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Basic Skills Placement Test

In order to provide the best opportunity for academic success, Ramapo College of New Jersey requires entering students to take a basic skills placement test.  The basic skills placement test used at Ramapo College of New Jersey is ACCUPLACER™ developed by The College Board. 

Who Must Be Tested?

Students may be excused from basic skills placement testing as follows:

• SAT-Critical Reading score 550 or higher and SAT-Mathematics score 560 or higher exempts both English and mathematics placement tests *
• SAT-Critical Reading score 550 or higher exempts English placement test only; mathematics placement test is required *
• SAT-Mathematics score 560 or higher exempts mathematics placement test only; English placement test is required *
• ACT Composite score 26 or higher exempts both English and mathematics placement test *
• College Board AP English test score of 4 or 5 exempts English placement tests *
• College Board AP Probability & Statistics test score of 4 or 5 exempts mathematics placement tests*
• Successful transfer of college-level courses in English and mathematics that fulfill the General Education requirements[1]
• Students who hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in the United States are exempt from placement testing

* SAT, ACT and AP cut scores are reviewed periodically and subject to change without notice.

Calculus Placement Test

Students who wish to register for Precalculus, Calculus I or Discrete Structures are required to take the ACCUPLACER College-Level Math (CLM) Placement Test prior to registration.

The College-Level Math test assesses from intermediate algebra through precalculus.

• Algebraic operations includes simplifying rational algebraic expressions, factoring, expanding polynomials, and manipulating roots and exponents.
• Solutions of equations and inequalities includes the solution of linear and quadratic equations and inequalities, equation systems and other algebraic equations.
• Coordinate geometry includes plane geometry, the coordinate plane, straight lines, conics, sets of points in the plane, and graphs of algebraic functions.
• Applications and other algebra topics ask about complex numbers, series and sequences, determinants, permutations and combinations, fractions, and word problems.
• The last category, functions and trigonometry, presents questions about polynomials, algebraic, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions.

Students who score 4 or 5 on AP Calculus AB test receive credit for Calculus I and are not required to take the CLM Placement Test.

Students who score 4 or 5 on AP Calculus BC test receive credit for Calculus I and II and are not required to take the CLM Placement Test.

Why Am I Being Tested?

The purpose of taking placement tests is to identify students’ academic strengths and needs so that they can plan an appropriate schedule of course work.  ACCUPLACER OnLine™ will give students information about their skills in writing, reading, and mathematics, and will tell students at what level they need to begin their college studies. 

What Happens If I Do Not Pass The Tests?

Students who place into remedial or developmental courses based upon the results of the basic skills placement test should plan to complete these courses at a Community College before they begin taking courses at Ramapo College of New Jersey.  Note:  All non-credit remedial courses in reading, writing, and mathematics are required courses that must be successfully completed before students register in college-level courses.

Is There A Testing Fee?

The following fees must be paid at the time of testing.  Personal check or money order payable to Ramapo College and cash (exact amount) are accepted forms of payment for testing fees.  Credit cards are not accepted.

• Initial test (3-hour time limit) ~ $40.00 (non-refundable)
• Re-test (1-hour time limit per test section) ~ $10.00 per test unit (non-refundable)
• Checks returned due to insufficient funds will incur a $30.00 handling fee

Information about the ACCUPLACER Tests that includes an overview of how the test works, test-taking tips and sample questions is available online at The College Board web site.

ACCUPLACER Information (link)

ACCUPLACER Sample Questions (link)

Essay Instructions and Writing Samples (PDF)

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Basic Skills Placement Re-test Policy                                                                            

Basic Skills Placement Test Scores (ACCUPLACER Online) will be valid for a period of 2 years from the initial testing date.  Students who take ACCUPLACER at Ramapo College and score within 5 points of the passing score on any of the multiple-choice sections will be allowed to re-test once during that same 2 year period.  The only essay score eligible for retest is a score of 4.

Test scores that fall within the following ranges are eligible for the re-test option:

Re-test Fees (payment is due at the time of testing):

$10 for each multiple-choice test section
$20 for the WritePlacer Essay test

Students may not re-test on the same day as initial testing.  There is a wait time of 10 days between initial test and retest.

After re-testing, the score that will be valid will be the higher of the two scores.

Any student wanting to take a re-test may register for a re-test appointment by using the online test registration form located on the Ramapo College web site – www.ramapo.edu.  Testing information is located under Academics. 

Course Placement Information (Fall 2009)

Course Placement by SAT SCORES

SAT-Critical Reading score 550 or higher - ENGL 180 College English
SAT-Mathematics score 560 or higher - College-Level Mathematics course (see 4 below)

Course Placement by ACT SCORES

ACT Composite score of 26 or higher – ENGL 180 College English & College-Level Mathematics course (see 4 below)

Course Placement by ACCUPLACER TEST SCORES

1.  Reading Course Placement (Reading Comprehension score)

80 to 120         Passing score – no reading courses required
48 to 79           READ 020 Developmental Reading course required
20 to 47           READ 011 Basic Reading course required

2.  Writing Course Placement (Essay score)

5 to 8               ENGL 180 College English
3 to 4               WRIT 021 Developmental Writing course required
0 to 2               WRIT 011 Basic Writing course required

NOTE:

• The following courses must be successfully completed before taking ENGL 180 College English:  READ 020, READ 011, WRIT 021, WRIT 011

3.  Mathematics Course Placement (Elementary Algebra and Arithmetic scores)

Algebra           Arithmetic
82 to 120         Exempt            College-level math course required
20 to 81           50 to 120         PCMP Online or MATH 022 Transitional Math required
20 to 81           20 to 49           MATH 013 Basic Math required

4.  Precalculus, Calculus I, or Discrete Structures Placement (see note below)

Based on ACCUPLACER College-Level Mathematics (CLM) score

CLM
95 to 120         MATH 121 Calculus I or MATH 237 Discrete Structures
65 to 94           MATH 110 Precalculus required
20 to 64           MATH 024 Elementary Algebra Topics Required

NOTE:
The College-Level Math (CLM) test may only be taken after having achieved an ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra score of 82 or higher, SAT-Math score of 560 or higher, or ACT Composite score of 26 or higher.

• Students who complete MATH 024 may register for MATH 110 without the CLM test
• Students who complete MATH 110 may register for MATH 121 without the CLM test
• Students who complete MATH 110 or MATH 121 may register for MATH 237 without the CLM test
• Nursing majors are not required to take the CLM test