Placement Procedures

Students are placed in transition or gateway English and math coursework based on the performance of the criteria below. Non-US high school graduates, those who graduated from a U.S. high school more than 10 years from enrollment, and HiSET/GED graduates who do not meet the benchmarks below, are provided an option to complete the RISE placement test.

The following criteria places a student into Transition or Gateway coursework:

Within 10-Years of Enrollment

U.S. High School (Public, Private, Home School) Graduate with an Unweighted GPA
Completion of the SAT or ACT
Previous Developmental Coursework
Approved Entry Assessment Scores (ASSET, ACCUPLACER, COMPASS, NC DAP, RISE)
Advanced Placement/CLEP
Transfer Credit (English and Math)

Criteria Regardless of 10-Year Rule

Completion of an Associate degree or higher at an accredited institution
Completion of a GED or HiSET from 1/1/2014 to present

The placement guides below show proper placement based on GPA, Scores, and Credit.

$Code Math Placement Guide$

Code English Placement Guide

Placement Notes:

Unweighted HS GPA, prior college credit, ACT/SAT, NCDAP, and RISE Placement scores are valid indefinitely for placement.
Students have the option to complete the placement test if the high school graduation date is over 10 years.
GED, HiSET scores are valid from 1/1/2014 to present (GED scores changed on this date) for placement.
If scores are not as indicated above, students can opt to either take the placement test or register for transitional courses.
GED, HiSET scores prior to 2014: Students can opt to take the placement test or be automatically placed into transitional (unless provided other forms of placement).
Adult High School (AHS): Unweighted AHS GPA (calculated as of July 1, 2021 to the present) determines placement (same policy as with regular HS transcripts applies). AHS completers prior to July 1, 2021 will enroll in transitional courses.-Non-US High School: Students can take the RISE/CoDE placement test or enroll in transitional courses.
Any earned associate degree, Bachelor’s degree or higher: Automatically placed in gateway courses.

Placement Testing

The RISE placement test is an untimed, proctored exam that covers English and math. Each part is divided into tiers. There are two tiers for English, and three tiers for math. Students must score a 70 or higher on each tier to advance to the next tier. SCC provides all testing materials needed for the exam, including a formula chart, paper, pencil, and scientific calculator. A preparation sheet can be found on the SCC website.

Retest Policy

The RISE placement test can be retaken once. Students may elect to retake the entire test or the section where college-level placement was not achieved. The highest scores earned in each section from the initial test and the retest will be used for placement.

Disability Accommodations for Placement Testing

Students who have a documented disability or handicap that prevents them from taking the placement test under standard conditions may request reasonable accommodations. All requests for accommodations or audio/visual implements should be presented to the Disability Services Coordinator at least two weeks prior to the scheduled test date.