Assessment and Testing

Assessment and Testing Offices are located on each Seminole State College campus. Each office can accommodate the testing needs of the campus. All exams are closely monitored using security cameras and by one or more proctors. Tests are typically delivered via computer or online. To ensure record security, students are required to provide a current, valid and original photo identification and a signature prior to taking any examination.

The Assessment and Testing Offices administer all exams in compliance with state and national regulations, including adherence to policies outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students with documented disabilities, such as visual, auditory and/or physical impairments, may qualify for accommodations including an alternative testing environment, if prescribed by the College's Office of Disability Support Services.

For more information about the services offered by the Assessment and Testing Offices, including testing hours, test preparation (practice tests) and the refresh program, visit www.seminolestate.edu/testing.

Comprehensive Assessment and Testing Offerings

Effective assessment and testing services are integral to student enrollment, placement and success. The Assessment and Testing Offices provide the following examinations:

• Accuplacer/Computerized Placement Test (CPT)
• ACT National Examination
• ACT Professional Testing Services (e.g., correspondence testing via the ACT Center)
• Basic Abilities Test (BAT) FDLE Criminal Justice Examination
• Castle Worldwide Examinations (e.g., health program examinations)
• Certiport Examinations (e.g., Microsoft Office Examinations)
• Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment (CASAS)
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST)
• End of Course Examinations (EOC)
• Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) 
• Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service (FLATS)
• General Educational Development (GED) examination
• Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test (HOBET)
• Level of English Proficiency Exam (LOEP)
• Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT)
• PearsonVue Examinations (e.g., certifications examinations)
• Prometric Examinations (e.g., IT examinations)
• State Officers Certification Exam (SOCE) FDLE exam
• Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)
• Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)

First-Time-In-College (FTIC) Student Placement Testing

State Board Rule 6A-10.0315 mandates that all first-time-in-college (FTIC) applicants for admission to state colleges and universities who apply to enter degree programs (bachelor's or associate) must be tested for reading, writing and mathematics proficiency prior to the completion of registration, using one or more of the prescribed tests (ACT, SAT, PERT or CPT) and must enroll in college developmental communication and computation instruction if the test scores are lower than those required by the state. The state-mandated Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT) is used in conjunction with the Accuplacer/CPT for college-credit placement into English and math courses. 

Entry level placement test scores must be less than two years old.

Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT)

For college-credit students without a current ACT, CPT, PERT or SAT score, Seminole State administers the PERT as the primary placement test. Institutional standards have been established for placing students in certain levels of courses based on the PERT scores. The PERT Refresh Program is available for students who wish to challenge their initial PERT outcome. Transfer students who have completed either the first level college-credit English or math class (or successfully completed the last sequential developmental course) do not need to take a placement test. Completion of entry testing is required prior to participation in new student orientation and advisement and prior to registration for any course that has a math or English prerequisite.

PERT Requirements

All degree-seeking, FTIC students and all college-credit, certificate-seeking students whose degree or certificate program is 12 or more credits must take the PERT. Such students may not register for any credit course at Seminole State until they have a set of complete scores on file.

All students in these groups must take the PERT:

• All students who register for any English or mathematics course.
• All students seeking Early College/dual enrollment.
• All students who took a placement examination more than two years ago but never enrolled into a Florida public postsecondary institution. Students must complete the PERT refresh program (www.seminolestate.edu/testing/pert/refresher.htm) before retesting.
• All students who cannot provide ACT, SAT, PERT or CPT official scores or scores on an official transcript by the date of their advising appointment.
• All students who studied ESOL in high school or completed a portion of high school in a country where English is not the only official language are required to:
  • Complete a timed writing sample for possible placement into English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in addition to having college-ready PERT, ACT, CPT or SAT scores.
  • Complete the Level of English Proficiency (ESL/LOEP) test in addition to completing the timed writing sample if PERT, ACT, CPT or SAT scores are not college ready.
  • Score at ESL/LOEP, EAP Intermediate (EAP 400) level, to take PERT math test
  • Complete EAP sequence without retaking the PERT/LOEP after starting the sequence (students may retake after two years’ absence from sequence for advancement purposes).

PERT Exemptions

Students are exempt from taking the PERT unless needed as a prerequisite for a specific course, if they provide written documentation for one of the following:

• Official ACT, CPT, PERT or SAT scores less than two years old that place the student into college-level coursework at Seminole State. Test scores may not be mixed for an exemption. 
  *The college may not mandate students to retest for placement if students have former placement scores older than two years old and have enrolled (whether enrolled into developmental courses or not) into a Florida public postsecondary institution.
• SAT scores of 440 or above on verbal/critical reading; 440 or above on math for placement into Intermediate Algebra (MAT 1033).
• ACT scores of 18 or above on the reading and 17 or above on English; and 19 or above on math for placement into Intermediate Algebra (MAT 1033). Any score presented which is below that needed for exemption will require the student to be tested on the appropriate PERT subtest(s). 
• Attended a regionally accredited college or university in which English was the language of instruction and have completed college-level or the highest college-developmental-level coursework, as evaluated by Seminole State, in English and/or mathematics with a grade of C or higher.
• Official Seminole State record indicating that the student is enrolled in another college or university and has applied to Seminole State as a transient student.
• Official Seminole State record indicating that the student is enrolled for teacher recertification.

PERT Placement Scores

English Placement (PERT)

Reading Skills Score (> 104) plus Writing Skills Score (> 99) = ENC 1101
Required Developmental Writing and Reading courses (or required EAP courses, if applicable) must be completed prior to entering English I and/or any Gordon Rule course.

Reading Skills Score

50 – 60 = TABE for reading placement or PERT refresh
61 – 83 = REA 0007C: Developmental Reading I or LOEP for EAP placement
84 – 103 = REA 0017C: Developmental Reading II or LOEP for EAP placement
> 104 No Prep reading required

Writing Skills Score

50 – 89 = ENC 0015C: Developmental Writing I or LOEP/writing sample for EAP Placement
90 – 98 = ENC 0025C: Developmental Writing II or LOEP/writing sample for EAP Placement
> 99 No Prep writing required; writing sample required for EAP students

Mathematics Placement (PERT)

Mathematics Skills Score

50 – 60 = TABE for math or PERT refresh
61 – 95 = MAT 0018C: Developmental Mathematics I or MAT 0022C: Developmental Mathematics Combined
96 – 112 = MAT 0028C: Developmental Mathematics II
113 – 122 = MAT 1033: Intermediate Algebra
123 – *150 = MAC 1105: College Algebra or MGF 1106: College Mathematics or MGF 1107: Liberal Arts Math or STA 2023: Statistical Methods I

*Students who score 135 or above are eligible to take the CLM portion of the CPT. Please refer to the information below when working with students who have taken the CLM portion of the Accuplacer/CPT.

Accuplacer/CPT: College Level Math (CLM) Skills Score

20 – 39 = MAT 1033: Intermediate Algebra
40 – 62 = MAC 1105: College Algebra or MGF 1106: College Mathematics or MGF 1107: Liberal Arts Math or STA 2023: Statistical Methods I
63 – 96 = MAC 1140: Pre-calculus Algebra or MAC 1114: Trigonometry or MAC 2233: Concepts of Calculus
97 – 120 = MAC 2311: Analytic Geometry and Calculus I

Retaking the PERT

Students may only take the PERT a total of two times (one initial and one retest) within a two-year period.  The refresh options are subject to change. Please refer to the online catalog for the most recent update: www.seminolestate.edu/testing/pert/refresher.htm.

To be eligible to retake the PERT, students must refresh their skills. Students may choose one of these two refresh options:

• Option 1: Visit www.seminolestate.edu/academic-success/cptrefresh.htm and refresh skills by choosing the appropriate remediation. The student must print the information he/she studied and any practice test(s) he/she completed. Students must bring a minimum of three pages for each subject from this website to their test session to document their attempt to remediate (this information is not returned to the student). Students are not allowed to retake their PERT exam without this proof.
• Option 2: Purchase the PERT subtest packet(s) from an Seminole State Bookstore. Students must bring the packet(s) to their test session (showing work, a minimum of three pages in the booklet(s)) to document remediation. The information will be date-stamped by the Assessment and Testing Office. Students are not allowed to retake their PERT without this proof. Cost per booklet: Reading $2.75, Sentence Skills $3.50, Mathematics $6.25.

For both options, students should pace themselves. This is a self-study program. It is recommended that students study for a minimum of three hours per subtest. For additional study information visit www.seminolestate.edu/testing/pert/refresher.htm.

The cost to retake the PERT is $10 per testing session (whether you take one or three subtests, the cost is $10). If referred by an advisor, you must have a “Request for Testing Form.”

To be eligible to retake the PERT, you must refresh your skills.

Students should keep in mind these additional rules for testing out of remediation:

• Students may retake the Accuplacer/CPT after completion of a developmental course to improve their placement. To avoid the refresh requirement, students must take the CPT within the next consecutive term (no refresh is required, but they must pay $10 per testing session).
• Students who fail or make a “D” in the last developmental course do not need to retake the course if they meet the CPT cutoff score for the college-credit course; however, the “D” cannot be removed by taking the CPT.

Non-native English Speakers Placement Testing

Seminole State College instruction is delivered in the English language. Students should have adequate mastery of the English language to pursue a course of study for credit. If English is not the student's best language, his/her entry testing will begin with the PERT, and he/she may also be required to complete the ESL (English as Second Language) or LOEP (Levels of English Proficiency) test and writing sample.  Students seeking degrees or a career certificates, or those enrolling as dual enrollment students, must complete an approved placement test.

Students are not required to demonstrate English as a second language for proficiency if they have completed freshman English Composition or its equivalent (as determined by Seminole State College) with a grade of "C" or higher or if they have earned an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree, bachelor's degree or higher for which English was the language of instruction.  Official college/university transcripts are required for documenting English proficiency.

LOEP (also called ESL test)

The LOEP or ESL test is the test of English proficiency for non-native speakers of English used for initial course placement at Seminole State. To be used, the student's scores must be less than 2 years old.  When students take the LOEP test, they will also be asked to provide a writing sample (WS).  Students must apply to Seminole State to take the LOEP and WS, there is no additional charge and no appointment is necessary.  The LOEP and WS may be taken on any campus on a walk-in basis. 

Testing hours are available at www.seminolestate.edu/testing.  To take the LOEP and WS, visit an Assessment and Testing Office on any campus and bring an official, government issued photo identification such as a driver's license or passport.  Once a student begins course work in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), he/she is no longer eligible to retest on the LOEP and WS unless he/she has been absent from the EAP sequence for two or more years.

If the student's English proficiency is such that he/she is not required to take English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses, the PERT will be used to place him/her in the appropriate courses.

Early College/Dual Enrollment Entry Testing

Early College/Dual Enrollment students must complete the ACT, CPT, PERT or SAT prior to registration for their first term.

Scores will be used for placement in appropriate courses. English and reading scores must be at college-level to be admitted to the Early College.

Career/Technical Program Placement Testing

Depending on the career/technical program, Seminole State College administers the Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE).  Normally, the TABE Survey, Level D (either Form 9 or 10) is provided. TABE Survey, Level A is used for the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program.  Completion of a prescribed remediation program is mandated prior to re-testing for career programs.

Minimum basic skills grade levels in mathematics, language and reading are defined in each career program description adopted under Rule 6A-6.0571. The current catalog's program descriptions provide minimum required TABE scale scores to earn a certificate by program.

Students required to take the TABE are:

• All first-time-in-program students who designate themselves as certificate-seeking in a career program of 450 hours or more.  Such students must complete the TABE examination within the first six weeks of admission into the program.
• All students whose TABE scores are more than 2 years old and have not been used for placement.
• All students whose TABE scores are more than 2 years old and who have had a break in their enrollment of more than one year.

Academic advisors are available to consult with students regarding the many exemptions or alternate ways to satisfy this requirement.

Placement Testing: Comparative Chart

Placement Testing: Comparative Chart (ACT, CPT, PERT and SAT)

Computation

*Students who score 135 or above are eligible to take the CPT College Level Math (CLM) portion of the CPT.

**Students who take MAC1105 and who are going on to Concepts of Calculus (MAC 2333) will take the following sequence: MAC 1105 --> MAC 1140 --> MAC 1114 --> MAC 2311

Placement Testing – English & Reading

English

 *Student must have both scores to be eligible for English I (ENC 1101)

Reading

*Student must have both scores to be eligible for English I (ENC 1101)

Placement for English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

LOEP Reading (and PERT reading less than 104)

LOEP Writing (and PERT writing less than 99)

*Corequisite courses EAP 0300, EAP 0400 and EAP 1500 are speaking and listening courses generally the lower-level of their placement in reading or writing courses. Students may be exempt based on diagnostics and assessments in class. The writing sample can raise or lower placement.

**For placement into Writing and Grammar (EAP 385, EAP 0485, EAP 1540, EAP 1560, EAP 1640), PERT, LOEP and writing sample scores are taken into consideration. The writing sample can raise or lower placement.

Developmental Courses

All applicants entering college for the first time who intend to begin degree or college credit certificate programs are tested for reading, writing, and mathematics proficiency, unless they have earned a college ready diploma from a Florida public high school or already have submitted college placement scores.  Students are placed in college developmental writing, reading and/or mathematics if test scores indicate a need for such instruction.  A student's enrollment in certain credit courses may be restricted because of academic deficiencies.

Each of the three skill areas -- reading, writing and mathematics -- are independent of each other. Students may place at the college level in one area and at the developmental level in the other area(s). Students are required to enroll in developmental courses at the beginning of their enrollment at Seminole State and continue to enroll in them each term until they have completed their required courses. If students are enrolled in the appropriate developmental course(s), they may also enroll in the college-level courses for which they meet the prerequisite(s). 

Developmental courses in reading, writing and mathematics include:

 Reading  Skills

• REA 0007C: Developmental Reading I
• REA 0017C: Developmental Reading II

Writing  Skills

• ENC 0015C: Developmental Writing I
• ENC 0025C: Developmental Writing II

Mathematics  Skills

• MAT 0018C: Developmental Mathematics I
• MAT 0022C: Developmental Mathematics Combined
• MAT 0028C: Developmental Mathematics II

NOTE:  Students scoring into two or more college preparatory discipline areas are required to complete College Success (SLS 1101).

Student Information

State of Florida Rules

12-hour rule: Florida Statute requires students to enroll in college developmental instruction by the time they have registered for the 12th hour of college-credit coursework. Students must continuously enroll in college developmental courses until they reach satisfactory completion of the prescribed remedial coursework. This rule does not provide Seminole State the authority to make exceptions to this requirement.

Repeating courses: Florida Statute limits students to three attempts to pass each developmental course, including original grades, repeat grades and withdrawals. Upon the third attempt, the student is assessed the full cost of instruction, is not permitted to withdraw and receives a grade for the course. The student may petition to waive the full cost of instruction due to extenuating circumstances or financial hardship by completing the ”Request for Exemption from Full Cost of Instruction” (non- refundable) form available from the Records and Registration Office. Enrollment in a class beyond the 100-percent refund period, regardless of whether a student finishes the term, is considered an attempt.

Alternative instruction: In accordance with Florida law, students may use alternatives to traditional college developmental instruction. For information about these options, contact the professional staff in the Academic Success Center or meet with a Seminole State academic advisor.

Withdrawals

All developmental courses -- reading, writing and mathematics -- use the same withdrawal practices. Students may withdraw during the College’s withdrawal period and take the same developmental course again without retesting.

Additional Reminders

• Students who fail the developmental course’s State Exit Exam may take the PERT after grades are posted. If they meet the college credit cutoff score, they may enter the college credit course.
• Students who fail or make a “D” in the last developmental course do not need to retake the course if they meet the PERT cutoff score for the college credit course; however, the “D” does not qualify for grade forgiveness by taking the PERT. Students must repeat the course and achieve a “C” or above to receive grade forgiveness for the “D.” However, a grade of “D” in a developmental course does not count in the college credit GPA.
• Students may not retake the PERT for a developmental course in which they are currently enrolled unless during the add/drop period. Otherwise, they must first withdraw from the course (within the advertised withdrawal period) or wait until grades are posted.
• English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students must pass courses with a “C” to progress to the next higher level. EAP students who fail exit exams must repeat courses to make a “C” in all required EAP courses before entering ENC 1101 or other courses with ENC 1101 as pre or co-requisite.
• College developmental courses, which have a first digit of zero (0), do not count toward a degree. However, these courses do count toward eligibility for VA benefits, financial aid and intercollegiate athletics.

College Developmental Flow Chart: Reading/Writing and Math Sequences