Placement Testing
The Admissions Office is the first step. Students who need a placement test or think they need a placement test should visit or email Admissions (admissions@gtcc.edu).
If the Admissions Office determines that a placement test is necessary, they will send the assessment center a testing referral. The assessment center will then reach out to the student via their GTCC email to set up any required testing. Please do not try to set up a placement test without speaking to admissions first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Placement tests may be waived for applicants under the following conditions:
- High School graduation less than 10 years ago
- ACT or SAT scores that are less than 10 years old
- College-level English or math at another institution that is accepted by this college
- Associate degree or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Other placement scores that have been taken within the past 10 years and have a crosswalk
Most placement test scores are currently valid for five years. However, we will accept them up to 10 years if scores are available in a student record or paper format.
RISE Placement Test – English
There are two RISE English placement tests; Tier 1 and Tier 2. Students must earn a score of 70 or higher on each test to advance to the next level. That is, if a student earns a 70 or higher on Tier 1, then the student will move on to Tier 2. If the student does not earn a score of 70 or higher on Tier 1, then the student cannot take Tier 2.
Student performance on each RISE English test corresponds with the RISE tiers that are used for placement into college-level courses with or without co-requisite support.
Students may take the RISE English placement test a maximum of two times – one original and one retest (retesting is allowed only if the student scores between 60 and 69).
RISE Placement Test – Math
There are three RISE math placement tests. Students must earn a score of 70 on each test to advance to the next. That is, if a student earns 70 or higher on Test 1, then the student can take Test 2. If the student earns 69 or lower on Test 2, then the student cannot take Test 3. The same applies to movement between Tier 2 and Tier 3.
Student performance on each RISE math test corresponds with the RISE tiers that are used for placement into college-level courses with or without co-requisite support.
Students may take the RISE math placement test a maximum of two times – one original and one retest (retesting is allowed only if the student scores between 60 and 69) in a 10-year period.
Each RISE placement test tier takes about 60 minutes to complete. As always, some students finish quicker and some take longer to complete the test.
Preparing for the math placement
There are three RISE math placement tests: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3.
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Whole numbers | Concepts in statistics | Factoring |
| Fractions and mixed numbers | Solving equations and inequalities | System of equations and inequalities |
| Decimals | Exponents and polynomials | Rational expressions |
| Ratios, rates, and proportions | Graphing | Radical expressions and quadratic equations |
| Percent | Functions | |
| Measurement | ||
| Geometry | ||
| Real numbers |
Use the PDF linked below to help prepare for the placement test, or use it as a refresher on some of the concepts before taking the test.
Preparing for the English Placement
There are two parts to the RISE English placement tests; Tier 1 and Tier 2.
Below is a list of concepts covered in each Tier.
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 |
|---|---|
| Introduction to college reading and writing | Exploring comparative elements |
| Identifying main ideas | Informed opinions through causal chains |
| Discovering implied meaning | Applied critical analysis |
| Interpreting bias | Using sources in critical reading and writing |
| Analysis through definition | |
| Learning across disciplines |
Use the PDF linked below to help prepare for the placement test, or use it as a refresher on some of the concepts before taking the test.