Placement Exams
Placement exams assess what you have learned in a given subject area to determine what course level will be the right fit for you. Below you’ll find information about English, mathematics, ACCUPLACER and foreign language exams, as well as options for challenging your placement.
English Placement
The English placement procedure at USD helps place you in the highest level English course based on your English ACT subscore, SAT reading and writing scores, or Smarter Balanced English score. If you do not have any valid scores in these areas, you will need to take a placement test (ACCUPLACER). The highest level placement based on scores or GPA will be used for class registration.
Refer to the BOR Guideline 7.6 Section 4 (located on pages 4 and 5) for more information.
| If You Want to Take | ACT English | SAT EWR Score | Smarter Balanced | ACCUPLACER NextGen Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 032 | 1-17 | n/a | 0-2582 | 200-262 |
| ENG 101 | 18-36 | 490+ | 2583 or higher | 263+ |
Challenging your placement
You may also choose to challenge your placement by taking a computer-based placement exam (ACCUPLACER). The cost of the exam is $20. Some testing options may require additional service fees. You may challenge your placement up to two times.
Mathematics Placement
The Math placement procedure at USD helps place you in the highest level Math course based on your GPA, Math Index, or Smarter Balanced mathematics score. If you do not have any valid scores in these areas, you will need to take a placement test (ACCUPLACER). The highest level placement based on scores or GPA will be used for class registration.
You will have the opportunity to challenge your initial placement if you don't believe it is the appropriate course for you using the Challenge Index. A student must score high enough on the QAS test and reach the AAF assessment in order to calculate these results.
Test Scores and high school GPA must be no more than 5 years old to be used for placement. If you do not have a valid GPA, there is no charge for the first attempt.
Placement levels will remain the same if you have already taken the ACT, SAT, Smarter Balanced and/or ACCUPLACER exam. Refer to the BOR Guideline 7.6 Appendix B (located on page 10) for the official placement chart.
If You Want to Take: |
High School GPA (HSGPA) |
Math Index (MI) MI = 250 x HS GPA + 17 x MATH ACT* |
ACCUPLACER Score (only if no HS GPA) |
Smarter Balanced Score |
Challenge Index (CI) CI = 290 x HS GPA + AAF** + 20 If student does not reach AAF domain, no challenge index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MATH 103 or MATH 114 |
3.03 ≤ HSGPA < 3.55 |
MI 1150 or higher |
QAS 255-300 or AAF 200-249 |
2628 or higher |
CI 1150 or higher |
MATH 115 or MATH 120 or MATH 121/121L or STAT 281 |
HSGPA is 3.55 or higher |
MI 1300 or higher |
AAF 250-300 or ACCUPLACER SDCalculus 1-15 |
N/A |
CI 1300 or higher |
MATH 123 w/123L |
HSGPA is 3.55 or higher AND ACCUPLACER SDCalculus 16 or higher |
MI 1300 or higher AND ACCUPLACER SDCalculus 16 or higher |
AAF 250+ AND ACCUPLACER SDCalculus 16 or higher |
N/A |
CI 1300 or higher AND ACCUPLACER SDCalculus 16 or higher |
| SAT is converted to equivalent ACT for MI calculation. Dual credit students are permitted to take the ACCUPLACER once per term. ACCUPLACER domains: QAS: Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra & Statistics; AAF: Advanced Algebra and Functions. Test Scores and HS GPA must be no more than 5 years old to be used for placement. ALEKS and ACCUPLACER access may vary by campus. |
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Determining your Math Index
Math Index - (250* HS GPA) + (17*Math ACT subscore)
If a student has a high school GPA of 3.2 and a math ACT subscore of 22, their Math Index would be 1174 and placed into MATH 102, MATH 103 or MATH 104.
(250*3.2)+(17*22) = 1174
Calculus
If you wish to take calculus and have a qualifying initial placement (see table), you will take the ACCUPLACER exam. In these situations, you will not be charged a fee for the first exam.
Challenging your placement
You may choose to challenge your placement by taking a computer-based placement exam. The cost of the exam is $20. Some testing options may require additional service fees. You may challenge your placement up to two times.
ACCUPLACER
For preparation on your ACCUPLACER exam, visit the ACCUPLACER website for practice questions and an interactive app for the areas of Writing (English placement), Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics (QAS) and Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF) (Math Placement).
To request to take the ACCUPLACER exam, please contact your admissions representative or [email protected].
Foreign Language Placement
If you will be taking a foreign language class at USD and have had previous exposure to the language, the WebCape foreign language placement test will help place you in the course level most appropriate to your current skills in the language.
Take the WebCape Foreign Language Placement Test
