Placement Testing and Waiver Guidelines
One of the goals of the College is to help students succeed by guiding them into the courses and resources needed to help them fulfill their individual educational needs and goals.
Assessment and placement are required of all new curriculum students unless exempt by a waiver. Placement testing is also required for non-matriculated students planning to enroll in an English or mathematics course, a course that is heavily based in English or mathematics (i.e. Chemistry, Physics, etc.), and is strongly encouraged for non-matriculated students planning to complete multiple courses during a semester. Transfer students will not be required to test if proficiency is documented by official transcripts. The placement test assesses a student's skills in writing, reading, and math and identifies which course or courses best fit the student's skill level.
Students must achieve a satisfactory score in the discipline to be able to register for a college-level course in mathematics or English. Students scoring below college-ready may remediate independently of the College or enroll in college-preparatory courses in mathematics, English or reading at Penn Highlands. Students are encouraged to prepare for placement testing by reviewing sample test questions and test subject resources.
Students may qualify for a placement test waiver for one or more means: Waiver Options.
Make Up Testing
In some cases, instructors permit students to make up a missed test. Arrangements are made by the instructor for the test to be monitored in the Student Success Center or an appropriate location at the Centers. For more information, see Makeup Testing.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Testing
Individuals interested in CLEP Testing to obtain College credits may arrange to take a CLEP test in the Student Success Center. Click here for a list of accepted CLEP exams.
Proctored Exams
Individuals needing a proctored testing environment for a certifying agency or educational institution may arrange for test proctoring in the Success Center for a fee.