Smcc

• What are the ACCUPLACER Tests?
• Who is exempt from the ACCUPLACER Tests?
• How Do I Sign Up to Take an Admissions Test?
• Where can I take the Accuplacer test?
• ACCUPLACER Standard Scores and Placement at SMCC
• LOEP Scores and Placement at SMCC (for students for whom English is not their primary language)
• ACCUPLACER Admissions Test Preparation Guide

What are the ACCUPLACER Tests?

The College Board© developed the ACCUPLACER© Computerized Placement Tests (CPTs) to provide information about your level of skill and accomplishment in reading, writing, English and mathematics. SMCC uses your scores to help determine appropriate English and math course placement.

Please note: Although the math portion of the Accuplacer is not necessary for general admission to the College, it is necessary for placement into many courses. Students who are not otherwise exempt are encouraged to take the math portion of the Accuplacer.  Students who are not otherwise exempt, and who choose not to take the math portion of the test, will automatically be placed into Numerical Mathematics, MATH 020, which is the first of two developmental math courses.

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Who is exempt from the ACCUPLACER Tests?

ENGLISH

Students who have any of the following test scores and/or previous college coursework are exempt from the English portion of the Accuplacer and are admissible to the college:

• SAT 450 or greater Verbal/Critical Reading places students into college level English.
• SAT 430 Verbal/Critical Reading places students into College Reading Skills, ENGL 050, and Basic Writing II, ENGL 075. Please note that these are pre-college level/developmental level courses, and do not count toward meeting degree requirements. We encourage you to take the English (Reading and Sentence Skills) portion of the Accuplacer, as you may place out of this developmental course(s).
• ACT 21 composite places students into college level English.
• ASSET 42 Reading and 45 Writing places students into college level English.
• Compass 80 Reading and 79 Writing places students into college level English.
• Successful completion of a college level English Composition course from a regionally accredited institution place students into college level English.
• TOEFL score of 61 (internet-based), 172 (computer- based), or 500 (paper-based) places student in College level English.

MATH

Students who have any of the following test scores and/or previous college coursework are exempt from the Math portion of the Accuplacer.

• SAT 490 Math places students into college level math. Students with math SAT scores of 490 or greater are encouraged to take the Accuplacer test for placement into advanced college math courses.
• SAT 350 Math places students into Introduction to Algebra, MATH 050.  Please note that this is a pre-college level/developmental level course, and does not count toward meeting degree requirements. We encourage you to take the Elementary Algebra portion of the Accuplacer, as you may place out of this developmental course.
• Successful completion of a college level mathematics courses from a regionally accredited institution place students into college level mathematics.
• ACT 21 composite places students into college level math.
• ASSET 36 Numerical Skills and 46 Elementary Algebra places students into college level math.
• Compass 51 Algebra places students into college level math.

How do I sign up to take an Admissions Test?

The ACCUPLACER is offered on a walk-in basis during the times listed below.  It is offered first-come first-served, based on computer availability. You may have to wait a few minutes to an hour to start the test.  You must bring a picture ID.  The test is untimed, but typically takes 2 hours to complete.

Students also have the option to retest.  Because testing determines placement and affects admission, students may choose to re-test up to 2 times for a total of 3 Accuplacer tests. Students are required to wait a minimum of 2 weeks before retesting. Special consideration with retesting may be granted based on documented academic progress. Please see Enrollment Services for more details.

Please note that students are allowed to test until 4:00pm (if additional time is required, students may return during a two-week period and begin where they left off on the test).

Testing is offered during these dates and times at the SMCC South Portland campus. Please know that you must arrive no later than the end time listed below. 

There are no Accuplacer dates/times currently scheduled. New dates/times will be posted at this site by Friday, September 10. Please check back soon!  Thank you.

Note: If the College is closed for a Holiday, snow day, etc, testing will not be offered.

Do you live in the Bath/Brunswick area?  Testing is offered at our Bath Campus by appointment. Please call (207) 386-0013 for more information.

Where can I take the Accuplacer test?

Accuplacer testing is offered at SMCC’s Enrollment Services Office on our South Portland  campus, and on our Bath campus located in the Midcoast Center for Higher Education.

SMCC also accepts Accuplacer scores taken at other institutions. Students should fax, mail, or hand-deliver scores to our Enrollment Services Center at:

Enrollment Services Office
Southern Maine Community College
2 Fort Road
South Portland, ME 04106
Fax: 207-741-5760

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ACCUPLACER Standard Scores and Placement at SMCC

*Courses with an asterisk (*) are pre-college level/developmental level courses, and do not count toward meeting degree requirements.

*Courses with an asterisk (*) are pre-college level/developmental level courses, and do not count toward meeting degree requirements.

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LOEP Scores and Placement

The LOEP (Levels of English Proficiency) is a series of tests for students whose primary language is not English. The college uses scores based on 4 LOEP tests: Reading Skills, Sentence Meaning, Language Usage and Listening.   All ESOL courses are pre-college level/developmental courses, and do not count toward meeting degree requirements.

Placement into ESOL reading and writing courses is based on the composite scores of Reading Skills, Sentence Meaning, and Language Usage.

Students with a combined score in these three tests ranging from 248-277 place into Level II ESOL courses: Intermediate Academic Reading, ESOL 070, and Intermediate Academic Writing, ESOL 075.

Students with a combined score in these three tests ranging from 278-325 place into Level III ESOL courses: Advanced Academic Reading, ESOL 090, and Advanced Academic Writing, ESOL 095.

Students with a combined score of 326 or higher place out of all ESOL Reading and Writing courses.

Placement into ESL Listening and Speaking courses is based on test scores in Listening.

Students with a score ranging from 70-79 place into Intermediate Listening and Speaking, ESOL-065, a Level II ESOL course.

Students with a score ranging from 80-89 place into Advanced Listening and Speaking, ESOL 085, a Level III ESOL course.

Students with a score of 90 or higher place out of all ESOL Listening and Speaking courses.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Students must have completed or tested out of ALL ESOL Level II courses before moving on to ESL Level III courses.  Students must have completed or tested out of ALL ESOL Level III courses before moving on to College Level English.

ACCUPLACER Admissions Test Preparation Guide

To download information about the ACCUPLACER Assessment Test or a copy of the the ACCUPLACER Assessment Study Guide, please select one of the links below:

• Accuplacer Admissions Test Information Sheet. [Adobe PDF File] You must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view this document.
• Accuplacer Admissions Test Study Guide. [Adobe PDF File] You must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view this document.