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Placement Testing

Placement Testing is how we determine which classes you'll start with when you get to Columbus State. We want to ensure you have the best chance to succeed, and you don't have to retake subjects you've already passed. 

Columbus State has temporarily suspended in-person placement testing because of the health risks during COVID-19. Instead, the College is using alternative methods to place students in the best-fit courses for their academic success.

Prior to registering for classes, new students should submit their transcripts and ACT/SAT test scores to the College. If you’ve been out of high school for more than 10 years and don’t have documentation, the College has other options for placement. Read more on your specific situation below:

Submit the following documentation prior to registration:

Once your documentation has been sent in, continue to your orientation as described in Step 3 of the Get Started Guide.

*qualifying GED scores can be used for placement if they were earned since 01/01/2014

If the documentation options above are not available to you, register for College Writing (ENGL 0199)/College Composition Workshop (ENGL 1101), where you’ll learn in a small-group environment that will set you up for success through the rest of your college journey. To determine math placement, you will need to take the online math placement test, ALEKS, which you’ll access through CougarWeb once you’ve been given your Columbus State username and password. ALEKS Math Placement Test instructions.

Once your documentation has been sent in, continue to your orientation as described in Step 3 of the Get Started Guide. 

If English is not the first language you learned, then answer these questions to see if you need to take the ESL placement test.

  • Have you had at least eight (8) years of K-12 school in the U.S.?
  • If you are a College Credit Plus student, have you had at least six (6) years of school in the U.S.? 
  • Do you have college-level English transfer credit, or have you earned a degree from a U.S. college or university?
  • Do you have a TOEFL score of at least 79 or IELTS 6.5 in the last two years?
  • Do you have an ACT English score of 18 or above or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 480 or above?

If the answer to one or more of these questions is YES, then you do not need to take the ESL placement test.  Contact Columbus State New Advising (CASE) for next steps.

If the answer to all of these questions is NO, then you need to take the ESL placement test to be sure you have a successful start to your college education.

You will be asked to produce a writing sample and complete a multiple-choice test on language use, reading skills, and sentence meaning. The test will be taken during a three-hour online session over Zoom using a webcam. You will need paper and pencil or pen, internet access, and a computer with a webcam.

Schedule your ESL Placement Test

Student eligibility for the College Credit Plus program is determined in one of the following ways:
 
ACT/SAT scores: Or, if you have taken the ACT and/or SAT within the last two years, you scores may be used to determine your eligibility for College Credit Plus. Please have your official scores sent to Columbus State. ACT scores must be sent directly from the American College Testing database. Visit act.org, click on "Register, view scores and more," and follow the prompts to request that your scores be sent to Columbus State (College Code: 3261). SAT Scores must be sent directly from the College Board. Visit sat.org and click on "Send scores to colleges" and follow the prompts to request that your scores be sent to Columbus State (College Code: 1148).   

If you have not taken the ACT or SAT within the last two years, please contact your school counselor to see if they are offering Columbus State's placement tests on-site at your school.  Due to health risks associated with COVID-19 Columbus State testing centers are currently closed.

If you have earned English or math credit at another college or university, please send the unofficial transcript from that institution to ccpadvising@cscc.edu.

If you have earned English or math Advanced Placement (AP) credit, please email your AP score report to ccpadvising@cscc.edu.

Once we receive your scores, we’ll determine if they meet the eligibility score thresholds set by the state of Ohio, and then determine course placement. Once your eligibility has been confirmed, we’ll email with you with your next steps.

If you have questions about CCP placement testing, please contact ccpadvising@cscc.edu.