Welcome

Due to COVID-19, please contact advising@albemarle.edu before coming to campus to take a placement test.

All College of The Albemarle (COA) applicants, whether applying for full-time or part-time enrollment, will be placed according to their high school GPA or meeting other qualifying criteria to waive placement testing. Students without a high school GPA, students who received a General Equivalency Degree (GED) more than five years ago, and international students will need to take the placement test. COA offers the Reinforced Instruction for Student Excellence (RISE) assessment designed for placement testing. The RISE assessment measures skill levels in Reading, Writing and Math to ensure enrollment in the course(s) most beneficial to a student. COA offers developmental courses in English, Reading and Math to prepare a student(s) for college-level courses required for their chosen program of study. Placement into a developmental course is determined upon achieved placement test score(s).

Please contact Academic Advising via email at advising@albemarle.edu to determine if placement testing is necessary. Please register to attend an online COA Connect session for further information about becoming a COA student. We look forward to assisting you.

Placement testing is on a “walk-in” basis during Testing Center hours of operation. Testing Centers are located on each of our COA campuses. Please download our Testing Center hours of operation and latest check-in times. Testing Center policy requires a valid photo identification be presented for check-in purposes. Testing will not be permitted without valid photo identification and a completed placement testing form.

High School Students

If you need to take the placement test, contact the campus nearest you:

• COA – Elizabeth City: 252-335-0821 ext. 2290
• COA – Edenton-Chowan: 252-482-7900 ext. 6011
• COA – Dare: 252-473-2264 ext. 7010

Proctoring

Do you need to take the placement test but plan to attend another college? You can request a proctor exam by emailing coa_proctors@albemarle.edu for instructions.

Special Arrangements for Students with Disabilities

If you have a learning or physical disability that would prevent you from taking the test under standard conditions, separate testing and other special accommodations are available at no additional fee. For details, please contact the director of Accessibility Services at 252-335-0821 ext. 2277.

Placement Test Waiver Policy

The placement test may be waived using test exemptions or the placement test waiver policy. Test results are used in conjunction with other information to place you in the appropriate classes for your program of study at COA.

Associate in Engineering and Associate in Science students place directly into MAT 271 Calculus I if you’ve met at least one of the following criteria within the past five years:

• A score of “2” or higher on the AP Calculus AB Exam
• A grade of “C” or higher in an AP Calculus course and an unweighted high school grade-point average of 3.0 or higher
• A score of “580” or higher on the old (prior to March 2016) SAT Math and a grade of “C” or higher in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Precalculus course or an equivalent course from another state
• A score of “600” or higher on the new (March 2016 and beyond) SAT Math and a grade of “C” or higher in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Precalculus course or an equivalent course from another state
• A score of “27 or higher on the ACT Math and a grade of “C” or higher in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Precalculus course or an equivalent course from another state
• A score of “560” or higher on the SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2
• Local diagnostic exam or challenge exam which demonstrates proficiency in Pre-Calculus course(s) competencies
• An unweighted high school GPA of 3.5 or higher and a grade of “C” or higher in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Pre-Calculus course or an equivalent course from another state

Retest Policy and Fee

You may retest only once within a ten-year period for the RISE assessment. There is no fee to retest. You may not retest once enrolled in that subject’s developmental class. Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) and continuing education students should contact the BLET administrator or continuing education personnel concerning retests.

Placement Testing Help