The following criteria will be used to determine the general waiver criteria based on external examinations or experiences.

Placement Test Waivers

English:

Students may be exempted from taking the writing portion of the placement test if they meet one of the following:

  • hold a degree from an accredited college
  • have successfully completed an appropriate developmental writing course at another Virginia community college
  • have an AP score of 3 or higher in English
  • have received a writing placement recommendation above the developmental level from another college
  • are a transient student who submits an appropriately completed Transient Student Form
  • have successfully completed a writing course equivalent to ENG 111 or higher
  • present an SAT writing score of 500+ on both critical reading and writing sections of the test
  • present an ACT writing score of 21 on both English and Reading tests

The SAT or ACT tests must have been taken within two (2) years prior to the requested test waiver.

Mathematics:

Students may be exempted from taking the mathematics portion of the placement test if they meet one of the following:

  • have successfully completed an appropriate developmental course at another Virginia community college
  • have successfully completed a college-level mathematics course at another college equivalent to a college-level mathematics course at JSRCC
  • are a transient student who submits an appropriately completed Transient Student Form
  • present a score of 22 or higher on the mathematics portion of the ACT (and have high school prerequisite courses – see below)
  • present a score 520 or higher on the mathematics portion of the SAT (and have high school prerequisite courses – see below)

The SAT/ACT tests must have been taken within two (2) years prior to the requested course waiver.

Students who waive the mathematics portion of the placement test may be placed into one of the following courses:

  • MTH 115
  • MTH 151
  • MTH 163
  • MTH 166
  • MTH 170

Students who wish to take a mathematics course higher than those courses listed above must take the mathematics portion of the placement test.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Students may be exempted from taking the ESL placement test if they meet one of the following:

  • hold a degree from an accredited college
  • are a native of one of the following countries:
    • Australia
    • English speaking Canadian provinces
    • English speaking Caribbean island nations
    • the Republic of Ireland
    • the United Kingdom
    • New Zealand
  • entered the United States prior to middle school
  • received transfer credit for college-level composition (ENG 111)
  • earned the following scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
    • 550 (paper based); must have score of five (5) on the Test of Written English
    • 213 (computer based); must have score of five (5) on the Test of Written English
    • 80+ on Internet Based Test (IBT)
  • successfully completed an appropriate developmental writing course at another Virginia community college
  • successfully completed an appropriate developmental reading course at another Virginia community college
  • are a transient student who submits an appropriately completed Transient Student Form
  • received an AP score of three (3) or higher in English
  • received a writing placement recommendation above the developmental level from another college (Compass Placement Test only)
  • have a GPA of 2.5 for 9 or more general education credits at this college
  • present a PSAT writing score of 52+
  • present an SAT writing score of 500+
  • present an ACT writing score of 19+

The SAT/PSAT or ACT tests must have been taken within one (1) year prior to the requested test waiver.

January 2014