Placement Policy

The college uses multiple measures to determine student placement in English and Mathematics classes. Student placement will be determined by:

High School GPA and/or specific course grades in English or Mathematics (completed within 5 years prior to enrolling in first semester at NCC)
Previous college degrees or courses in English or Mathematics
Advanced Placement test scores
NCC Mathematics or English Placement test results

If students do not submit evidence from which the college can determine placement, students will be directed to take college placement tests.

Based upon review of transcripts or other evidence, students may be placed into developmental pre-college courses. Students wishing to challenge such decisions may take college placement tests to earn scores for higher-level course placement. Students who place into developmental pre-college courses can retest once before starting those courses. Students may not take the test while enrolled in a developmental pre-college course.

If students need developmental pre-college work, they must begin that work in their first semester and continue until the requirements are complete. Developmental pre-college course work does not count towards graduation requirements.

Degree-seeking students must have placement determined before registering for courses.

Students pursuing a Specialized Diploma or Certificate should seek guidance from an advisor regarding placement.

Guest/Visiting/non matriculated students are exempt from placement; however, must still meet individual course prerequisites.

Based on evidence of course work and/or testing, students may be referred to the ESL department for additional testing and placement.

Based on evidence of testing, students may be referred to non-credit options for developing reading and writing skills before entering credit courses.

Requests for accommodated testing must be submitted through the Office of Disability Services.

Placement Guidelines: English, Academic Learning Skills, College Success

English I (ENGL101):

Must be a graduate from an accredited high school (within 5 years prior to enrolling in first semester at NCC) with a GPA of 3.00 or higher (on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent) in a college preparatory curriculum
Score of 500 or higher on both the SAT Writing and Critical Reading exams (2005 to March 2016)
Score of 560 or higher on the new SAT Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing exam (March 2016 and beyond)
Evidence of a score of 21 or higher on the ACT English Exam
Completion of Introduction to Academic Literacy (ACLS 050) with a grade of R1
Competence as determined by the English placement test
Completion of Proficiency in English as a Second Language Specialized Diploma
Completion of satisfactory ESL program portfolio
Score of at least 79 on the TOEFL iBT exam, or 550 on the TOEFL paper-based test, and a score of 105 or higher on the Duolingo English Test.
Score of at least 6.5 on the IELTS and a score of 105 or higher on the Duolingo English Test

Writing Skills Workshop (ENGL027) Linked to English I (ENGL101):

Placement into Writing Skills Workshop and English I only as determined by the English placement test or completion of ACLS 050 with a grade of R2, or review of ESL program portfolio

Introduction to Academic Literacy (ACLS050):

Placement as determined by the English placement test
Faculty recommendation after review of ESL program portfolio ·
Must also register for COLS 150 College Seminar: Applied Strategies for Academic Success in the same semester.

English as a Second Language:

English language competence as determined by ESL department

Placement Guidelines: Mathematics

Foundations of Mathematics I (MATH118), Foundations of Mathematics II (MATH119), The Nature of Mathematics (MATH120), Introductory Statistics (MATH150):

High school transcript review for those who graduated from an accredited high school (within 5 years prior to enrolling in first semester at NCC) with a GPA of 3.00 or higher (on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent)in a college preparatory curriculum
Score of 500 or higher on the SAT mathematics exam (prior to March 2016)
Score of 530 or high on the new SAT mathematics exam (March 2016 and beyond)
Competence as determined by the mathematics placement test
Completion of required developmental courses with a C or better

Elementary Algebra (MATH 022), Intermediate Algebra (MATH 026), Elementary and Intermediate Algebra Combined (MATH 028):

Competence as determined by the mathematics placement test
Completion of required developmental courses with a C or better
Review of high school mathematics course work

Prealgebra (MATH 020), Applications in Math (MATH 103):

Open enrollment; no placement or pre-requisites needed

Trigonometry (MATH145), Pre-calculus (MATH 160), Applied Calculus (MATH 165), Calculus I with Review (MATH175), Calculus I (MATH 180):

High school transcript review for those who graduated from an accredited high school (within 5 years prior to enrolling in first semester at NCC) with a GPA of 3.00 or higher (on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent)
Completion of required prerequisite course work as listed in each course description
Competence as determined by the Mathematics Placement Test

For all other MATH classes, refer to course prerequisites in each course description.