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Placement of Students in Algebra and Calculus Courses Using Accuplacer Scores Conditional students entering Southwestern College currently take a general placement test, the Accuplacer, which is administered by the Cooperative Learning Center. The math part of this test determines a students mathematical ability so that students wishing to take a mathematics class can be placed into an appropriate course. To more fully understand the meaning of the Accuplacer scores, the mathematics part of the test will be briefly described. Operationally, the test is designed so that all students begin the test at the same intermediate level. Then, depending on each student's performance, the test may progress to a more advanced level or a more elementary level. The three levels of the Accuplacer are (from the elementary to the advanced) ARITHMETIC, ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA, and COLLEGE MATHEMATICS. All students begin the Accuplacer at the ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA level. Those who complete the ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA part above a specified level of performance advance to the COLLEGE MATHEMATICS level, while those who have significant difficulty with the ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA level pass to the ARITHMETIC level. As a result of this testing method, each student receives a particular score at one of the Accuplacer levels. As will be detailed below, students can then be placed into appropriate mathematics courses based on their Accuplacer scores. The minimum Accuplacer placement scores detailed below were obtained by analyzing the Accuplacer scores and class performances of students who were enrolled in the Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, and Calculus 1 classes for the 1994-1995 academic year at Southwestern College. The minimum placement scores determined by this analysis provide a reasonably accurate indication of the potential for student success in Southwestern's introductory mathematics courses. Note that even though the following guidelines ARE NOT CONSISTENT with the placement recommendations contained in the Accuplacer documentation, these guidelines have been found to be appropriate for the placement of students at Southwestern College.
PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR ESKL090 QUANTITATIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLS PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR ESKL090 QUANTITATIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLS PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR ESKL090 QUANTITATIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLS PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR ESKL090 QUANTITATIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLS PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR ESKL090 QUANTITATIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLS PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR ESKL090 QUANTITATIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLS Students who score below a 40 on the ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA part of the Accuplacer (this category includes all students who made the transition to the ARITHMETIC level of the Accuplacer) should be encouraged to take ESKL090 Quantitative Essential Skills. Students scoring at this level tend to lack an adequate knowledge of elementary algebra skills. ESKL090 Quantitative Essential Skills is currently scheduled to be offered every Spring semester. PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR MATH105 INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA Students who score a 40 or above on the ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA part of the Accuplacer are eligible for placement into Southwestern's Intermediate Algebra course. Students scoring at this level should have an adequate to substantial knowledge of elementary algebra skills. In addition to the Accuplacer score noted above, students who enroll in Intermediate Algebra must have passed at least one year of high school algebra, or the equivalent. For questions concerning equivalency contact Bob Gallup. PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR MATH110 COLLEGE ALGEBRA Students who score a 25 or above on the COLLEGE MATHEMATICS part of the Accuplacer are eligible for placement into Southwestern's College Algebra course. Students scoring at this level should have an adequate to substantial knowledge of intermediate algebra skills. In addition to the Accuplacer score noted above, students who enroll in College Algebra must have passed Intermediate Algebra, or at least two year of high school algebra, or the equivalent. For questions concerning equivalency contact Bob Gallup. PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR MATH222 CALCULUS 1 Students who score a 50 or above on the COLLEGE MATHEMATICS part of the Accuplacer are eligible for placement into Southwestern's Calculus 1 course. Students scoring at this level should have an adequate to substantial knowledge of advanced algebra skills. In addition to the Accuplacer score noted above, students who enroll in Calculus 1 must have passed College Algebra, or two years of high school algebra plus an additional mathematics course (such as trigonometry, functional analysis, advanced mathematics, or pre-calculus), or the equivalent. For questions concerning equivalency |
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Contact Michelle Boucher
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