Welcome
College of The Albemarle (COA) applicants, whether applying for full-time or part-time enrollment, are placed according to their unweighted high school grade-point average (GPA):
- 2.8 or higher: students can take any gateway math or English course;
- 2.2 – 2.79: students must take a gateway course with a corequisite course (for example, ENG 111 and ENG 011);
- 2.19 and below: students must take ENG 002 and MAT 003
COA offers the Reinforced Instruction for Student Excellence (RISE) assessment designed for placement testing. Placement testing is required for international students, applicants without a high school GPA, and applicants who received a General Equivalency Degree (GED) more than five years ago. Additionally, students who have an unweighted GPA of 2.79 and below may opt to take the RISE assessment.
The RISE assessment measures skill levels to appropriately place students in transition and/or corequisite courses.
Please contact admissions via email at admissions@albemarle.edu to determine if placement testing is necessary. Please register to attend the Online Orientation 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 (PDF). 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.
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. 2256.
Direct Placement into MAT-271
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 “24” 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.