Does it matter when I take my placement tests?
Students are encouraged to complete the battery of placement examinations as early as possible. Registration for the fall term depends on placement test results. Therefore, the earlier you take these tests, the earlier you will get registered for classes. Also, if you want to exercise a retest option or complete a summer course, testing early has its advantages.
I just received my placement test results, and I have some questions. Who do I contact?
Questions about testing policies and practices should be referred to the Office of Outcomes Assessment and Developmental Instruction. Concerns about academic programs and your schedule of classes should be referred to the chairperson of the division in which you have declared a major. Undeclared students may contact the Director of New Students.
What is the purpose of the advisement session on Academic Registration Day?
The advisement session is an opportunity for students to meet college faculty in their majors and learn about major requirements as well as the general education curriculum. It is a good opportunity to ask important questions about academic programs.
What courses will I take in the fall term?
Final course schedules are based on placement test results, program requirements and general education requirements.
I indicated that I was interested in honors courses, but I wasn’t placed in any. Why not?
Enrollment in honors courses depends on performance on the college’s placement examinations. Further, applicants are selected on the basis of high school grades, SAT or ACT scores and other indicators of academic merit.
I took English 101 and 102 at my high school and am transferring in the credits. Do I have to take the writing examination?
If you have earned grades of C or better in these courses from an accredited school, you have met the Mount’s minimal competency requirement in writing, and you do not have to take the writing examination.
My letter regarding test results suggested I might take a summer course to improve my abilities. Am I required to take a course?
No. If a student places in a developmental (basic) course, he/she might consider taking a summer course in order to strengthen these particular skills. However, a summer course is not required for students. It is merely recommended as an option.
What if I want to take a summer course?
Many times a student who places in a developmental (basic) course chooses to take the class over the summer at a local community or four-year college. In order to do this, the course must be approved by the Director of Outcomes Assessment & Developmental Instruction.
How do I get a course approved?
It is the student’s responsibility to find the course at a local community or four-year college. The student should fax, mail or e-mail the following information to the Director of Outcomes Assessment & Developmental Instruction: the name of the college offering the class, the name and number of the course, a complete description of the course. Once this information is received, the Director will make a decision regarding whether or not the course is an acceptable substitute.
The Office of Outcomes Assessment & Developmental Instruction does not assume responsibility for locating appropriate summer classes.
On Academic Registration Day, I wrote down “history” as my major. Now I want to major in business. What should I do?
If you decide on a change in major, you need to inform the Registrar’s Office. Changing a major might necessitate the need for additional testing in mathematics. For instance, if as a history major you were exempt from math testing based on your SAT scores, but you change your major to business, you will need to return to the college and complete the COMPASS placement examination.
My results letter says that I placed in a developmental (basic) course. I’m confused. Do I get credit for this class?
Developmental courses (ENG 012, 013 and 014; MATH 011 and 015) offer credit-equivalency. This way, if you are enrolled in a developmental course, your status as a full-time student is not affected and you remain eligible for financial aid. However, these courses do not offer credit towards a degree.
If I am not getting degree credit for a developmental course, will it take me longer than four years to graduate?
The college cannot guarantee that each and every student will earn a degree in four years, but we make every effort to make this goal possible. Placement in developmental courses does not necessitate a delay in graduation. Students should work closely with their academic advisors during their college years in order to ensure they are on track and making satisfactory progress towards their degree.
I placed in a developmental course, but I don’t think I need it and I don’t want to take it. What can I do?
Placement in developmental (basic) courses is mandatory at Mount Saint Mary College. Students do, however, have the opportunity to retest once in reading and mathematics, but they must do this by August 1, 2007. No retests will be administered after August 1, and retests are not available in writing. Students who wish to exercise the retest option should work with a tutor or do some preparation for the test. The placement examinations are reliable measures of a student’s competencies. If nothing is done to prepare for a retest, scores usually remain the same as the first time. In some cases, they drop.
I am an incoming nursing major, but I was not placed in Anatomy and Physiology. Why not?
Placement examinations are used not only to place students in developmental courses, but also to postpone their enrollment in credit-bearing classes. Students may complete these required courses once they have developed the essential academic skills needed for success in these classes. If you placed in a developmental math, reading or writing course, you cannot be registered for Anatomy and Physiology. Please refer to the First Year Course Placement link for additional information regarding this matter.
My mother called your office for my test results, and she was told I had to call. Why?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits college personnel from disclosing information from the student’s record to anyone other than the student or a school official who has rights to this information. As such, we cannot inform parents of your placement examination results. Further, while we regard parents as critical support systems, we expect college-age learners to raise questions, address problems and discuss solutions independent of their parents. To this end, we encourage the students themselves to make inquiries concerning their placement exam scores.
