Testing and Assessment

Following admission to HCCC, all new students are required to take the Placement Test to assist the College in placing them in classes appropriate to their skill level.

The Placement Test may also be used to determine eligibility for financial aid for applicants who are non-high school graduates and those who did not finish the GED. Students may take either the computerized or the paper-and-pencil version of the Placement Test.

The results of the Placement Test are used to determine whether students need to go through the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program or the Academic Foundations Program to strengthen basic skills in reading, writing, computation and algebra before moving on to college-level courses.

The following students are exempt from all or portions of the College Placement Test:

1. Any student with a degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university. Graduates of foreign universities should have their records evaluated by any member agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). An official transcript and the evaluation must be submitted to the Testing Office. Students whose degrees did not include college level writing or mathematics courses are required to take the Placement Test.
   
2. Students who completed college-level English composition and mathematics courses with a minimum grade of C at another college. An official transcript should be sent to the Registrar's Office.
   
3. Students who passed the Placement Test at HCCC or at another college in New Jersey within two years of admission.
   
4. Students who have achieved a score of 21 or higher on the ACT Test within five years of admission to HCCC.
   
5. Students enrolled in selected proficiency certificates.
   
6. Students who have achieved a score of 540 or above on the Critical Reading section of the SAT test within five years of admission are exempt from the reading/writing portion of the Test.
   
7. Students who have achieved a score of 530 or higher on the math section of the SAT test within five years of admission are exempt from the computation/algebra portion of the Test.

Students who need to take ESL or Academic Foundations courses in writing, reading, computation or algebra must register for these courses in their first semester at the College and must continue to do so until they demonstrate standards of proficiency in English or mathematics.

In some cases, if low scores indicate the need for intensive basic skills preparatory study, students will not be allowed to register for any college-level courses until satisfactory progress is made in developing their reading, writing and math abilities. In other cases, where test scores are higher but still indicate the need for ESL or developmental work, students will be allowed to take selected college-level courses.