Assessment is essential in evaluating the educational skill levels of students and assisting them in their selection of courses that lead to achieving their educational goals.
Assessment is used only to generate placement recommendations, and not to advance students to higher-level courses. Once students officially enroll in an English, ESL, math, or chemistry course, they are not permitted to undergo assessment again as a means for advancing to higher-level courses. Students who believe they already possess the educational background and skills needed to succeed in higher-level courses must meet with a counselor to discuss exemption from prerequisites and how to file a Prerequisite/Corequisite Challenge Petition in the Transfer/Counseling Center, which processes the petition and then forwards it to the appropriate department (English, ESL, math, or chemistry). See the College Policies, Rules, and Regulations section in this catalog (included online in the Part 4 .pdf) for details on challenging prerequisites and corequisites.
For detailed information on the assessment process at Santa Monica College, see the Assessment Center website (www.smc.edu/assessment), call (310) 434-8040, or visit the Assessment Center, located in Room 109 of the Liberal Arts building.
Santa Monica College requires students to undergo the assessment process in English or ESL and in math if they are:
• First-time college students who are enrolling in more than six (6) units during their first semester at SMC (regardless of their academic goals);
• Continuing students who are enrolling for their second semester at SMC, but who have not yet completed the assessment process;
• Students who are enrolling in an English, ESL, or math course for the first time, even if they are not first-time college students; or
• Students who are enrolling in courses with recommended English or math preparation.
Based on their assessment scores, students will receive an English, ESL, or math placement recommendation.
Students with an Associate or higher degree from a US-accredited institution may be exempt from assessment. However, if they are planning to take English, ESL, or math courses, they must discuss their plans with an academic counselor.
Santa Monica College provides placement recommendations and assessment/prerequisite waivers to students on the basis of their past coursework or, in some cases, assessment results from other colleges. For example:
• Students may be exempt from English or ESL assessment if they have completed a college-level English or ESL composition course with a grade of C (2.0) or better;
• Students may be exempt from math assessment if they have completed a college-level math course with a grade of C (2.0) or better;
• Students may be exempt from assessment or from selected prerequisites if they have completed applicable college-level courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better (or P, if they took the courses on a P/NP basis) and the courses are equivalent to SMC courses that require or recommend the assessment of skill levels;
• Students may be exempt from assessment or from selected prerequisites if they have completed applicable college-level courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better (or P, if they took the courses on a P/NP basis) and the courses are equivalent to SMC courses that recommend English or math preparation;
• Students may be exempt from assessment or may receive waivers for selected prerequisites if they participated in another college’s assessment program recently and the tests are the same as the ones in use at SMC (see Waivers Based on Placement Test Results, below, for details), or if they received a particular score on an applicable College Board AP test (see Waivers Based on Advanced Placement Exam Results, below).
Please see www.smc.edu/assessment/waivers_exemptions.html for detailed instructions on how to obtain a waiver or request an exemption. Assessment/prerequisite waiver requests are reviewed on an individual basis.
PLEASE NOTE: Students who may be exempt from assessment still must successfully complete—or receive waivers for—any prerequisite courses (or their equivalent) that are required for English, ESL, or math classes. Please consult a counselor at the Transfer/Counseling Center for further information.
Placement recommendations and permits to enroll in English, ESL, math, or chemistry may be issued to students if they have completed a relevant college-level course with a grade of C (2.0) or better. Students should take a copy of their college transcript to the Transfer/Counseling Center or Welcome Center. A counselor will evaluate the course in question and, if appropriate, issue a waiver.
Santa Monica College does not automatically accept assessment results from other institutions. Exceptions may be made under the following very limited circumstances, and only on a case-by-case basis:
• Out-of-State Students Applying to SMC: Students who are eligible to enroll at SMC and planning to move to California to attend SMC may be allowed to complete placement tests at another institution, but ONLY if those assessment tests are the same as the ones in use at SMC (see below for test names) AND the students have completed the test(s) within the past calendar year.. However, SMC will apply its own “cut” scores in determining a student’s placement eligibility.
• Los Angeles-Area & Ventura-Area Students: Students who live in the Greater Los Angeles/Ventura area must come to Santa Monica College to undergo the assessment process. SMC will not accept assessment results from other schools, even if they are for the same tests as those offered at SMC.
• Students Who Meet the Above Criteria Must Take: For English: ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension and Sentence Skills tests; for ESL: ACCUPLACER Language Use and Reading Skills and Sentence Meaning test; for math: COMPASS Math test.
• Placement test results must be faxed directly by the institution to (310) 434-8019, to the attention of Prof. Esau Tovar. Results that are hand-carried or faxed by the student will not be accepted.
College Board Advanced Placement test results may be used to determine the eligibility of students for English, math, and chemistry courses. Students must bring their original AP test results to the Assessment Center or to the Transfer/Counseling Center. Faxes or copies will not be accepted under any circumstances. Placement/prerequisite waivers will be issued under the following conditions:
• A score of 3, 4, or 5 on the AP English Language & Composition or Composition & Literature exam will qualify students for English 2 and give 3 units of credit for English 1;
• A score of 3 on the AP Calculus AB exam will qualify students for Math 7 and give 5 units credit for Math 2;
• A score of 3 on the AP Calculus BC exam will qualify students for Math 8 and give 5 units credit for Math 7;
• A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus AB exam will qualify students for Math 8 and give 5 units credit for Math 7; and
• A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam will qualify students for Math 10/11/13/15 and give 5 units credit for Math 8.
Before enrolling in Chemistry 11, a student must either satisfactorily complete Chemistry 10 or pass the Chemistry 10 Challenge Exam. Testing appointments for this exam may be scheduled through the Assessment Center webpage (www.smc.edu/assessment).
All students who wish to earn an Associate in Arts degree must demonstrate proficiency in written communication and mathematics. Mathematics proficiency is demonstrated by:
1. Completing a minimum of an Intermediate Algebra course taught at an accredited college; or by
2. Taking the SMC Mathematics Assessment and placing into Intermediate Algebra or higher; or by
3. Taking the SMC Mathematics Proficiency Assessment (MPA) administered by the Assessment Center.
Please note: Students meeting the mathematics graduation requirement using the above option 2 or option 3 must also complete one course from the Associate in Arts Degree General Education Requirements Area 4B (Language and Rationality).
To take the Math Proficiency Assessment, a student must first complete a minimum of 30 units of classes that meet AA degree requirements. The Assessment Center will verify this at the time the student signs up for the MPA by reviewing the number of completed cumulative units indicated on the student’s SMC transcript. If a student has attended another college and will be using units from that college to meet the 30 unit requirement, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the Assessment Center and provide us with a valid transcript. The Math Proficiency Assessment is given during normal testing hours on a first-come, first-served basis only. Students must present a valid photo ID and a student ID number to take the MPA. Please visit the Assessment Center webpage (www.smc.edu/assessment) for information on the Math Proficiency Assessment contents and a study guide.
The Mathematics Proficiency Assessment may be retaken one time only, after a waiting period of eight (8) weeks after the student first took the MPA. Additional retesting will not be provided under any circumstances. Students should be sure to review and prepare for the MPA.
Students may retest in English, ESL, math, and chemistry after a waiting period of two weeks from the date they first took the test. After that, they are also permitted to retest once each calendar year, but only if they have not started taking courses in the relevant subject. Students who enroll in any of those courses will forfeit their chance to retest. (Please note: Retesting policies for the Math Proficiency Assessment differ from the ones listed here. See the Math Proficiency Assessment (MPA) section above for details).
All assessment results are valid for a period of one calendar year. Students should make sure they enroll in the courses their assessment results qualified them for before their assessment results expire. Once the results have expired, students will be blocked from enrolling in those courses and will need to retest.