Placement

Placement Testing in Mathematics, Reading, and English

First-time Stevenson University students will need to complete one or more Stevenson University placement tests prior to registration.

Mathematics Placement – Effective in the fall 2015 semester, all students are required to complete the mathematics placement test prior to registering for classes

Reading Comprehension and English Placement - The sentence skills and reading comprehension placement test is required prior to registration for all students with one or more of the following:

• SAT Critical Reading (CR) score between 400 and 510.
• ACT combined score of English and Reading between 32 and 44.

Students scoring below a 400 on the SAT-CR or below a combined score of 32 on the ACT English and Reading sections will be placed automatically in the appropriate Developmental Studies course.

Placement Information in Developmental Courses

Developmental courses in the areas of mathematics, reading, and English are designed to improve skills in these content areas. Placement in and successful completion of developmental courses are required of students who do not demonstrate proficiency in the basic skill areas on the SAT, ACT, or the Stevenson placement tests. Students who are placed into developmental courses are required to complete them during their first year at Stevenson. These courses do not receive college credit or count toward the calculation of dean's list, but they do count toward enrollment status for financial aid and full-time student status.

Placement Testing for Transfer Students

Placement testing is required for any student who:

• Did not receive an SAT Critical Reading score of at least 520 or has not completed a college English Writing course equivalent to Stevenson's ENG 148 (or higher level English writing course) with a minimum grade of "C"
• Has not completed at least a 3-credit college Intermediate Algebra course equivalent to Stevenson’s DEVM 105# (or higher level math course) with a minimum of a "C"

Placement tests (if needed) must be taken before registration. Questions about placement testing may be directed to the Director of Developmental Studies or the Manager of the Academic Link Tutoring Center.

Placement in Foreign Language Courses

Stevenson University offers elementary and intermediate level courses in French and Spanish. First-semester foreign language classes (101) are not open to native speakers or students with two or more years of high school study. Placement is required for second-semester classes (102) and intermediate levels (201 and 202). Incoming freshmen who have scored 500+ on the appropriate SAT subject test or who have completed three or more years of high school language within two years will be placed in an intermediate-level class. Placement can also be determined by scores on the Advanced Placement test, by International Baccalaureate achievement levels, or by a test or interview with an instructor. Full-time students interested in languages other than French and Spanish are eligible to participate in the Baltimore Student Exchange Program (BSEP) at area colleges and universities. Additional information about the BSEP can be found in the Courses at another Institution section under "Academic Information" in this catalog. Specific questions regarding foreign language placement should be directed to the chair of the English department.