General Information

• Login to the Corsair Connect.

• Click on the "Placement" located under "Success Steps"

• If you are not showing a placement at this time, please follow the steps to complete the placement process.

Note: You will only be able to complete this process once;  please make sure to answer the questions to the best of your ability.

Below you will see the course sequences requited for English, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Math. If you have further questions regarding the sequence, please contact the individual Department or the Counseling Department. 

• English Sequence
• ESL Sequence
• Math Sequence  

If your placement is complete, you will see the English or ESL and Math classes you are eligible for. If your placement is not complete, you will be asked to complete your placements. 

• Login to the Corsair Connect.

• Click the down arrow next to “Home and Profile”
  
  

• From the drop down menu, select “Student Records”
  
  

• Under “Records” select “Placement History”     

• Login to the Corsair Connect
• Click the "Enrollment" tab; click on "Student Records"; then on "View Placement History".
• Refer to the "Prerequisite/Corequisite Waivers" section for waivers.
  • Authorized — means you were approved for the class specified
  • Unauthorized — means you were not approved

If your request was denied, the Counseling Department should have contacted you via your SMC email account.

If you are a first-time college student, the placement process is mandatory. You are responsible for completing all steps of enrollment in a timely manner.

You are required to complete both English or ESL and math placements if:

• Enrolling in more than six (6) units during your first semester (Fall or Spring) and your educational goal is to get a degree or certificate, transfer, or pursuing basic skills instruction; or
• Enrolling in an English, ESL, or math class for the first time; or
• Completed your first semester at SMC and did not complete the mandatory placement process, but now wish to enroll in a second regular semester (Fall or Spring) term.

Please note: This process can only be completed once.  

The Mathematics Department of Santa Monica College has created a variety of courses in particular sequences designed to serve our SMC students. The areas are STEM Math, Business Math, and Liberal Arts Math pathways. View math pathways.

Your individual goals and transfer plans determine which math sequence is appropriate for you. Another area that you might want to review is "Areas of Study." If after reviewing this information, you are still in doubt as to which sequence of classes to pursue, you should seek the advice of an academic counselor before you start your math course.

To schedule an appointment with an SMC Academic Counselor, please click here. 

Resources such as advising, tutoring, and co-requisite courses are available to help students succeed at SMC. Please take a look at the different options you have for support while attending SMC. 

• English Department Resources
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Resources
• Math Department Resources
• Tutoring Resources 
• Counseling Resources

Students have the right to access transfer-level coursework in English and math, and to credit courses in English as a Second Language (ESL) that lead to English 1. This applies to current and returning students, as well as students who may have started in a basic skills sequence but never completed it.

Assembly Bill 705 requires California Community Colleges to help students enroll in and complete transfer-level coursework in English or ESL and math within a timely manner. If you are a student entering SMC, standardized assessment tests are no longer required. You will be placed in English/ESL and math based on either your prior coursework or a guided self-placement, depending on when and where you completed your prior coursework.

AB 1705 regulations: Community colleges cannot require students to repeat English or math courses that they have successfully completed with a C or higher in high school or college. You may be required to repeat a course if your certificate, degree, or transfer requirements deem the course necessary. If you believe you have been placed into a class that you previously passed and are eligible for an update of your placement results, please meet with an SMC Counselor to discuss your options. 

For more information regarding the placement process please email SuccessandEngagement@smc.edu or to schedule an appointment with a SMC Academic Counselor, please chick here. 

You will be placed using the multiple measures information given on the CCCApply application process. "Multiple measures" consisting of our high school academic record (e.g. coursework, grades, and/or GPA) reported on your CCCApply admission application.

• You may check your placement in Corsair Connect once you have set up your student account. Just log in, click the "Placement" tab and review your placement.
• If you do not see the courses listed, your admission application was missing some necessary information. Follow the instructions on the screen to generate your placement.

All students have the right to access transfer-level coursework in English and Math, and credit ESL courses. This includes current, and returning students, as well as students who may have started in a basic skills sequence and never completed. 

If you are a returning student and enrolled prior to Fall 2019, you could be eligible to update your placements in English or ESL, and/or Math. Eligibility is based upon your previous placement and course completion. 

For more information regarding the placement process please email SuccessandEngagement@smc.edu or to schedule an appointment with an SMC Academic Counselor, please chick here. 

Multiple Measures: You will be placed using the multiple measures information given on the CCCApply application process. "Multiple measures" consists of your high school academic record (e.g. coursework, grades, and/or GPA) reported on your CCCApply admission application.

You may want to refer to your high school transcript as you answer questions on your Corsair Connect English & Math Placement Eligibility form. Please have available your coursework, grades, and/or GPA.

• Cumulative GPA: This is running a total of your GPA that includes all of your high school coursework.
• Unweighted GPA: Typically, transcripts will show both a weighted and an unweighted GPA. The unweighted GPA has a maximum value of 4.0 and does not assign extra points or "weight" to classes that are more difficult such as AP or Honors classes. 

Assembly Bill 705 requires Santa Monica College and other California community colleges to document and post students placement level based on enrollment.

In the statistics chart below, you will find placement results based on the number of students assessed and the number of students placed into transfer-level coursework, transfer-level coursework with concurrent support, or transfer-level or credit ESL coursework, disaggregated by race and ethnicity.

Please view the Statistics Charts for college level placement based on enrollment status at Santa Monica College.

If you did not graduate from a U.S, high or receive your US GED or graduated high school in another country, you can either submit a waiver with previous coursework from another college institution or complete the online guided self-placement process. 

• You will be placed using “guided self-placement,” a set of online tools that help evaluate how prepared you are with the skills you are expected to have before starting a particular math, English, or ESL class. To be guided to the best class for your needs, it is important that you read everything presented to you carefully, and that you answer honestly.
• To access the guided self-placement tools, go to Corsair Connect. Then login, click the “Placement” tab and follow the instructions on the screen.
• Plan on completing the placements together. You may take each guided self-placement only one time.
• Please note: The math guided self-placement presents six (6) options based on your area of study (major) or the course you are interested in taking. If you are not sure which option to choose, check with a counselor. You may take any of the math guided self-placements only one time.

The purpose of Assembly Bill 705 is to help you enroll in and complete transfer-level classes in English and math within one year.

For English, depending on your placement, you will start in one of two ways: (a) directly in English 1, a transfer level English course; (b) directly in English 1, paired with English 28, a supporting course. In some instances, you may also be encouraged to take another reading or grammar supporting course.

For math, depending on your placement, you will start in one of two ways: (a) directly in a transfer-level math course or (b) directly in a transfer level math course paired with a supporting course.

Visit the Math Department or English Department website for more information on the new course sequences.

The purpose of Assembly Bill 705 is to help you enroll in and complete transfer-level classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) within three years. 

For questions or concerns regarding the ESL process, please contact ESL@smc.edu

Equivalent Courses: Fundamentals of Math, Algebra Preparation, Algebra Skills, Algebra or Math Essentials, Math 9.

Topics include exponents and radicals (e.g. square roots), the coordinate system, sets, logic formulas, and solving linear, first-degree equations and inequalities. These classes often cover the use of equations to solve word problems is taught along with solving equations in one and two variables.

Equivalent Courses: Algebra, Algebra 1B, First Year Algebra

Topics include: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of real numbers; inequalities and absolute value in equations; slope and x and y intercepts, graphing of linear equations; inequalities and quadratic equations; systems of two linear equations; polynomials; rational expressions and functions; the quadratic formula;

Topics include: functions; algebra; geometry; statistics; probability; discrete mathematics; measurement; number; logic; and language.

Topics include quadratic expressions, equations, and functions; comparing their characteristics and behavior to those of linear and exponential relationships.

Equivalent Courses: Plane and Solid Geometry, Formal Geometry, Academic Geometry, etc. (usually occurs after Algebra 1)

Topics include: graphing lines, areas, and volumes of plane figures and solids; congruence and similarity; the Pythagorean theorem; properties of angles, parallel and perpendicular lines, triangles, special right triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles; and a basic trigonometric function.

Equivalent Courses: Algebra II, Intermediate Algebra, Advanced Algebra, Algebra 2/Trigonometry (usually occurs after Geometry)

Topics include polynomials of higher order, logarithms and logarithmic functions, absolute value, systems of linear equations and inequalities, matrices, operations on polynomials, rational expressions, quadratic equations and functions, conic sections, inverse functions, sequences and series, the basic ideas of probability and statistics.

Equivalent Courses: Algebra II, Intermediate Algebra, Advanced Algebra, Algebra 2/Trigonometry (usually occurs after Geometry)

Topics include polynomials of higher order, logarithms and logarithmic functions, absolute value, systems of linear equations and inequalities, matrices, operations on polynomials, rational expressions, quadratic equations and functions, conic sections, inverse functions, sequences and series, the basic ideas of probability and statistics.

Topics include: applying methods from probability and statistics to draw inferences and conclusions from data; expanding understanding of functions to include polynomial, rational, and radical functions; trigonometry of general triangles and trigonometric functions.

Equivalent Courses: Probability and Statistics, AP Statistics (students having completed AP Statistics should consult with college assessment and admissions websites and/or personnel)

Topics include independent events, conditional probability, discrete random variables; examinations of chance-based phenomena; standard distributions; mean, median, and mode; variance and standard deviation; probability theory; and data organization.

Advanced geometry, advanced algebra, and probability and statistics.

Topics include radian measure; unit circle; trigonometric identities; simplifying trigonometric expressions; graphs of trigonometric functions and their inverse; polar coordinates; analytic geometry; and graphing circular functions.

Equivalent Courses: polar coordinates, vectors, complex numbers, limits, mathematical induction, fundamental theorem of algebra, conic sections, rational functions, and functions and equations defined parametrically.

Topics include coordinate geometry with analytical methods and proofs; equations and graphs of conic sections; rectangular and polar coordinates; parametric equations; vectors; the study of polynomial, logarithmic, exponential, and rational functions and their graphs; induction; limits and rate change; continuity; and problem analysis.

Topics include coordinate geometry with analytical methods and proofs; equations and graphs of conic sections; rectangular and polar coordinates; parametric equations; vectors; the study of polynomial, logarithmic, exponential, and rational functions and their graphs; induction; limits and rate change; continuity; and problem analysis.

Equivalent Courses: AP Calculus, IB Math SL, IB Math HL, or other courses beyond Calculus such as Linear Algebra (students having completed AP or IB courses should consult with college assessment and admissions websites and/or personnel)

Topics include the study of derivatives and differentiation; limits; instantaneous rates of change; areas under graphs of functions of first and second derivatives; integration; the definite and indefinite integral; and applications of calculus.