Placement Testing

Placement testing for math & English

Math and English placement at Jamestown Community College is based on high school GPA and additional success indicators. This helps determine the courses in which the student is best prepared to begin.

Students without a GPA through the junior year of high school will need to take a computer-based reading and math placement test.

If you need the math and/or English test, or want to challenge your placement in English and/or math, you may schedule a placement test at any of our sites.

Tests are administered throughout the year. No separate fee is charged for your initial placement test. The mathematics and reading assessments are untimed and contain multiple choice questions.

Prepare & register

Accessibility support for students with disabilities

If you need accommodations for the placement test due to a disability, contact Accessibility Services at 716.338.1251.

  • Successful completion of HS Precalculus makes a student eligible for MAT1710 or lower.
  • SAT 530 math score or higher; or ACT 23 math score or higher; or Algebra II Regents score or Algebra II course average 80+; or math placement test score 280+ makes a student eligible for MAT1600 or lower.
  • Algebra I Regents score 80+ or Algebra I course average of 80+ AND a grade of 70+ in high school Geometry; or math placement test score 255+ makes a student eligible for MAT1590 or lower.
  • Successful completion of HS Algebra II (or higher) AND HS GPA of 80+; or math placement test score 255+ makes a student eligible for MAT1540.
  • HS GPA 80+ AND Algebra I Regents score 75+ or Algebra I course average of 80+; or math placement test score 246+ makes a student eligible for MAT1500.
  • Students who do not meet any of the above criteria or math placement test score of 200 – 245 automatically place into MAT0530 Essential Math OR MAT0550 Algebra Fundamentals.

Based on your high school transcript, initial English course placement will be into one of the following categories:

Students with a documented high school GPA of 80% or above (through at least the junior year) will take ENG 1510: College Composition I.

Students with a documented high school GPA between 75-80% with one of the following success indicators will take ENG 1510: College Composition I:

  • NYS Regents scores of 85+ on the global history or U.S. history and government exams
  • SAT evidence-based reading and writing score of 500+
  • ACT reading score of 21+
  • A score of 3+ on any AP exam
  • 85%+ in 11th grade English

Students with a documented high school GPA between 75-80% with none of the above success indicators, and students with a documented high school GPA less than 75% will be placed into ENG 0410: Developing Reading Versatility, ENG 0500: Composition 1 Workshop, and ENG 1510: College Composition I for their first semester.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that JCC’s Admissions office receives documentation of any success indicators.

Students without a GPA through junior year will take the Accuplacer placement test in reading, which is an untimed, computer-based, multiple choice test. A score of 250 or higher indicates readiness for most introductory college-level, reading intensive coursework without reading support.

If you wish to challenge placement into support courses, you have the following options:

  • Students placed into ENG 0500: Composition I Workshop can complete an essay that will be read by JCC English faculty to determine preparedness for English Composition I without writing support. Contact placement staff to request an ENG 0500 placement challenge.
  • Students placed into ENG 0410: Develop Reading Versatility can take the Accuplacer placement test in reading.

You may be exempt from the placement tests if you:

  • have a degree from an accredited college or university.
  • have transfer or advanced placement credit for ENG 1510.
  • have a prior JCC placement test (within the last 3 years) indicating college-level reading.
  • have transfer credit for math.
  • have completed or are currently enrolled in precalculus or calculus.

Computer-based placement tests are offered in reading and mathematics. Results are valid for three years after the date of the initial test(s).

You may schedule a retest option at least 24 hours after you originally took the test. Regardless of the number of areas to retest, there is a $10 fee to be paid in advance per retest appointment. Retesting for course eligibility in a given semester must be completed by the end of the second day of that semester. You only get one retest option per academic year.

College Connections students: At this time, a reading and/or math retest option can be scheduled in the designated high school at no charge. If you schedule an on-campus retest, you will be charged a retest fee of $10, payable in advance. Retests must be completed prior to registering for a College Connections course.

If you are planning to take classes exclusively online and/or live more than an hour and a half from the college, contact placement testing staff for more information on setting up placement testing at a remote location.