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Placement Testing
An integral part of your academic success will be starting in the right courses – taking the correct Math and English courses in your freshman year can affect your entire college experience. Placement is the way we decide which courses are best for you. Placement is based on:
- your ACT/SAT scores
- placement assessments
- successful completion of prerequisite courses
- If you choose a major that has a foreign language requirement, you have the
option of taking the Spanish Placement test
Have questions about placement testing?
Contact:
Justin Good
Academic Success Center Professional Math TutorWVU Potomac State College
Keyser, WV 26726
How am I Placed in Math and English Classes?
WVU Potomac State College is committed to student success. Our goal is to help students succeed academically and to progress toward graduation in a timely manner. With this in mind, students are placed into Math and English courses based on prerequisites or placement scores. Students may place by ACT Math and English scores, SAT Math and English scores, scores on the ALEKS Math Assessment, or scores on the ACCUPLACER Next-Generation Writing Test.
English Placement
Students who have no ACT/SAT scores on file or have below an 18 ACT (English section only) or 480 SAT (ERW section only, taken after March 1, 2016) or 450 SAT (Verbal section only, taken prior to March 1, 2016), have the option to take the ACCUPLACER Next Generation Writing Assessment or take ENGL 100 (2 credit studio course) along with ENGL 101.
English placement tests can be taken online or in person.
ACCUPLACER is not timed. You may retake the test one time.
ACCUPLACER Practice Tests (Next Generation Writing Assessment):
View the practice ACCUPLACER test
Sign up to take the English Placement Test
Math Placement
Students who have no ACT/SAT scores on file or have below a 19 ACT (Math section only) or 510 SAT (Math section only, taken after March 1, 2016) or 460 SAT (Math section only, taken prior to March 1, 2016), have the option to take the ALEKS Math placement assessment or take a first-level math course (MATH 121 with co-req or MATH 122, depending on the major).
The cost for students to take the ALEKS test is $25.00, and will be paid by
the student online to ALEKS when the student first enters the program. Students
will need to request access by filling out the survey at the link below.
Further instructions will be sent to the student’s WVU email address.
Sign up to take the Math Placement test
You must take the first attempt as practice. Only attempts 2, 3, or 4 will be proctored and used for placement into a class. Eight hours of study modules must be completed within ALEKS in between the practice and proctored test attempts.
You are required to use the Respondus Lockdown Browser with monitor. You can download this for free on the ALEKS website.
The following rules will be strictly applied to proctored exams:
1. You will have a max of 2 hours to take the exam.
2. You must have a good connection to the internet and a camera to take a proctored test.
3. The entire test will be proctored and recorded. You will not be able to interact with the proctor. WVU will review the recorded exam after it has been validated.
4. You may not use a calculator, the internet, a phone or any other electronic device.
5. You may not wear headphones, earbuds or a watch of any kind.
6. You may only have paper and pencil in front of you. You must show your scrap paper (front & back) to the camera prior to starting the exam and at the conclusion.
7. You must be alone in the room at all times.
8. The password for the proctored exams will be provided.
You will be required to review and agree to the Integrity Statement in eCampus prior to entering the ALEKS website.
Mathematics Requirements by Major
Placement Requirements by Math Course
ALEKS is a powerful artificial-intelligence based assessment tool that uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn’t know to assist in course placement. The assessment is approximately 35 questions in length. Calculators are provided on-screen within ALEKS, so students are not allowed access to any additional calculators, websites, or other unapproved aids when completing the assessment.
ALEKS reports its findings to the student, provides opportunity for improving knowledge and skills, and identifies an appropriate level for course placement.
After you have completed your test, an email will be sent to your MIX account. If you are interested in retesting, ALEKS will provide you with instructions on how to utilize practice modules. You must complete your modules before retesting.