Basic Skills Assessment

The Testing Center is located in McBride Hall Student Services Center. The phone number is: 719-384-6948,
FAX: 719-384-6933. Online information can be found at: http://www.ojc.edu/futurestudents/admissions/placementtesting.aspx

Basic Skills Assessment Test

Students studying for a degree or certificate at OJC must complete an assessment exam prior to meeting with an advisor to enroll in classes.  Accepted placement exams are the CCPT, Accuplacer, Compass, PARCC and SBAC.

The purpose of the assessment is to help students succeed by placing them into courses appropriate to their academic skill level. Students will be required to enroll into appropriate English, math, or reading courses based upon their placement exam scores. Students may want to review with the use of study guides if they have not had any math or English courses in a while. Students who would like to review before testing may access study guides on the OJC website: http://www.ojc.edu/futurestudents/admissions/placementtesting.aspx

Students may be exempt from one or more of the tests if they meet one of the following criteria:

1. Submit proof of an Associate degree or higher degree.

2. Submit transcripts showing the successful completion of basic-skills instruction in reading, writing or mathematics from another institution.

3. Submit transcripts showing the successful completion (“C” or better or its equivalent) in a college-level course in English and/or math from another institution.

4. Submit minimum ACT scores of 17 in reading, 18 in English, and 23 in math, or SAT scores of 440 in verbal and 570 in math.

5. For math placement, submit high school transcripts, with grades of B or higher - completed within the last 18 months -  for Algebra II, Geometry, or Pre-Calculus, and an unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

6. For English placement, submit high school transcripts, with grades of B or higher - completed within the last 2 years -  for junior or senior year English, and an unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.0 of higher.

 

NOTE: Students must submit copies of their college transcripts or ACT or SAT test scores to the Otero Junior College Student Services Center to receive an exemption from taking all or part of the assessment test.

Assessment for Distance Education Students

All students taking classes at OJC, including over the Internet and any other distance education courses, must meet the Basic Skills Assessment Test (BSAT) requirement. There are some exemptions to this policy based on ACT scores and previous coursework a student may have taken prior to OJC. Please refer to the exemptions policy information above. The goal at OJC is for all students to be successful in their coursework. The Basic Skills Assessment Test reveals subject areas of English, math and reading where there are strengths and weaknesses. In some subject areas, students may be able to take the classes without remediation.

The exam required at OJC for placement into classes can be taken from one of the following: CCPT, Accuplacer, Compass, PARCC or SBAC placement exams. One of the stated placement exams will need to be taken to enter college level English or math. It is delivered on most community college campuses; however, students cannot take the test at home or in an un-proctored environment.

To take these exams at a location other than OJC, out of state, or out of the country, students will need to contact the OJC Testing Center at 719-384-6948 and request a remote test proctor.