Placement TESTS

Assessment Tests for Degree/Certificate-Seeking Students

Students not currently enrolled in classes who have an active application at Parkland College and are working toward a degree or certificate are considered to be "degree/certificate-seeking students."

To ensure we place you in the appropriate courses, Parkland College requires all degree/certificate-seeking students to take Parkland College assessment tests or meet our placement requirements. Students must receive course placement in the following areas: reading, English, and math. 

  • If your standardized test scores (SAT/ACT) do not meet our placement requirements or have expired, you will need to take our assessment tests.
  •  If your standardized test scores meet the placement requirements, you may not need to take our assessment tests. If you do not need to assess, your next step in the course registration process is to meet with Academic Advising.

All degree/certificate-seeking students must have current placements in reading, English, and math before they can register for classes. See below for more information concerning a specific placement.

Reading Placement New and returning students must have reading placement on file before contacting Academic Advising/registering for courses.

Check the Parkland College Placement Manual to determine what measures can be used for reading placement.

Any documents used for a reading placement must be submitted to Parkland College Admissions and Records for entry and evaluation.

If you do not have a reading placement on file, you can take the Parkland College Accuplacer reading test. 

For test scheduling information visit Test Scheduling .

The Learning Commons may have test preparation resources available.

Retesting Policy:

You must wait 48 hours between placement assessments. Currently, the reassessment fee of $10 is being waived. 

Placement measures expire after 3 academic years.

English Placement New and returning students must have English placement on file before contacting Academic Advising/registering for courses.

Check the Parkland College Placement Manual to determine what measures can be used for English placement.

Any documents used for an English placement must be submitted to Parkland College Admissions and Records for entry and evaluation.

If you do not have an English placement on file, you can take the Parkland College Accuplacer English test.

For test scheduling information visit Test Scheduling.

Writing Sample (essay):

The writing sample is a 60 minute, computer based essay. A pencil and paper essay must be requested. When writing the essay, one of two given topics will be chosen to write about. These topics are general information/personal opinion topics that do not require specific content information or prior knowledge. The evaluators are more interested in how you state your ideas rather than what those ideas are.

Composition faculty will evaluate your essay to determine if you have the skills necessary for a college-level composition course. They look at the essay's organization and development of ideas as well as how clearly you express your thoughts and how well you use grammar and punctuation. Because the time to write your essay is limited, they suggest that you make your main point clear in the first paragraph and then use subsequent paragraphs to provide supporting details and discussion.

Retesting Policy:

You must wait 48 hours between placement assessments. Currently, the reassessment fee of $10 is being waived. 

Placement measures expire after 3 academic years.

Mathematics Placement New and returning students must have mathematics placement on file before contacting Academic Advising/registering for courses.

Check the Parkland College Placement Manual to determine what measures can be used for mathematics placement.

Any documents used for a mathematics placement must be submitted to Parkland College Admissions and Records for entry and evaluation.

If you do not have a mathematics placement on file, you can take the Parkland College ALEKS mathematics test. 

For account setup instructions and more information visit Math Placement .

The Learning Commons may have test preparation resources available.

Retesting Policy:

You must wait 24 hours between placement assessments. You may take up to five placement assessments. However, it is required that you spend five hours working in your ALEKS Prep and Learning Module before proctored placements 3, 4, and 5.

Login to access the prep modules for ALEKS PPL reassessment.

Currently, the $10 reassessment fee is being waived.

Placement measures expire after a minimum of 2 academic years.

Non-Native Speaking (NNS) assessment used for course placement New and returning students whose first language is not English will have to take the NNS assessment.

Check the Parkland College Placement Manual to determine what measures can be used for ESL/NNS placement.

Any documents used for a ESL/NNS placement must be submitted to Parkland College Admissions and Records for entry and evaluation.

If you do not have an ESL/NNS placement on file, you can take the MichiganEPT (also known as CAMLA) test. 

For test scheduling information visit Test Scheduling.

If you need to take the test:

The MichiganEPT placement test consists of 80 questions. 20 Listening Skills questions and 60 Sentence Skills and Reading Comprehension questions, completed in just under 1 hour.

Key Skill Areas:

Listening comprehension
Grammatical knowledge
Vocabulary range
Reading comprehension

Writing Sample (essay):

Certain results may qualify an assessor to complete a Writing Sample. Successful completion of the writing sample may allow a student to place higher.

The writing sample is a 60-minute, typed essay. When writing the essay, one of two given topics will be chosen to write about. These topics are general information/personal opinion topics that do not require specific content information or prior knowledge. The Composition faculty are more interested in how you state your ideas rather than what those ideas are.

Composition faculty will evaluate your essay to determine if you have the skills necessary for a college-level composition course. They look at the essay's organization and development of ideas as well as how clearly you express your thoughts and how well you use grammar and punctuation. Because the time to write your essay is limited, they suggest that you make your main point clear in the first paragraph and then use subsequent paragraphs to provide supporting details and discussion.

Retesting Policy:

You must wait 48 hours between Placement Assessments. You can retest once a year. Currently, the retest fee of $10 is being waived.

Placement Results expire after 2 academic years.

Chemistry Competency Ecam (CCE) Chemistry Competency Exam is a 90 minute computer based multiple choice exam used for placement into BIO 121.
Previous successful completion (C or better) of a chemistry course, even in high school, makes you eligible for the Chemistry Competency Exam. You must, however, be approved by the Natural Sciences Department Chair before taking the CCE. A passing score of 23, or higher, will fulfill the "recent chemistry" prerequisite for BIO 121.

Links for test preparation:

Chemistry Competency Exam Topic List

Retesting Policy:

The Chemistry Competency exam can only be taken once every 3 academic years. Once taken, no retest is allowed until the 3 academic years have passed.

Spanish Assessment information Students that want to register for a Spanish course will take this assessment.

Check the Parkland College Placement Manual to determine what measures can be used for Spanish placement.

Any documents used for a Spanish placement must be submitted to Parkland College Admissions and Records for entry and evaluation.

If you do not have an Spanish placement on file, you can take the Spanish Placement test.

For test scheduling information visit Test Scheduling.

If you need to take the test:

The Spanish placement test is a timed, 75 minute, computer-based test.

In order to sign up for the test, English 101 placement or completion of English 101 is required.

After the Test:

After you have taken the Spanish Placement exam, contact Admissions in U214 (217/351-2482) or Academic Advising in U267 (217/351-2219).

Retesting Policy:

There is a 6 month waiting period between Spanish Placement exams.

Placement Results expire after 2 academic years.