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Placement Assessments

First time, first year, and many transfer students take one or more placement assessments to ensure appropriate placement in course sequences.

  1. Initial placement in mathematics is based on students’ ACT/SAT Math score and/or transcript. Students are notified of placement via an email from the Registrar. This email will include contact information for the person responsible for student placement. Students may then choose to complete an online math review and assessment to improve their placement.

    Students with an ACT score of 18 or below (SAT 510 or below) will be placed in Fundamentals Mathematics (MTH 105). Unless students demonstrate proficiency by testing out of this course, they must successfully complete MTH 105 before continuing in college-level mathematics or statistics. This course prepares students for college-level work and offers three institutional credits for satisfactory completion; the credits do not count toward the minimum needed for graduation.

    Regardless of standardized and placement test results, Maryville College accepts for credit those courses in the mathematical sciences taken through dual enrollment, AP, or IB (An AP exam score of 4 or 5 grants credit hours associated with course content – refer to the Advanced Placement section in this catalog). Dual enrollment courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher to receive transfer credit.

  2. Students will receive a preliminary placement in composition based on their ACT English score or SAT Writing score. This placement may be adjusted in the following ways:
    • Students with a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Examination in either English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition earn credit for English 110: Composition and Speech I.
    • Students with an AP score of 4 or 5 on both English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition earn credit for ENG 110: Composition and Speech and ENG 160: Early Western Literature Tradition.
    • Credit earned through dual enrollment or transfer from an accredited institution in Composition I or the equivalent course, with a grade of C or higher, is accepted for English 110: Composition and Speech.
    • Credit earned through dual enrollment or transfer from an accredited institution for both Composition II (and the equivalent) and a course in public speaking, with grades of C or higher, is accepted for English 120: Composition and Speech II.
    • Credit earned through dual enrollment or transfer from an accredited institution with a grade of C or higher for Composition II is accepted for English 120: Composition and Speech II. Students with this credit who do not have course credit in public speaking must take English 150: Oral Rhetoric.
    • Credit earned through dual enrollment or transfer from an accredited institution with a grade of C or higher for a course in public speaking (without a course in Composition II), is accepted for English 150: Oral Rhetoric, but students must take English 120: Composition and Speech II.

    Students whose ACT English scores or SAT Writing scores fall within selected ranges may take a challenge exam to attempt to place into the next higher level. Students who by means of the written challenge exam successfully place out of the writing portion of English 120 will be given the further opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in giving a five-minute speech (informative or argumentative) with oral citation of sources; passing this public speaking exam will result in exemption from English 120 (but not credit hours for it). For the student who has passed the written portion of the English 120 challenge exam, if there is room in an existing section of English 150: Oral Rhetoric, then the student may opt to take English 150 instead of taking the oral portion of the challenge exam.

  3. All students are required to take a second language placement assessment unless fewer than 2 years (3-4 semesters) of the chosen language were completed in high school. In this case, the student may enroll in an introductory second language course (ASL CHN, FRN, GER, ITA, JPN, LAT, or SPN). Students with language proficiency developed through other means, including native proficiency, should complete the assessment or contact the chair of the Division of Languages and Literatures for an individual assessment. The results of the placement assessment may qualify a student for exemption from the second language requirement. However, placements are binding and students may not enroll in a level lower than that into which they are placed unless an exception is approved by the language coordinator or the division chair. Regardless of the results of the placement assessment, Maryville College accepts for elective credit those courses in a second language taken through dual enrollment, AP, or IB (An AP exam score of 4 or 5 grants three credit hours). Dual enrollment courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.
  4. Students desiring to enroll in Chemistry will initially be placed in Chemistry 111: Fundamentals of Chemistry or Chemistry 121: General Chemistry according to ACT math scores or other Chemistry readiness assessment. Students may appeal their placement with Dr. Mary Turner, Chemistry Coordinator or with Dr. Jennifer Brigati, Chair of Natural Science.