Placement Testing

Students must take the placement exam if: 

• Have not take the ACT and/or have ACT Scores that are more than 5 years old
• High school students who have below a grade of "C" or higher in English IV and/or Algebra II.  High school grades cannot be older than 5 years.
• Accuplacer scores older than 5 years
• A student who scores 164 or lower on the Mathematical Reasoning or Reasoning Through Language Arts subject tests of the 2014 series GED;
• Graduated from an international non-U.S. high school

Exemptions are listed below:

• High school students who have a grade of "C" or higher in English IV and/or Algebra II.  High school grades cannot be older than 5 years.
• A student who completed ACCUPLACER elsewhere and the scores are less than 3 years old from the intended LSCC entry term.  
• A student who has an associate degree or higher;
• A student who transfers degree-creditable, college-level English or mathematics courses with a grade of “C” or better from an accredited institution;
• A student who has successfully completed required developmental coursework at another Alabama Community College System college or an accredited college within the last three years. Course descriptions from institutions outside of the Alabama Community College System must be reviewed;
• A student enrolling to audit a course;
• A student who scores 165 or higher on the Mathematical Reasoning or Reasoning Through Language Arts subject tests of the 2014 series GED;
• A transient student with documentation;
• A student enrolling for personal enrichment purposes only;
• A student whose valid ACT scores (no older than 5 years) are 20 or higher composite, 20 or higher in mathematics, and 18 or higher in English.  However, students who wish to improve their course placement must take the state placement assessment;
• A student whose SAT English / writing score (before 2016) is > than 440 and whose math score (before 2016) is > than 480.  New SAT test scores must be > 25 in English / Writing (new SAT section English / writing scores must be > 510) and > 25.5 in math (new SAT section math scores must be > 510).  However, students who wish to improve their course placement must take the state placement assessment. 

• Placement into ENG 101
  • ACT English sub-score of 18 or above, or
  • HS GPA of 2.75 or higher and A or B grade in English IV, or
  • WritePlacer (Accuplacer) score of 5

• Placement into ENG 101 and ENG 099
  • ACT English sub-score of 17, or
  • HS GPA of 2.75 or higher AND grade of C in English IV, or
  • WritePlacer (Accuplacer) score of 4, or

• Placement into ENR 098
  • WritePlacer (Accuplacer) score of 3 or below

• Placement into MTH 100 or MTH 110/MTH 109 LS or MTH 112/MTH 111 LS
  • ACT math sub-score of 18 or 19, or
  • HS GPA of 2.75 or higher and A or B grade in Algebra II, or
  • Accuplacer Elementary Algebra (EA) score of 60-79 for MTH 100
  • Accuplacer Elementary Algebra (EA) score of 80-120 for MTH 110 or 112

• Placement into MTH 100 and MTH 099
  • ACT math sub-score of 17, or
  • HS GPA of 2.75 or higher and C in Algebra II, or
  • Accuplacer Elementary Algebra (EA) score of 50-59

• Placement into MTH 098
  • Accuplacer Elementary Algebra (EA) score of 20-49

There is no fee for initial placement tests. There is an $11 fee to take the assessment a second time.  

Students needing special accommodations for testing should contact the Counseling and Assessment department at the campus on which the testing is taking place at least two weeks prior to testing.

             Mrs. Janine McCoy Jones
             Academic Success Center- Suite 220 
             Phone:  205-929- 6396             
             Email:  jmccoy@lawsonstate.edu