New students may be required to take placement tests to determine their readiness for college-level work. If placement testing shows that students are not prepared for college-level work, they will be placed into one or more developmental courses in English Composition, Reading and Study Skills, and/or Mathematics. The Composition Placement Test, the ACCUPLACER® Reading Test, and the ALEKS® Math Test are required of all students unless there is an automatic placement or exemption due to ACT/SAT scores. Students who have AP credit or transfer coursework may not need placement testing. Students will be informed about what testing is needed when they are accepted for admission to the University.
Students who are required to take one or more placement tests must do so before advisement and registration.
Composition Placement Test and ACCUPLACER Reading Test
The Composition Placement Test and the ACCUPLACER® Reading Test are required of a student who has not been placed through ACT/SAT scores, or is not required to take the ACT/SAT test. No student is permitted to register for classes without having taken the tests, except those students placed into English classes for non-native speakers and those with approved transfer credit.
Students placing into the following courses must complete the specified coursework within their first 36 semester hours. Otherwise, the student will be limited to enrolling only for those developmental classes until they are completed successfully.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| RSS 1510A | Advanced College Success Skills | 3 |
| ENGL 1541 | Introduction to College Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | 4 |
Conditionally admitted students placing into the following courses must take these courses within their first 20 semester hours.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| RSS 1510A | Advanced College Success Skills | 3 |
| OR | ||
| ENGL 1541 | Introduction to College Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | 4 |
Students directed to enroll in the following courses must do so. The student may not withdraw from these courses unless he or she is making a complete withdrawal from the University.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| RSS 1510A | Advanced College Success Skills | 3 |
| ENGL 1541 | Introduction to College Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | 4 |
None of the above-named mandatory developmental courses may be taken more than twice without the approval of the college dean. Should a student not successfully complete any of these courses within two attempts, or if he or she withdraws from them twice, the student will be unenrolled from the University.
Please note that credit hours from the following courses will not count toward a degree.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| RSS 1510A | Advanced College Success Skills | 3 |
| ENGL 1509 | Academic English for Non-native Speakers | 3 |
| ENGL 1512 | English Conversation for Non-native Speakers | 1 |
| ENGL 1541 | Introduction to College Writing | 3 |
English Composition Requirement
A student must complete the regular English composition requirement for graduation within the first 60 hours of coursework. A student who does not complete the English requirement within the first 60 hours of coursework will be prohibited from registering for any additional upper-division courses until the English requirement has been met. Transfer students having completed 60 hours or more are exempt from this policy for their first 12 hours of enrollment at Youngstown State University.
For more information about Placement Tests, please visit the Testing Center website.
ALEKS Math Test
Students who have not been placed through ACT/SAT scores or are not required to take the ACT/SAT test must take the ALEKS® Math Test unless they have approved AP math credit or sufficient transfer coursework. Students will be placed into appropriate mathematics courses based on their ACT/SAT scores or the ALEKS® Math Test.
For information regarding math coursework, visit the Department of Mathematics and Statistics website. For a sample math placement test, visit www.aleks.com and click on 'Free Trial' on the top right of the page.
Foreign Language Placement Test
Students in AB degree programs must satisfy a foreign language requirement for the degrees. Students in the BA and BM degree programs in the College of Creative Arts and Communication should consult with advisors in that college.
Students may enroll in any 1550 elementary foreign language course without taking the FLPT.
Students who wish to begin their college-level foreign language study with 2600 Intermediate or above to satisfy the requirement MUST take the foreign language placement test (FLPT).
Students with AP credit in a foreign language have completed the requirement. Students with transfer credit for college foreign language courses may enroll in the next course in the sequence.
Visit the Foreign Language Requirement page for more information.
For Questions or Concerns
Office: Comprehensive Testing Center
Location: Maag Library
Website: https://ysu.edu/testing-center