisite of MATH 105 |
| Algebra > 13 and Pre-Calculus >= 10 | MATH 146 or MATH 144* or MATH 165 |
*MATH 144, "Mathematics for Business", is only available for College of Business majors.
Students with College Transfer Coursework or Credit by Examination Placement
Students with prior college coursework, Advance Placement (AP) or other credit-by-examination (CLEP, IB, DSST) will follow NDSU's Credit by Examination guidelines for placement into mathematics and English coursework.
Sequence of NDSU math courses as a reference or guide:
START: MATH 98 > MATH 103 > MATH 105 > MATH 165 > MATH 166 or
MATH 98 > MATH 103 > MATH 146 > Math 147 or
MATH 98 > MATH 104
START: Math Placement Test > MATH 107 > MATH 165 > MATH 166
