Take your placement tests

All new students are required to take placement tests before enrolling in classes unless these tests are waived by a counselor or advisor. You must submit your application for admission before taking the placement tests.

The tests are not pass/fail tests; they are used to help you choose classes wisely so that you will not enroll in courses that are too easy or too difficult for you.

You may be exempt from taking some or all of the placement tests. You can check to see if you are exempt from taking the placement tests.

Walk-in hours (September through January)

All testing is done on a walk-in basis in room T.2800 - no appointments are made:

Day	Sign-in OPEN	Sign-in CLOSED	Room CLOSED
Mondays, Tuesdays	8:30 a.m.	1:30 p.m.	3:30 p.m.
Wednesdays, Thursdays	12:00 p.m.	6:00 p.m.	8:00 p.m.
Fridays	8:30 a.m.	10:00 a.m.	noon

There will be no placement testing on Sep. 7, Sep. 25, Nov. 11, Nov. 26-27, Dec. 24-25, Dec. 31, Jan. 1, Jan. 8, Jan. 11, Jan. 18, or any day on the academic calendar where classes are cancelled or the College is closed.

Testing on Saturdays

There will be placement testing on the following Saturdays: Nov. 21, Dec. 19, with sign-in starting at 8:30 a.m. and closing at 10:00 a.m. The Testing Center closes at noon on these Saturdays.

Prepare for the placement tests

If you are new to MCTC, you will most likely need to take the reading, writing and math placement tests. (If you have attended another college, you may be exempt from testing.) Here is what you need to do:

Native English speakers should familiarize themselves with the Accuplacer test.
If English is your second language, you should familiarize yourself with the ESL Accuplacer test.
Look at the placement schedule to determine when you want to take the test.
Visit the Math department webpage for additional general math skill review.

Keep in mind that children may not accompany you into the testing room and must be supervised at all times while at MCTC.

Sample test questions

There are many sites available free of charge. It is not necessary to pay for review materials.

Links to additional review sites:

Adobe Reader

To access pdf files, you need Adobe Reader installed on your computer. You may download Adobe Reader for free.

What to bring

A photo ID (you cannot test without one).
Your MCTC ID number.
Calculators are not permitted.

What happens after taking the tests?

After taking the placement tests, you:

Will be given your scores/placements, which will determine if you have the prerequisites required for the program you plan to study at MCTC.
Will be given an appointment for an orientation/registration session (or you can sign-up for an orientation online).

Adult Basic Education (ABE)

Your test scores may indicate that you need to take Adult Basic Education courses. If you have questions about your test scores, please see the post-test advisor in the Testing Center.

You may be exempt from placement testing if...

You are a transfer student and have completed a degree or relevant coursework from an accredited college. Provide an unofficial copy of your transcript or Accuplacer scores to the Counseling and Advising Office (T.2250) or the Student Services Office (T.2200) to determine if you are exempt from taking the placement tests. If you need an immediate waiver of prerequisite (in order to gain entry to a specific class), submit a completed Prerequisite Waiver Form to the Student Services Center (either via fax to 612-659-6245 or bring the form in person to T.2200). You will notified of the outcome within 3 business days.
You have taken the Accuplacer or ESL Accuplacer Computerized Test. Currently, math scores are valid for two years.
You indicated on your admissions application that you are not seeking a degree, diploma, or certificate. Exception: You must take the placement test if you register for classes in ESL, English, Reading, or Math, or classes requiring a prerequisite based on placements received during placement testing. Information regarding prerequisites can be found in the course listing section of the current schedule. Note: Students who are not seeking a degree, diploma or certificate are not eligible for financial aid.

For how long are my test results valid?

Reading, Writing and ESOL placement test scores are valid for 3 calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year.
Math placement test scores are valid for 2 calendar years, inclusive of the current calendar year.

Note: A calendar year is January 1 through December 31.

If your placement scores are no longer valid or you have not completed the necessary prerequisites, you may be required to complete the college placement tests.

Prospective students