Understanding Your Placement Level
Your placement level determines which courses you are eligible to take in English, ESL, Mathematics, and Reading.
Placements may be based on Directed Self-Placement (DSP) Questionnaires, ACCUPLACER exams, or approved placement waivers. To review waivers, please see below.
Your placement identifies which courses you qualify for. Your major determines which course you need. Please speak with an academic counselor before registering to ensure you are selecting the correct course.
Depending on your placement results and your major’s requirements, you may be ready for a college-level credit course, a co-requisite course (a support course taken at the same time as a credit-bearing course), or a developmental course.
Placement Levels
*Placement Waivers: Placement codes that begin with WAIV indicate a waiver into the courses listed for that waiver. Waivers are granted based on approved criteria, such as SAT, ACT, or New York State Regents exam scores. Always confirm course selection with an academic counselor.
Placement Level: English 31.01 or WaivE .2*
ENG 101 – Writing and Research
Placement Level: English 30.02
ENG 99 – Writing Studio paired with ENG 101 – Writing and Research
Placement Level: English 30.01
ENG 91 – Writing for College 1
Placement Level: ESL 21.01
ESL 122 – Introduction to Academic Writing 2
Placement Level: ESL 20.01
ESL 99 – Academic Writing Workshop paired with ESL 122 – Introduction to Academic Writing 2
Placement Level ESL 10.99
Placement Level: Read 12.01 or WaivR .2*
No Reading Course is required
Placement Level: Read 11.01
READ 105 – Analytical Reading
Placement Level: Read 10.01
READ 99 – Foundations of Reading Workshop paired with READ 105 – Analytical Reading
Placement Level: Math 43.01 or WaivM .4*
MATH 181 – Calculus 1
Placement Level: Math 42.01 or WaivM .3*
MATH 161 – Precalculus (Functions & Coordinate Geometry)
Placement Level: Math 41.01 or WaivM .2*
MATH 116 – The Development of Mathematical Thought
MATH 117 – College Quantitative Reasoning
MATH 120 – The Nature of Mathematics
MATH 123 – Math for Elementary School Teachers
MATH 131 – College Algebra
MATH 138 – Elements of Geometry
MATH 140 – Statistics
Placement Level: Math 40.02
MATH 93 – Beginning Algebra
MATH 99 – Quantitative Reasoning Studio paired with MATH 117 – College Quantitative Reasoning
Placement Level: Math 40.01
MATH 88 – Foundations of Quantitative Reasoning Studio paired with MATH 117 – College Quantitative Reasoning
MATH 93R – Algebra Foundations
If you meet any of the following criteria, you can waive the English/Math placement
English and Reading Placement Assessment
- Submit an official transcript from a regionally accredited college or university to confirm that you completed a 3-credit college-level English course equivalent to our ENG 101 (Writing and Research) with a grade of C or better
- Submit an official transcript to confirm that you have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States
- SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing score of 550 or higher
- ACT English score of 23 or higher
- New York State English regents of 85 or higher
- Applicable English AP exam score of 3 or higher (receive college credit)
- Graduated and completed at least three years in a US High School with an overall high school GPA of 85% or 3.1
Mathematics Placement Assessment
- Submit an official transcript from an accredited college/university to confirm that you have completed a credit-bearing college-level mathematics course with a grade of C or better
- SAT Math score of 530 or higher
- ACT Math score of 22 or higher
- Applicable Mathematics AP exam score of 3 or higher (receive college credit)
- New York State Mathematics regents of 80 or higher on one of the following Regents Exams (Algebra 1, Algebra 2, or Geometry)
Waivers
- Students using SAT/ACT scores must have taken the exam in the past 5 years
- Students using Regents scores must have graduated high school in the past 3 years
- Students using High School GPA must have graduated a United States high school in the past 10 years