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University Readiness Standards and Placement Assessment

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In 2012, the Ohio Department of Higher Education established uniform statewide standards and college testing thresholds for remediation-free status for undergraduate students. Students meeting these standards and thresholds are deemed remediation-free and are eligible to enroll in college-level courses in the respective subjects. These standards and thresholds do not replace Kent State’s placement assessment policies.

Tests Mathematics English Reading
ACT 22 18 22
SAT 530 480 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 480 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
Accuplacer Classic 55 College-Level Mathematics 88 Sentence Skills or 5 Writeplacer 80
Accuplacer Next Generation 263 Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics or 263 Advanced Algebra and Functions 263 Writing or 5 Writeplacer 250 Reading
GED 165+ 165+ 165+
MapleSoft T.A. Algebra 50% of items correct n/a n/a
ALEKS 46 n/a n/a
PlaceU 18 n/a n/a

Kent State University Placement Assessment

Kent State University uses ACT, SAT, GED, high school GPA and/or placement assessment(s) to determine appropriate course placement in mathematics, English, foreign language and critical and core reading strategies. Any required placement assessments must be completed before a student registers for classes in order to ensure student readiness and correct course placement. Any student required to attend a campus-specific orientation program (e.g., Destination Kent State: Advising and Registration) will be required to complete all appropriate assessments prior to the orientation program.

Students who earn college credit before enrolling at Kent State may be exempt from taking some or all placement assessments. Students must submit their college transcripts (including College Credit Plus and dual enrollment credit), Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and military transcript(s) for review and consideration of transfer credits in order to be exempt from taking some or all placement assessments.

Most assessments are accessible online. Students will be provided with information about assessments that are required and how to access the assessment, either by e-mail, "My Lists" Checklist or some other form of communication.

Time Limits: ACT, SAT, ALEKS mathematics and Accuplacer scores are accepted for two years from the date of the assessment and can be used for placement in mathematics, English and critical and core reading strategies. Placement assessment scores for Foreign Language provided through WebCape can be used for one year from the date of assessment.

Mathematics Placement

In addition to the remediation-free standards established by the Ohio Department of Education, Kent State's Department of Mathematical Sciences accepts the following for students in a program that does not require higher levels of mathematics (i.e., non-algebra track):

  • Students with a 3.00 overall high school GPA or higher may take MATH 10040 or MATH 10050, regardless of their score on assessments mentioned in the standards listed above.
  • Student with a 3.50 overall high school GPA or higher may take MATH 10041 or MATH 10051 regardless of their score on assessments mentioned in the standards listed above.

All undergraduate degree programs require the successful completion of the Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning requirement. Some programs may require specific mathematics course(s). Placement into mathematics courses is determined by a student’s score on the ALEKS placement assessment and/or the ACT or SAT score or scores on the other listed assessments. Not all students need to take the ALEKS mathematics placement assessment, and students should check their "My Lists" checklist in FlashLine for that determination. However, all students scoring below 22 on ACT mathematics or below 530 on SAT mathematics or below the threshold in the other listed assessments need to take the ALEKS placement assessment.

Students may improve their initial placement score by working in an individualized learning module on ALEKS, then retaking the ALEKS mathematics placement assessment. They have free access to their learning modules and reassessment for one year from their initial assessment. Students who score 80 percent mastery in the learning modules have an excellent chance of improving their placement through a proctored reassessment.

Students deemed remediation-free in mathematics , as described in the table above, or with an overall 3.5 high school GPA or higher, may register for one of the following courses, as required by their major:

Remediation-free students who want to register for a course other than the ones listed above may take the ALEKS mathematics placement assessment.

Students who are not deemed remediation-free in mathematics, as described in the table above, must take the ALEKS mathematics placement assessment to determine the course they should take as required by their major.

Additional information regarding placement after taking the ALEKS assessment may be found on the Department of Mathematical Sciences website.

English Placement

English Placement

All undergraduate degree programs require successful completion of the Kent Core Composition requirement. Placement into the appropriate starting course in the sequence is determined by ACT English or SAT evidence-based reading and writing or high school GPA. In the event students do not have ACT, SAT scores or qualifying high school GPA and are attending a Kent State University regional campus, they will take Accuplacer Next Generation reading and Writeplacer. This assessment is available on site or remotely. Students who have taken Accuplacer sentence skills, Writeplacer or reading comprehensive at another institution within two years of their initial start date may opt to transfer those scores to Kent State University.

Students enrolled at a Kent State University regional campus who do not meet the university readiness standards will be required to enroll in and earn a minimum C grade in ENG 01001 and a minimum C- grade ENG 11002 before they can enroll in ENG 21011 . Students who wish to challenge their writing placement may do so using the Writing Placement Reassessment.

To provide more opportunities to all students, ACT/SAT scores and/or high school GPA older than two years are acceptable for English placement. Regional Campus students should also be informed about the Stretch sequence and given the option to enroll in Stretch, regardless of their older ACT/SAT or GPA. Students who do not have ACT/SAT scores or high school GPA will take Accuplacer Reading and Writeplacer.

Kent Campus Students

Assessment Score Placement
ACT English 0-25 ENG 11011
ACT English 26+ ENG 21011
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 200-590 ENG 11011
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 600+ ENG 21011
Accuplacer and Writeplacer (challenge to ACT/SAT placement) 7+ ENG 21011
GED Reasoning Through Language Arts College Reading 165+ * ENG 11011
Final high school GPA 2.8+ ENG 11011
Final high school GPA 3.8+ and writing sample ** ENG 21011

Regional Campus Students

Assessment Score Placement
ACT English 0-17 ENG 01001 and ENG 11002
ACT English 18-25 ENG 11011
ACT English 26+ ENG 21011
ACT Reading and Writeplacer Next Generation 0-19 and 4 ENG 01001 and ENG 11002
ACT Reading and Writeplacer Next Generation 20+ and 4 ENG 11011
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 200-470 ENG 01001 and ENG 11002
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 480-590 ENG 11011
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 600+ ENG 21011
Accuplacer Next Generation Writing 0-4 ENG 01001 and ENG 11002
Accuplacer Next Generation Writing 4 and 0-249 Accuplacer Reading ENG 01001 and ENG 11002
Accuplacer Next Generation Writing 4 and 250+ Accuplacer Reading ENG 11011
Accuplacer Next Generation Writing 5-6 ENG 11011
Accuplacer Next Generation Writing 7+ ENG 21011
GED Reasoning Through Language Arts College Reading 165+ * ENG 11011
Final high school GPA 0.0-2.9 ENG 01001 and ENG 11002
Final high school GPA 2.8+ ENG 11011
Final high school GPA 3.8+ and writing sample ** ENG 21011
*

Kent State University awards college credit for GED 175+ scores.

**

Permission must be granted from the Department of English after review of writing sample.

Core and Critical Reading Strategies Placement

Kent State University regional campuses offer two courses to help students develop reading strategies to successfully complete college-level coursework — READ 00003 and READ 00006. A student placed into READ 00003 must take READ 00006 the following term. Both courses require a minimum C grade. Students who have taken the Accuplacer Classic or Next Generation at another institution within two years of their initial start date may opt to transfer that score to Kent State University.

Assessment Score Placement
ACT Reading 0-13 READ 00003
ACT Reading 14-19 READ 00006
ACT Reading 20+ No Course
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 200-380 READ 00003
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 390-470 READ 00006
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 480+ No Course
Accuplacer Classic Reading 0-50 READ 00003
Accuplacer Classic Reading 51-79 READ 00006
Accuplacer Classic Reading 80-120 No Course
Accuplacer Next Generation Reading 200-221 READ 00003
Accuplacer Next Generation Reading 222-249 READ 00006
Accuplacer Next Generation Reading 250-300 No Course
GED Reasoning Through Language Arts College Ready 165+ * No Course
Final high school GPA 0.00-1.59 READ 00003
Final high school GPA 1.6-2.79 READ 00006
Final high school GPA 2.8+ No course
*

Kent State University awards college credit for GED 175+ scores.

Foreign Language Placement

Students intending to study Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish should take the placement assessment 48 hours before their academic advising appointment.

Students planning to study a language other than the ones listed above should contact the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies via email or website for further placement instructions. All students should begin foreign language study in the appropriate course, which may be determined in one of the following ways:

  1. Webcape Placement Exam available on the Placement Channel in FlashLine for Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish.
  2. Placement interview with a faculty member in the Department Modern and Classical Language Studies for languages for which there is no Webcape Placement Exam.
  3. Placement based on alternative credits accrued per one of the approved methods specified in the University Catalog.

Foreign Language Requirements: Generally, foreign language requirements are met by passing the highest level course in the language requirement or a course beyond the highest level in the requirement. Students should review the University Catalog and consult with their academic advisor(s) to determine specific language requirements for their college and program. Some students may begin their university foreign language experience beyond the Elementary I level without receiving credit for the previous course(s) and, thus, may complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses than specified in their language requirement. In this case, the credit hours not used for the language requirement may be still required for graduation, but may be applied toward coursework in the student’s major or minor or as electives.

Foreign Language Proficiency Waiver: Students able to demonstrate foreign language proficiency comparable to the highest course in their foreign language requirement may be able to have their language requirement waived. Students should review the University Catalog and consult with their academic advisor(s) and the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies to verify eligibility. Proficiency waivers will be granted for the following:

  1. International students who were educated through high or secondary school in a language other than English. Foreign language waivers will be granted to international students who have
    1. TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB, PTE Academic score recorded in their Kent State University academic record;
    2. completed English-as-second-language courses at Kent State; or
    3. provided documentation that they attended a secondary or high school in a country in which courses were taught in a language other than English (e.g., high school transcripts or diploma in the original language along with a certified English translation).
  2. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Exams. The tests are administered by Language Testing International. Students are responsible for the costs of the exam(s) and for providing the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies with a copy of the certificate(s). Instructions for taking the ACTFL Exams may be found on the department's website.
    1. A proficiency waiver will be granted through Elementary II of a foreign language to students who provide either
      1. an official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) certificate that documents proficiency at the Intermediate Low or higher level; or
      2. comparable qualifying score on an ACTFL-based proficiency exam such as those accepted for the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy confirming oral proficiency of at least an intermediate low level.
    2. A proficiency waiver will be granted through Intermediate II of a foreign language to students who provide either
      1. an official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) certificates with scores at the Intermediate Low or higher level; or
      2. comparable qualifying ACTFL-based proficiency exams such as those accepted for the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy confirming oral proficiency and writing proficiency of at least an intermediate low level.
  3. Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) Ratings. A proficiency waiver will be granted through Elementary II of a foreign language to students who provide an official (European) CEFR certificate confirming oral proficiency of at least the B1.1 level. A proficiency waiver will be granted through Intermediate II of a foreign language to students who provide an official CEFR certificate confirming oral and writing proficiency of at least the B1.2 level. Students are responsible for providing the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies with a copy of the certificate(s).
  4. Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT). A proficiency waiver will be granted through Elementary II of a foreign language to students who were tested during military service and provide an official DLPT certificate confirming oral proficiency of at least ILR 1. A proficiency waiver will be granted through Intermediate II of a foreign language to students who provide an official DLPT certificate confirming oral proficiency of at least ILR 1+.
  5. Ohio Seal of Biliteracy. A proficiency waiver will be granted through Intermediate II of a foreign language to students with an Ohio Seal of Biliteracy. Students who have qualified for the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy by means of an International Baccalaureate or AP exam or who submit their ACE transcripts may be eligible to receive credit for the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy. For more information, visit the Credit Transfer website.
  6. Alternative proficiency measures. Students may have proficiency in a language for which no standardized test exists. In this case, students should contact the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies to arrange for assessment by an approved native speaker of that foreign language (e.g., teacher, professor or certified translator), with the assessment method approved in advance by a department administrator.