ASU Announces TEST Option Policy

Congratulations on your acceptance to Alabama State University (ASU)! We are proud to announce that ASU is a test-optional institution.  Accordingly, ASU's holistic application review process considers high school transcripts and optional standardized test scores. Therefore, students who choose not to submit ACT or SAT scores may take advantage of the University's test-optional policy by participating in the University's ACCUPLACER assessment to determine course placement. Procedures for ASU’s Test-Optional Guidelines are as follows:

PROCEDURES FOR TEST-OUT OPTIONS/PLACEMENT GUIDELINES

• Students admitted to the University without test scores must take the ACCUPLACER placement exam. (please follow the steps below AFTER registering for the New Student Orientation.
• Students whose high school GPA is 3.0 or above with a composite score of at least 18/ACT and 870/SAT will be exempt from the ACCUPLACER and placement in any developmental course.
• Students whose high school GPA is below 3.0 with a composite score less than 18/ACT or 870/SAT have the option to take the ACCUPLACER assessment for placement in the appropriate level Math, English, and Reading courses.
• Students who submit ACT or SAT subsection scores will be placed in the appropriate level of Math, English, and Reading based on their highest subsection scores
• All Traditional Bridge Students will be required to take the ACCUPLACER regardless of ACT/SAT subsection scores.
• Placements using the subsection scores and ACCUPLACER scores are shown in the table below.

 

English Placement Guidelines
Course Placement		ACT	SAT		ACCUPLACER
ENG 130	Basic College English I	15 and below	409 and below		Below 249 (writing)
ENG 131	English Composition	16 and above	410 and above		249 and (writing)
Mathematics Placement Guidelines
Course Placement		ACT		SAT	ACCUPLACER
MAT 130	Intermediate Algebra I	15 and below		400 and below	239 and below
MAT 136	Finite Mathematics	16 and above		430 and above	240 - 252
MAT 137	Pre-Calculus Algebra	18 and above		500 and above	253 - 265
MAT 165	Pre-Calculus Trigonometry	21 and above		530 and above	264 - 276
MAT 265	Calculus & Analytic Geometry I	23 and above		560 and above	277 and above
Exempt		18 and above		500 and above	280
Reading Placement Guidelines
Course Placement		ACT	SAT		ACCUPLACER
REA 130	College Reading Enhancement II	15 and below		409 and below	236 and below
REA 132	College Reading Enhancement III	16-17		410-449	237-249
Exempt		18 and above		450 and above	250 and above

The purpose of the Next-Generation ACCUPLACER® tests is to assist institutions in placing test takers into appropriate college-level courses. The Next-Generation ACCUPLACER® is a computer-adaptive comprehensive battery of tests designed to assess students’ skills levels in Reading, Writing, and Math.

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BEFORE YOU REGISTER FOR THE ACCUPLACER ASSESSMENT

Upon your acceptance to ASU please follow the steps below to register for the test:

1. Register for the New Student Orientation by going to https://www.alasu.edu/current-students/new-student-virtual-orientation-2021. Students who are not registered for the New Student Orientation will not be given a voucher to take the test.
2. Register for the Next-Generation ACCUPLACER® by contacting Dr. Cynthia at  (334) 229-4864 or testing@alasu.edu.
3. Wait to receive voucher information via your email about your designated location to take the test*

*Due to COVID-19, until further notice, all test takers will be tested remotely using Zoom.  You must have access to a computer (desktop or laptop) with a webcam and audio capabilities.

Upon registering for the ACCUPLACER, Zoom test takers will receive an email that has the following information:

• Zoom Meeting URL
• The meeting password
• The meeting ID 
• A voucher number to start your test. Be sure to write this down

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BEFORE YOU TAKE THE ACCUPLACER ASSESSMENT

Prior to your designated ZOOM testing appointment, complete the following steps:

1. Go to the Zoom website, download, and install Zoom:

https://www.zoom.us/download#client_4meeting.

2. To check that Zoom was set up correctly, click here: https://www.zoom.us/test. Please use the

option to join with video.

3. Check that your computer can run ACCUPLACER by here:

https://www.accuplacer.org/#/systemRequirement 

4. Prepare for the test by going to the ACCUPLACER resource site and downloading the FREE Study AP

Accuplacer Resource

Accuplacer Study AP

ENGLISH STUDY GUIDE	MATH STUDY GUIDE	READING STUDY GUIDE
ACCUPLACER ENGLISH	ACCUPLACER MATH	ACCUPLACER READING

 

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5 THINGS TO DO and KNOW ON THE DAY OF THE ACCUPLACER ASSESSMENT

On the day of the test please do the following tasks:

1. Be sure to have your photo ID ready. You will need to show it to your proctor.
2. Calculators are not allowed unless you have a prescribed accommodation.
3. Sit in a quiet place where you will be undisturbed while testing.
4. Clear a workspace for your monitor, mouse, keyboard, blank scratch paper, and pencil.
5. All other items must be removed from your table/desk.

THINGS TO KNOW AFTER THE ACCUPLACER ASSESSMENT

• All test scores will be available immediately upon the completion of the tests. 

• Scores will be used to place students according to the following placement scales.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Cynthia Swain (334) 229-4864 or cswain@alasu.edu.

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HOW TO INTERPRET YOUR ACCUPLACER ASSESSMENT

Alabama State University

ACCUPLACER PLACEMENT SCORES

(Effective Summer 2020)

ENGLISH Course Placement		ACCUPLACER
ENG 130	Basic College English I	Below 249 (writing)
ENG 131	English Composition	249 and above (writing)

 

MATH Course Placement		ACCUPLACER
MAT 130	Intermediate Algebra I	239 and below
MAT 136	Finite Mathematics	240 - 252
MAT 137	Pre-Calculus Algebra	253 - 265
MAT 165	Pre-Calculus Trigonometry	264 - 276
MAT 265	Calculus & Analytic Geometry I	277 and above
Exempt		280

 

READING Course Placement		ACCUPLACER
REA 130	College Reading Enhancement II	236 and below
REA 132	College Reading Enhancement III	237–249
Exempt		250 and above

 

If you have any questions, please contact 
Dr. Cynthia Swain,
Testing Coordinator
Office-334.229.4864