College Placement Assessments
Senate Bill 1720 Information - Effective November 2013 under SB 1720, if you entered the ninth grade in a Florida public school in 2003 or after, graduated from a Florida public high school with a standard Florida high school diploma, OR if you are a student who is serving as an active duty member of any branch of the U.S. Armed Services, you will not be required to take placement testing.
There are four college placement assessments: ACT, ACCUPLACER Next Generation, PERT and SAT.
These assessments are developed by state and national testing agencies with the help of committees of college professors and are the only placement assessments approved for use by the State of Florida. The assessments provide information about current knowledge in reading, English, and mathematics. Additional information can be found here. By assessing skill levels in these three areas, the placement assessments may be used to determine the beginning English, mathematics, and reading courses most likely to lead to success as you enter Florida State College at Jacksonville.
ACCUPLACER Next Generation
ACCUPLACER Next Generation supports students’ readiness to start earning credits toward their degree as well as those who need to develop their skills before taking college-level courses. ACCUPLACER scores let students know where they stand academically, which makes it easier for them to plan a successful path toward a college degree.
What are the test subjects?
The assessments are Reading, Writing, Quantitative Reasoning-Algebra and Statistics(QAS), and Next Generation Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF).
Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT)
The purpose of the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test is to assess students' skill levels in English, mathematics and reading for proper placement in these courses. The PERT is not a pass or fail test. Instead, the scores are used to determine the beginning English, mathematics and reading courses most likely to lead to success as a student enters Florida State College at Jacksonville. This test is administered to all incoming students who do not have valid or recent placement scores, SAT, ACT, FCAT scores, or college credit courses. Your application to the College covers the fee for the first sitting. Any attempt after the first sitting will cost $32 regardless of the number of subtests. The PERT contains three untimed sections: reading, writing and mathematics, each with 30 multiple-choice questions. If you score 135 or higher on the mathematics subtest and are placed in college algebra or college mathematics, you will have the choice to take the advanced mathematics subtest, which is used to determine placement in advanced mathematics courses such as trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus and statistics.
The SAT is administered at approved testing sites across the country and internationally. Florida State College at Jacksonville offers the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) at the Downtown and Kent Campuses.
The available dates to schedule your SAT can be found by visiting SAT Test Dates and Deadlines.
If you are interested in taking the SAT at Florida State College at Jacksonville, please visit the College Board SAT website where you can schedule your testing appointment.
There are a number of helpful items at the College Board website including practice exams and study guides.
Accuplacer Next Generation is accepted as a placement assessment from other colleges and universities as long as the test was taken within the last two years. More information can be found here.
If you hold an associates degree or higher from an accredited college or university, you are exempt from taking any of these college placement assessments, or if you have successfully completed college courses in English, reading or mathematics, you are exempt from taking a college placement assessment in the course area.
Effective spring 2014, if you entered the ninth grade in a Florida public school in 2003 or after and earned a standard Florida high school diploma, or if you are a student who is serving as an active duty member of any branch of the U.S. Armed Services, you will not be required to take the placement test (P.E.R.T.) or enroll in developmental education at any Florida College System institution, including Florida State College at Jacksonville (per State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.0315).
If you are exempt from placement testing and developmental education, you may still opt to be assessed or may enroll in developmental education, and the College will provide assessment and instruction upon your request.
Exempt Students
Who Is exempt from common placement testing and developmental education instruction?
- First-time-in college, transfer or currently enrolled students who entered ninth grade in a Florida public high school in the 2003-04 school year, or any year thereafter, and who earned a Florida standard high school diploma
- First-time-in-college, transfer or currently enrolled students who are serving as active duty members of the United States Armed Services, defined by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, Section 392.1, including:
- Full-time training duty
- Active duty in Coast Guard during period of hostility
- Annual training duty and attendance while in active military status at a service school
- Active duty National Guardsmen
- Active duty Reservists
- Active duty in noncombatant capacity
Non-exempt Students
Who is non-exempt from common placement testing and developmental education instruction?
The following students are not exempt from common placement testing and developmental education instruction:
- Students who earned a high school equivalency diploma or GED®
- Prospective dual enrollment students
- Home education students
- Students who graduated from an out-of-state public high school
- Students who graduated from an in-state or out-of-state private high school
- Veterans are not exempt unless they meet other eligibility criteria.
If you have questions regarding the common placement testing and developmental education exemption, please contact any of the College's Assessment and Certification Center offices.
Beginning January 18, 2011, if you do not have eligible SAT or ACT scores, an associate degree or higher or successful college coursework in English, reading or mathematics, you will take the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT) or Accuplacer Next Generation as your placement assessment when you begin your college career at Florida State College. If you are eligible to retake the PERT or Accuplacer Next Generation, you will be required to pay a retake sitting fee of $32.00.
The PERT has three primary subtests: reading, writing and mathematics. Each subtest has 30 multiple choice questions and is untimed, although you should allow one hour per subtest; they are delivered by computer. The minimum score for each subtest is 50 and the maximum score is 150. If you score 135 or higher on the mathematics subtest and are placed in college algebra or college mathematics, you will have the choice to take the advanced mathematics subtest, which is used to determine placement in advanced mathematics courses such as trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus and statistics.
Accuplacer Next Generation primary subtests: Reading, Writing, Quantitative Reasoning-Algebra and Statistics(QAS), and Next Generation Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF). The minimum score for each subtest is 200 and the maximum score is 300. If you score 280 or higher on the AAF subtest, you may be placed in a higher level math course.
The PERT and Accuplacer Next Generation are administered by appointment in the assessment and certification center at Downtown Campus, Kent Campus, North Campus, South Campus, Cecil Center, the military bases in Jacksonville and Nassau Center. Individuals living outside the First Coast area may coordinate a remote Accuplacer Next Generation exam CPT and PERT testing at a remote (non-FSCJ) educational site through the Deerwood Center Assessment Center by contacting the Deerwood Staff at (904) 997-2676 or by email.
Individuals may sit for the college placement assessments once without charge. After the first sitting, students may elect to retake the college placement assessment (remediation is encouraged); retakes must be completed prior to the first term of enrollment in general education courses. Students may be charged a sitting fee if they retake one or more parts of the exam. After beginning classes, the placement exam may be taken every two years for a sitting fee.
Once classes have started in a sub-area (reading, English, or mathematics) you cannot retest in that sub-area unless your placement expired.
Please use the following resources if you would like to review study
material prior to taking the placement exam:
Please use the following resource if you would like to review study
material prior to taking the SAT:
Getting Ready for the SAT?
The College fully complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you require accommodations due to a diagnosed disability, you should contact the office of services for students with disabilities BEFORE scheduling or taking any college placement assessment.
Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view/print PDF files.
GED® and GED Testing Service® are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education (ACE). They may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of ACE or GED Testing Service. The GED® and GED Testing Service® brands are administered by GED Testing Service LLC under license from the American Council on Education.