ASSESSMENTS AND TESTS AVAILABLE

ENGLISH, ESL AND MATHEMATICS TESTING

    
Testing is on a drop-in basis--no appointment necessary.

ENGLISH PLACEMENT TEST

Students must take the English Placement Test as part of the assessment of appropriate skill levels before enrolling into English 7, English 80, English 82 (formerly English R), English 84 (formerly English 2R), English C (offered at Compton Center only), English B, English A, English 1A, English 72; Business 27, Business 28; Journalism 1,4; Law 11; Nursing 145; and Sociology 101. The exception is the student who has a satisfactory grade in English composition documented by grade slips or transcripts from an accredited college.

The test is taken on a computer and is untimed. Most students take approximately one hour to complete it. The test is in two parts--Reading Comprehension and Sentence Skills. A student may repeat the English Placement Test--see Testing Office for further details. However, the test may not be repeated once students enroll into the Reading and Writing course sequences. Prior to enrolling into their first English course, students may also seek review of their placement recommendation with a counselor. Testing for all English classes must be completed by the day before the student's registration date.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) PLACEMENT TEST

The English As a Second Language (ESL) Placement Test is designed for students for whom English is their second language.

If you have a question about whether you should take the ESL Placement Test or the regular English Placement Test, the following questions may help you decide:

If you answered NO to more than one of these questions, it is recommended that you take the ESL Placement Test. Even if you have been in this country for several years, you will benefit from ESL classes which are offered at many levels. Credit from the highest ESL class, English 1A for Foreign Students, is transferable to four–year colleges and universities.

About the ESL Placement Test

The ESL Placement Test is given in two parts on two separate visits to the Campus. First session: Students may drop-in during regular testing hours to complete the computerized portion of the ESL Placement Test. (No knowledge of computers is necessary.) During this first visit, students also complete a student background survey. The first session lasts approximately one hour and a half.  Second Session: The second session is scheduled by appointment only.  Students have an oral test interview, receive an orientation to the College, and receive their placement results. This second session usually lasts 1-1/2 to 3 hours, depending upon the number of students present. Both sessions must be completed by the day before the student's registration date.

Please note: ESL courses taken at another institution cannot be used to determine placement into El Camino's ESL Program.

About the ESL Courses

Students must complete the ESL Placement Test before enrolling into an ESL course. Speaking courses are ESL 51A, ESL 51B, and ESL 51C.  Reading courses are ESL 52A, ESL 52B, and ESL 52C. Writing courses are ESL 53A, ESL 53B, English A–X, and English 1A (Reading and Composition for Foreign students). Courses which combine reading, writing, and speaking altogether are ESL 44, ESL 45 and ESL 55. 

Repeating the ESL Placement Test

Once students have enrolled into ESL classes, they may not repeat the ESL Placement Test. However, prior to enrolling into ESL classes, students may seek review of their placement recommendations by speaking with the ESL Coordinator in the Assessment/Testing Center.

El Camino ESL courses versus Adult School courses

Students who have no knowledge of English may still participate in the assessment process at El Camino College and may enroll into recommended courses. However, if students have difficulty comprehending the ESL Placement Test, they should be made aware of their options. It is important to know that beginning ESL courses at El Camino College are not truly "beginning" courses and, therefore, are not designed for students who speak, read, or write no English. A student who has no knowledge of English may wish to first attend a local Adult School for the basics, and then return to El Camino College for advanced study.

MATHEMATICS PLACEMENT TEST
(See Math Competency Test below under OTHER TESTS AVAILABLE)

The Mathematics Placement Test is required of any student who wishes to enroll into any El Camino College Math course. High school Math courses may not be used, per se, for placement into Math classes at ECC. However, they may be used in combination with testing scores for placement during assessment with a counselor.  Math test results are valid for two years.

For those students transferring in from another accredited college or university, a transcript (or grade slip) indicating Math course grades will be accepted in lieu of a placement test if the course(s) used for credit were passed with a grade of C or better. Transcripts/grade slips must be presented to a counselor. All testing and assessment must be completed before the student's registration date.

For further information on the Math Placement Test, please click on the following link:  Math Test Topics

About the Mathematics Placement Test

The Mathematics Placement Test is taken on a computer and is untimed. It takes approximately one hour to complete. Math testing may include up to three separate tests: Arithmetic, Elementary Algebra, and College-Level Math.  Calculators are NOT allowed.

Repeating the Math Placement Test

Students may repeat the Mathematics Placement Test if they have not yet registered into a math course at El Camino College. However, once the math sequence is begun through placement testing, all courses must be taken in sequence.  Skipping a course by re-taking the Mathematics Placement Test is not permitted.

Students may seek review of a placement recommendation from the Math Division. Students may obtain appropriate forms to do so from the Assessment/Testing Center. 

OTHER TESTS AVAILABLE

ABILITY-TO-BENEFIT (ATB) TEST

In order to receive financial aid, students must be "academically qualified" for study at the post-secondary level.  Students who possess a high school diploma or a GED certificate are considered to have met this qualification.  However, students who did not graduate from high school or who do not have a GED must pass an Ability-To-Benefit Test prior to receiving financial aid.

Students whose native language is English should take the Computerized Placement Test (CPT). The test consists of Reading Comprehension, Sentence Skills, and Arithmetic. The CPT Test is given on a drop-in basis during regular testing hours.  Students whose native language is not English AND who intend to enroll into ESL courses, should take the Combined English Language Skills Assessment (CELSA) instead. The tests consists of Reading questions. The CELSA Test is given on an appointment-basis only. 

The Ability-To-Benefit Test is given only upon the written referral of the Financial Aid Office. Their referral slip must be presented to the Assessment/Testing Office on the day of testing. In order to avoid double testing, when students come to do the ATB Test, they should indicate whether or not they have already completed the placement tests for English and Math at El Camino College. (The CPT Test is used for both placement testing and ATB.) 

CHEMISTRY PLACEMENT TEST

The Chemistry Placement Test is required of any student who wishes to enroll into Chemistry 1A unless the student has completed Chemistry 4 at El Camino College with a C or better. The test covers compounds and elements, states of matter, reactions of matter, structure of matter, periodic properties, solutions, dynamics, laboratory skills, and mathematics. The 45-minute test is given on an appointment-basis.  Students may obtain a reservation ticket from the Assessment/Testing Office.

Previous chemistry work, whether taken in high school or at another college, does not in itself qualify a student for Chemistry 1A. Students who have never taken a chemistry course or who want a beginning level course may enroll into Chemistry 4, 20, or 21A, depending upon their majors and completion of math prerequisites.
 
The Chemistry Placement Test may be taken only once and may not be taken if a student has enrolled into Chemistry 4 at any time. However, a student seeking review of a placement recommendation may obtain appropriate forms through the Assessment/Testing Office.

COMPUTERIZED NURSE ENTRANCE TEST (C-NET)

Students enrolling into Nursing 145 are asked to complete the C-NET as part of their course requirements. This computerized test battery assesses the academic and social skills of nursing students and covers the following:  essential math skills, reading rate, reading comprehension, social decisions, stressful situations, learning styles, and test-taking.  It lasts approximately 2 hours and 31 minutes and is internally timed by the computer. There is a charge of $22 for the test, which must be paid at the Cashier's Window. The receipt must be presented at the time of testing. Also, you will need your Social Security Number for the C-NET.

DEGREES OF READING POWER (DRP)

The DRP Test is a 60-minute reading test administered by the Assessment/Testing Office for the El Camino College Nursing Department. It is comprised of several reading passages, which increase in difficulty as the student progresses through the exam. Throughout each passage, there are blanks.  For each blank, there are five vocabulary choices. The student chooses the appropriate word, which would fit into the blank within the context of what they are reading.

The DRP Test is given on an appointment-basis.  Students may obtain a reservation ticket from the Assessment/Testing Office. There is no charge for the DRP Test.

WAIVER EXAMS

CONTEMPORARY HEALTH

The Contemporary Health Waiver Exam is offered as an option to students who wish to satisfy their El Camino Contemporary Health graduation requirement by passing a non-credit examination. The exam is administered year-round by the Assessment/Testing Office on an appointment-basis. The exam is a one-hour multiple-choice test of 105 items. Topics include emotional health, aging, substance use and abuse, sexuality/childbirth, infectious disease, non-infectious disease, heart disease, fitness/nutrition, and health services. Although unit credit is not granted, students who pass the exam will be able to have a wider selection of courses to choose from in completing their academic program at El Camino College. The exam may be attempted only once. Exam results may not be transferable to another college. 

MATH COMPETENCY TEST

The Math Competency Test is a 90-minute basic algebra test, which, if passed, may be used to satisfy the El Camino College Mathematics Competency Graduation Requirement (item #6 of Section A of the A.A./A.S. Graduation Requirements.) It is given on an appointment-basis. If students do not successfully complete Mathematics 40 or 41B or any other course listed under Mathematics Competency requirement for the A.A./A.S. Degree listed in the College Catalog, they must pass the Math Competency Test for admission into the Registered Nurse Program.

The Math Competency Test may be repeated a maximum of three times through a petitioning process. Appropriate forms for this may be obtained through the Assessment/Testing Office.

Please contact the Assessment/Testing Office regarding any testing questions not answered on this page.  You may call (310) 660-3405 or use the following e-mail address:  vlockrid@elcamino.edu.