English Placement and Test Preparation

Students place into TMCC English classes either by testing into the class or by having completed an appropriate pre-requisite class.

English Placement

How will you know which English class to take? Your English placement depends on your test scores, high school English class grades, or high school GPA.

English Placement Options

Course Placement Classic ACCUPLACER Next Generation ACCUPLACER ACT SAT (Mar. 2016 & later)
ENG 100 RC: ≤ 85 NGR: ≤ 261 Below 18 Below 480
ENG 101 RC: 86+ NGR: 262+ 18–29 480–650
ENG 102 N/A N/A 30+ 660+

English 100 Replaces Developmental English Classes 

The English Department offers ENG 100 for students not quite ready for college-level English. This 5-credit model provides fully integrated support to help students succeed, and is equivalent to ENG 101. Students who successfully complete English 100 with a C- or better may enroll in English 102 the following semester. Each class has a maximum of 21 students, and enrollment will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

English Classroom

Alternate Placement

If you do not believe your ACT or SAT scores reflect your abilities, you have several options if you graduated from high school within the last two years and have transcripts.

  • If you have an overall High School Unweighted GPA of 3.0 or above,
  • Or if you have a GPA of 3.0 or above in your Senior English classes,
  • Or if you have an AP English course grade of 3.0 (B) or above

Then you may enter directly into ENG 101.

Alternate Pathways Options

Course Placement Criteria Supporting Documents
ENG 100 Overall unweighted GPA < 3.0 High School Transcripts within the last two years
ENG 101, Recommended READ 135  Overall unweighted GPA ≥ 3.0, or B average in Senior classes taken in High School, or AP English Couse (passing grade of B or better) High School Transcripts within the last two years

English Course Placement Guidelines

Course Substitutions

Important: Due to COVID-19 and campus closures, please contact the English Department at 673-7092 when seeking approval for course substitutions.

For English course substitutions, please speak with TMCC Academic Advising in the Red Mountain Building, room 111. Here, you will request and pick up your course substitution card in consultation with your advisor.

Bring this card to the English Department, with all documentation (course descriptions and transcripts), and ask to see the English Department Chair.

After the English Department Chair approves the substitution, take the card to the Dean of the Division for final signature, in Sierra Building, room 200-1.

TMCC English Department's ACCUPLACER Policies

All ACCUPLACER testing is done through Testing Services. The ACCUPLACER exam is free of charge for TMCC students taking any version of the placement exam for the first time.

See Also: ACCUPLACER Academic Placement exam information.

Retest Policy:

  • If a student retakes the placement exam, the cost is $20. The testing fee is non-refundable, even if the student does not complete the retest.
  • Students may challenge an English course placement by retaking the English portion of the test a minimum of 24 hours after the previous testing date.
  • After this 24-hour waiting period, students may retake the English portion as many times as they wish, at any point in a semester.
  • To be admitted to a testing session, students must:
    1. Present valid picture ID and
    2. Have their NSHE Student ID number available.

Non-Native English Placement Options

Course Placement Classic ACCUPLACER Continuation Course Placement Next-Generation ACCUPLACER
Community ESL Program RS: 20–49 & WP: 0–5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students with a perfect score of 6 in WritePlacer will branch out to Native Reading. This gives students the opportunity to show that they are ready for the Native English track.

 Not prepared for Native English. Divert back to Reading Skills (RS). Use RS scores and refer to WP 3–5 sequence. NGR: 200–250 & WP : 6
ENG 113 w/required READ 135 RS: 100–114 & WP: 3–5  
ENG 113 w/recommended READ 135 RS: 115–120 & WP: 3–5

NGR = Next Generation ACCUPLACER Reading