Community colleges often use placement tests to evaluate a student's knowledge in English, English as a second language (ESL), math, reading and writing. These are considered foundational subjects that demonstrate a student's basic education. Placement tests in these subjects assess the level of knowledge a student has gained from her high school curriculum. Students who score on the lower end of an institution's scale score range, are assigned remedial or introductory classes to improve their knowledge in that subject.
One of the controversies about college placement tests is that schools use different exams to make their evaluation. Some institutions create their own placement tests that may be calibrated to fit the specific needs of their incoming students. Others use standard placement exams such as the ACCUPLACER and the COMPASS, devised by College Board and the ACT Company respectively. The ACCUPLACER is a multiple choice test with no time limit that evaluates a student's knowledge in math, reading and English. It's an adaptive test, meaning questions are determined based on a student's answer to a previous question. The COMPASS is also an adaptive test that assesses aptitude in essay writing, writing skills, math, reading and ESL.
After a student has taken a placement test, the institution scores the test based on its scale and determines whether the student can enroll in standard-level, advanced-level or remedial classes. Some incoming students complain the placement test duplicates material covered in their high school exit exams. However, community colleges do not use the test only to evaluate a student's current knowledge, but also to determine the range of classes for which he is eligible. Students with very low scores in a subject are generally not permitted to enroll in even introductory courses until they complete a remedial class. This often delays their progress towards a degree, which is why administrators urge students to take placement tests seriously. Students with scores in the middle range are given greater freedom to choose classes in that subject area, though they are typically not allowed to enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
Many colleges offer exemptions from placement tests to students who meet certain requirements, which includes students with a grade of "B" or higher in math or English, and students who participated in AP classes in high school. Students who possess college degrees and are taking additional classes at a community college are also often exempted, as are students with SAT subject test scores and ACT scores that exceed a standard set by the institution.