Course Placement Information

Assessment scores are required to facilitate placement in NIACC Reading, Writing and Math courses. Such tests are intended not to prevent participation but to help students make appropriate course selection. The scores listed below are the minimum score that is required to enroll in the course Contact your Academic Counselor for the required courses in your program.

NIACC uses a multiple measures system for course placement to determine if a student has the skill set to achieve a passing grade in courses specific to math, reading, and English (writing).

NIACC placement assessments vary by Pathways (Transfer & Career) and Meta Major (Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Human & Public Service, Humanities, STEM, Skill Trades). Transfer and career pathways can be found in each meta major by going to our catalog (niacc.edu/catalog) and selecting Meta Majors. This will help you understand what is required for math, writing and reading courses and which placement assessments are required.

Placement Exemptions: If a student has completed any college level math, writing or reading courses at another college, a college transcript with the course and a grade of C or higher would exempt the student from placement assessments in that subject area. An official transcript must be on file to exempt a student from assessments.

NOTE: Finite Math, Precalculus, Trigonometry & Analytic Geometry, Business Statistics, Calculus (for Business), and Calculus I require an assessment score. (ALEKS, ACT, or SAT) and will not use multiple measures for placement.

English Placement

NIACC Writing Submission

Score	1 – 3	4 – 9	10
Course Placement	ENG-014 Mastery Writing	ENG-105 Composition I REQUIRED enrollment in one credit of ENG-016A Mastery Writing	ENG-105 Composition I Intended for all majors who plan to transfer and obtain a bachelor’s degree

ACT English

Score	1 – 9	10 – 15	16
Course Placement	ENG-014 Mastery Writing	ENG-105 Composition I REQUIRED enrollment in one credit of ENG-016A Mastery Writing	ENG-105 Composition I Intended for all majors who plan to transfer and obtain a bachelor’s degree

SAT Writing

Score	1 – 260	270	400
Course Placement	ENG-014 Mastery Writing	ENG-105 Composition I REQUIRED enrollment in one credit of ENG-016A Mastery Writing	ENG-105 Composition I Intended for all majors who plan to transfer and obtain a bachelor’s degree

Mathematics Placement

Accuplacer

ARITHMETIC

Score	23	23	59	59	109	99	99
Course Placement	MAT-053 Pre-Algebra	MAT-089 Survey of Mathematics	MAT-063 Elementary Algebra	MAT-801 Applied Math A-D Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die	MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone Additional Requirement for Enrollment Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110	MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I

Next Gen ARITHMETIC

Score	203	203	239	239	289	279	279
Course Placement	MAT-053 Pre-Algebra	MAT-089 Survey of Mathematics	MAT-063 Elementary Algebra	MAT-801 Applied Math A-D Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die	MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone Additional Requirement for Enrollment Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110	MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I

ELEM ALGEBRA

Score	32	32	50	50	109	80	110	116	116
Course Placement	MAT-053 Pre-Algebra	MAT-089 Survey of Mathematics	MAT-063 Elementary Algebra	MAT-801 Applied Math A-D Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die	MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone Additional Requirement for Enrollment Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts	MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I	MAT-121 College Algebra (Note: If completed MAT-092, must take MAT-044A with MAT-121) MAT-156 Intro to Statistics

Next Gen ELEM ALGEBRA (QRAS)

Score	212	212	230	230	289	260	290	296	296
Course Placement	MAT-053 Pre-Algebra	MAT-089 Survey of Mathematics	MAT-063 Elementary Algebra	MAT-801 Applied Math A-D Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die	MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone Additional Requirement for Enrollment Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts	MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I	MAT-121 College Algebra (Note: If completed MAT-092, must take MAT-044A with MAT-121) MAT-156 Intro to Statistics

COLLEGE MATH

Score	21	21	42	40	45	45	45	60	70	70	80
Course Placement	MAT-063 Elementary Algebra	MAT-801 Applied Math A-D Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die	MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone Additional Requirement for Enrollment Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts	MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I	MAT-121 College Algebra (Note: If completed MAT-092, must take MAT-044A with MAT-121) MAT-156 Intro to Statistics	MAT-140 Finite Math	MAT-128 Precalculus MAT-134 Trigonometry & Analytic Geometry	MAT-165 Calculus (for business)	MAT-210 Calculus I

Next Gen COLLEGE MATH (AAF)

Score	201	201	222	220	225	225	225	240	250	250	260
Course Placement	MAT-063 Elementary Algebra	MAT-801 Applied Math A-D Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die	MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone Additional Requirement for Enrollment Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts	MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I	MAT-121 College Algebra (Note: If completed MAT-092, must take MAT-044A with MAT-121) MAT-156 Intro to Statistics	MAT-140 Finite Math	MAT-128 Precalculus MAT-134 Trigonometry & Analytic Geometry	MAT-165 Calculus (for business)	MAT-210 Calculus I

Non-Accuplacer

ACT MATH

Score	12	12	16	16	20	18	21	21	21	24	26	26	28
Course Placement	MAT-053 Pre-Algebra	MAT-089 Survey of Mathematics	MAT-063 Elementary Algebra	MAT-801 Applied Math A-D Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die	MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone Additional Requirement for Enrollment Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts	MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I	MAT-121 College Algebra (Note: If completed MAT-092, must take MAT-044A with MAT-121) MAT-156 Intro to Statistics	MAT-140 Finite Math	MAT-128 Precalculus MAT-134 Trigonometry & Analytic Geometry	MAT-165 Calculus (for business)	MAT-210 Calculus I

SAT MATH

Score	240	240	380	380	480	430	500	500	500	560	590	590	630
Course Placement	MAT-053 Pre-Algebra	MAT-089 Survey of Mathematics	MAT-063 Elementary Algebra	MAT-801 Applied Math A-D Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die	MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone Additional Requirement for Enrollment Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110	MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts	MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I	MAT-121 College Algebra (Note: If completed MAT-092, must take MAT-044A with MAT-121) MAT-156 Intro to Statistics	MAT-140 Finite Math	MAT-128 Precalculus MAT-134 Trigonometry & Analytic Geometry	MAT-165 Calculus (for business)	MAT-210 Calculus I

ALEKS

Score

<14

<38

14-29

14 or higher

33-37

38 OR 65% on whole numbers AND 50% on proportions

38 or higher

50 or higher

60 or higher

Course Placement

MAT-053 Pre-Algebra

MAT-089 Survey of Mathematics

MAT-063 Elementary Algebra

MAT-801 Applied Math A-D
Intended for majors in Automotive, Building Trades, Heating & Air Condition, Industrial Systems, and Tool & Die

MAT-092 Intermediate Algebra

MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts–Decision Zone
Additional Requirement for Enrollment
Take one credit of MAT-044 along with MAT-110

MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts

MAT-153 Math for Elementary Teachers I

MAT-121 College Algebra (Note: If completed MAT-092, must take MAT-044A with MAT-121) MAT-156 Intro to Statistics

MAT-140 Finite Math

MAT-128 Precalculus
MAT-134 Trigonometry & Analytic Geometry

MAT-165 Calculus (for business)

MAT-210 Calculus I

Required Placement Tests

You will be required to submit placement assessment results before enrolling in any reading, writing and/or math classes. Refer to the chart below as to which assessments you should be taking or submitting to the Admissions Office.

Writing – All Students	ACT Writing or SAT Writing or NIACC Writing Placement
Math – Transfer Students (Your goal is to continue your education at a four-year college or university)	ALEKS
Math – Career & Technical Students (Your goal is to enter the workforce after graduating from NIACC)	ACT Math or SAT Math or Accuplacer Arithmetic, Elementary Algebra or College Math

Sending ACT or SAT Scores

If you wish to submit your ACT scores or SAT scores and did not identify NIACC as a college that you wanted your scores sent when you tested, please click on which test you took and follow the directions for sending your scores. Scores are good for three years.

Exempt from Testing?

You may not have to take or submit test placement scores if you:

Have an Associate of Arts (AA) or Science (AS) or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial transcripts are accepted.
Earned a C or better in math and/or English at a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial transcripts are accepted.
Guest students taking a course or two (that is not English or Math) for personal interest or job enhancement.

For Students Needing Accommodations

Students who have college-level documentation of a disability should visit the Disability Services Counselor for information test accommodations.

Lisa Vance
lisa.vance@niacc.edu
641.422.4296

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Course Placement Information

Required Placement Tests