Options for Determining Course Placement
At MHCC, you can succeed! Making sure you're in the right class for you is a big part of that. All students who wish to take courses that have a reading, writing, or math prerequisite must have their placement levels evaluated. Prerequisite requirements for each course can be found in the MHCC course catalog.
MHCC offers several different methods for determining your reading, writing, and math placements. Please select the option below that best applies to your situation.
If you are uncertain about which option applies to you, or if you have any questions about the placement process, please email testing services or call 503-491-7591.
Course Placement Options
How to Use High School History for Placement
If you graduated from high school within the last seven years, we may be able to use your high school history to determine your course placement. Please complete the high school history form and include an attachment of your unofficial high school transcript. After submission, a member of our testing services staff will reach out to you and let you know what reading, writing, and math classes you placed into.
If you are dissatisfied with your placement levels, you can choose to take the college placement test.
Taking the College Placement Test (CPT)
Visit our CPT webpage for information about the test and how to request an appointment.
How to Transfer Credits From a Former School
We may be able to determine your course placement through college math or writing classes you completed elsewhere. Learn more about the transfer process and your path to graduation.
How to Use Smarter Balanced Assessment for Placement
If you took the Smarter Balanced Assessment at your high school within the last two years and scored at a Level 3 or 4 on the English and/or mathematics tests, we may be able to waive all or part of your placement test. Please contact your high school counseling office to request that your scores be emailed to testing services at [email protected]. Once received, our staff will evaluate your scores and notify you of your course placements.
English Language Arts
- Test Score 3: course placement in RD117 and WR115
- Test Score 4: course placement in RD117 and WR121Z
Mathematics
- Test Score 3: course placement in MTH111Z (pre-calculus)
- Test Score 4: course placement in MTH111Z with the option test for MTH251 (calculus)
How to Use Your GED® Scores for Placement
If you earned your GED® diploma within the last five years and scored at honors-level (165 or higher) on the language arts or math tests, we may be able to waive all or part of your placement test.
Please request a copy of your GED® transcript, and then email the transcript to testing services for evaluation. Once your scores have been received, testing staff will evaluate your transcript and update your records so that you can register for classes.
- Language Arts score 165-200: course placement into RD117 and WR121Z
- Mathematics score of 165-200: course placement into MTH111Z (pre-calculus)
If you scored a 175 or higher on any of the GED® tests, you are eligible to receive college credit at MHCC! Please email testing services for more information.
How to Use Accuplacer Results from Another College
If you took an Accuplacer test at another school within the last five years, please have the school email a copy of your score report to [email protected].
You can also request your Accuplacer scores through the Accuplacer Student Portal.
The report submitted to us must include your full name, the date of the test, the name of the test, and subtests. Once we receive your score report, testing services staff will evaluate your results and update your MHCC record so that you can register for classes.
MHCC does not accept Writeplacer or ALEKS test scores.
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