Placement Requirements

Placement tests determine a student’s reading, writing and mathematics skills. Academic advisors use the placements to ensure students are successful in the courses they choose.

Who needs to take placement tests?

  • New FVCC students who have been out of high school for more than two years
  • Transfer students without previous math, and/or reading and writing courses
  • Running Start students wishing to enroll in FVCC courses
  • Students wanting to place into a higher level courses and/or improve upon previous placement scores

Where do I find my scores?

You will find your results on your Student Portal. On the left hand menu bar, click on “admissions status” and then select “placement”.

If you have any questions, need an advising appointment, or need testing accommodations due to disability to complete the placement tests, please call (406) 756-3880.

Math Placement

Yes

  • New FVCC students who have been out of high school for more than two years

  • Transfer students without previous college math courses

  • Running Start students wishing to enroll in FVCC courses


Maybe

If you graduated from high school within the last two years, you may be eligible to register for math courses without taking the math placement test. Review the criteria for direct placement in FVCC math courses.

No
If you are transferring to FVCC with college credit for math, and/or you earned AP or IB credit for math, you will not be required to take the math placement.
Please contact the Foundational Math Center (FMC) at placement@fvcc.edu or (406) 756-4330 for any questions or to schedule your math placement.

  • The math placement tool is proctored on FVCC’s campus on a walk-in basis in the FMC, Ross Hall, Room 150. If you are unable to come to campus, the math placement tool can be taken off-site under a neutral proctor. For off-site proctoring of the math placement tool, please contact the FMC above.

  • On-campus math placement hours:

    • Monday-Thursday, 9am-5pm

    Please make sure to arrive at least an hour and a half before closing to ensure adequate time. Other times may be available by appointment; contact the FMC for options.

  • The math placement tool can be taken a total of three times per semester. Before or after taking the math placement tool, an EdReady MT account can be created for you to help prepare and improve your math skills. If you would like an EdReady MT account created, please contact placement@fvcc.edu.

Reading & Writing Placement

Yes

  • New FVCC students without ACT scores
    Transfer students without previous college writing courses
    Running Start students wishing to enroll in FVCC courses


Maybe

If you took the ACT test in the last two years, you may not need to take the Reading & Writing Placement. The following ACT scores enable you to directly enter college level courses and skip the Reading & Writing Placement:

  • 7 or higher on the ACT Writing all other years, or

  • 18 or higher on the ACT English


No

If you are transferring to FVCC with college credit for writing, and/or you earned AP or IB credit for English, Language or Literature test scores, you will not be required to take the Reading & Writing Placement.
The Reading & Writing Placement is available online through your Student Portal. You are permitted one attempt at the Reading & Writing Placement each semester.

Instructions for taking the Reading & Writing Placement

Step 1: Register to take the Reading & Writing Placement on your Student Portal.

  • Click “admission status”

  • Click “placement

  • Click “register for reading and writing placement”

  • Note: You will need to wait 24 hours until you can access the Reading & Writing Placement on Eagle Online


Step 2: Accessing the Reading & Writing Placement:

  • Go to Eagle Online

  • Log in using your Student Portal username + '@fvcc.edu' and password

  • Click on “placement testing reading and writing”

  • Watch the video instructions

  • Click on “writing placement”

    • Give yourself approximately one hour to write a short essay response to the prompt provided.

    • You must complete the Writing Placement once you begin, but you have unlimited time.



  • Click on “reading placement”

    • You will then read short essays and answer 25 multiple choice questions.



Chemistry Placement

Yes

  • New FVCC students who have been out of high school for more than two years and want to take chemistry at FVCC

  • Transfer students without previous college chemistry who want to take chemistry at FVCC

  • Running Start students wishing to enroll in FVCC chemistry courses


Maybe

If you graduated from high school within the last two years, you may be eligible to register for chemistry courses without taking the chemistry placement test. Review the criteria for direct placement into FVCC chemistry courses.

No

If you are transferring to FVCC with college credit for chemistry, and/or you earned AP or IB credit for chemistry, you will not be required to take the chemistry placement.

Please note:

The chemistry placement is optional, and only intended for students who want to take chemistry courses. Chemistry courses are not required for all degree programs.
Schedule your chemistry placement test in our testing center.

To improve your chemistry placement at home:

  • If you wish to try to place into a higher level chemistry course, you can log into your ALEKS account from home and work through more topics using “learning mode”.

  • You have until the last day to add a class in the upcoming semester (or 18 weeks, whichever comes first) from the date and time you register in ALEKS for the chemistry placement test to work on these topics.


Please note: The chemistry placement is optional, and only intended for students who want to take chemistry courses. Chemistry courses are not required for all degree programs.