Develop Placement Policies

It’s important to develop clear placement policies around who will be tested, which multiple factors in addition to test scores will be used in course placement decisions, and retesting parameters. Effective placement testing policies have been shown to increase student retention and academic success.

Colleges and universities differ greatly with respect to the composition of their student population, faculty, and course content. The ACCUPLACER Program lets each school establish its own policies to facilitate placement decisions based on factors and data unique to that school. For more guidance on developing course placement policies, refer to the resources on this page.

Validating Placement Policies

The College Board Admitted Class Evaluation Service™ (ACES™) is a free online service that helps you evaluate your use of ACCUPLACER scores and other factors in placement decisions. It shows how well certain criteria work alone and/or in combination to predict whether a student is likely to be successful in a specific course at your school.

An ACES placement validity study helps you optimize your placement policies, which benefits both your school and your students. Appropriate placement means that students enroll in courses that align with their current skills, which saves them time and money and gives them a successful start to their college career.