Mandatory Placement
UAF’s mandatory course placement policy requires students to have ACT, SAT, ACCUPLACER, or ASSET test scores or course prerequisite before registering for English, reading (Developmental Studies), Math/Statistics, Core Natural Sciences, Core Perspectives on the Human Condition, and Developmental English and Mathematics courses. Once you have met with your academic advisor and signed your completed registration form, you will be able to schedule these courses IF you have the required placement test scores on file at UAF. You will not be able to schedule these courses on UAOnline if you do not have the required test score or course prerequisite. It may sound like a pain, but this policy was developed to make your experience at UAF a more pleasant and successful one!
Your academic advisor wants you to succeed and you have a much greater probability of successfully completing Core courses (certificate/associate) or (bachelor’s) when you score above the required test cut off score. We don’t want you to waste your hard-earned time and money repeating courses. Keep in mind that placement tests do not positively or negatively reflect on your intelligence or the quality of your educational background. Placement tests merely assess your current abilities in math, reading, and writing and correlate those abilities to the corresponding math, reading, and writing levels in UAF’s developmental and Core curriculum. In other words, UAF wants to make sure we have done everything in our power to set you up for success! However, attending class, studying hard, reading the texts, and completing assignments is up to you.
2010 – 2011 Placement Tables
Use these placement tables to find out if your test score places you into your desired course.
ACCUPLACER/ASSET/COMPASS English, Developmental English, Reading
ACT/SAT English, Developmental English, Reading
Mathematics, Developmental Math, Statistics
Retests
Test Results
Test results from ACCUPLACER, ASSET, COMPASS and CLEP are available immediately following the completion of the test. Allow 24 hours (2 weeks for CLEP) for UAF to enter test scores onto SOATEST (visible on UAOnline). ACT scores are available online 2 – 4 weeks after the test date. SAT scores are available online one month after test completion. Allow 6 – 8 weeks for UAF to receive and enter ACT or SAT tests onto SOATEST (visible on UAOnline).
Math/Science Course Sequence
Mathematics Bonus Credits
Students who are placed in a math course higher than MATH F200X and complete MATH F201X, MATH F202X, or MATH F302 at UAF with a grade of “C” grade (2.0) or higher, may receive credit for any prerequisite calculus course(s).
Probability of Success in Core Courses
Tests Accepted for Course Placement at UAF
College Board... “Computer-adaptive battery of tests delivered over the internet and designed to provide information about students’ academic skills in English, reading, and mathematics. “
Tests:
Reading Comprehension (reading placement);
Sentence Skills and WritePlacer (writing sample) (English placement);
PreAlgebra, Elementary Algebra, and College-Level Math (mathematics/statistics placement)
Locations: ACCUPLACER Test Sites
Alaska Native & Rural Development
Center for Distance Education & Independent Learning
College of Rural & Community Development
Delta Career Advancement Center
Fee: No Cost for UAF or UAF-intended students
ACT...“Assesses high school students’ general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work in English, mathematics, reading, and science.” The Writing test is optional, but should be taken since UAF placement requires a score from a writing sample. If a student did not take the optional Writing test, he or she will be required to take the ACCUPLACER WritePlacer or UAF Writing Sample (ASSET). ACT residual testing results are only reported for UAF and cannot be used for any other institution.
Tests:
English & Writing (English placement)
Math (mathematics/statistics placement)
Reading (reading placement)
Science
Locations: ACT BYU Library Test Site
Fees: ACT + Writing $47; ACT residual testing $50
ACT...”Paper and pencil basic skills tests in writing, reading, and numerical reasoning, plus more advanced tests in algebra.”
Tests:
Reading Skills (reading placement)
Writing Skills & UAF Writing Sample (English placement)
Numerical Skills, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, & College Algebra (mathematics/statistics placement)
Locations: ASSET Test Sites
Alaska Native & Rural Development
College of Rural & Community Development
Fee: No cost for UAF or UAF-intended students
ACT ...“ computer-adaptive college placement test used to evaluate incoming students’ skill levels in Reading, Writing Skills, Writing Essay, and Math.”
Tests:
Reading (reading placement)
Writing Skills & e-Write (English placement)
Mathematics – Pre-Algebra, Algebra, College Algebra & Trigonometry (mathematics/statistics placement)
Locations:
Not administered at UAF
Available at UAA’s Matanuska-Susitna College
Fees: N/A
College Board... “Standardized assessment of the critical reading, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills students have developed over time and that they need to be successful in college.”
Tests:
Critical Reading (reading placement)
Mathematics (mathematics/statistics placement)
Writing (English placement)
Location: CLEP SAT Test Sites
Fee: $45
Note: UAF does not provide credit for the SAT Subject Tests.
2009 – 2010 Prerequisites for Courses Requiring Mandatory Placement
If you have transferred in a prerequisite course (outside UA System) or (UA System ) or obtained prerequisite course credit through Advanced Placement (AP) or College Level Examination Program (CLEP) , you may not need to take a placement test. There is no expiration date for courses taken at UAF or courses or credits transferred to UAF.
However, even if you have completed the prerequisite course but have not taken a math, reading, or writing course in over two years, or do not use algebra-based mathematics on a regular basis - or if you have not written an academically-oriented paper recently, you should take a placement test to determine if you will need to review your math, reading, or writing skills before taking your remaining Core courses.
Out-of-Area Testing
UAA - ACCUPLACER, ACT (ACT Residual would be for UAA only), SAT, CLEP
Matanuska-Susitna - COMPASS
UAS - ACCUPLACER, CLEP
Alaska high schools – ACT, SAT, AP
Out of State - National College Testing Association (NCTA) participants
If you can’t find a testing location near you, contact the nearest UAF testing site ACCUPLACER Test Sites or Testing Services at fytesting@ uaf.edu or 907-474-5277 (if out of state), to set up remote testing. ACCUPLACER Remote Testing Form
Accommodations
Accommodations and alternative format print materials are available for students with a documented disabling condition. Contact Disability Services at fydso@uaf.edu , 907-474-5655, or 907-474-1827 (TTY) if you require any of the following accommodations:
· Testing in a quiet, removed setting.
· Room to get up and move around during testing
· Testing in a standing position
· Testing read aloud
· Testing scribed
· Color adjustments to typefaces, foregrounds and backgrounds
· Adaptive keyboards
· Paper and Pencil Test
· Large Print Test
· Braille Test
· Test on Audiocassette
· Screen Reader
Confidentiality
UAF complies with Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines. The information from your test results may be used for advising and placement purposes. If you have any questions about confidentiality, please contact your academic advisor or your test proctor ACCUPLACER Test Sites .