Assessment and Placement

Students attending Mt. San Antonio College are required to participate in assessment. The assessment and placement process has been established to enable all students an opportunity to achieve probable success along their academic pathway. 

The college will no longer utilize a placement test to determine students’ readiness for English, math, and reading courses. High school information and/or other measures will be used to determine appropriate course placement.

Students have the right to access transfer-level English, math, and reading courses.  Non-Native Speakers may select to take credit English as a Second Language (ESL) courses.

Assessment Process at Mt. San Antonio College

All students at Mt. San Antonio College will receive placement recommendations in English, math, and reading based on an assessment utilizing multiple measures. Students must complete the Assessment Questionnaire (AQ) to receive course placement in English, math, and reading.

Students who have received college credit from accredited institutions may be able to receive course enrollment eligibility by submitting official transcripts. Consult with a counselor to review eligibility.

Assessment Questionnaire (AQ)

To help ensure students take the right English, math, and reading courses, students must complete the college's online Assessment Questionnaire (AQ) for course placement in English, math, and reading. Most students will immediately receive placement results based on their answers on the AQ. The questions on the AQ pertain to your high school GPA, and the English and math courses taken in high school, and grades in those courses.

Students who complete the AQ will be eligible for the following.

• English:  Upon completion of the assessment process, all students will have the opportunity to take transfer-level English.  Students with a U.S. high school diploma or equivalent will automatically be eligible for transfer-level English upon completion of the AQ.  For English language learners, credit ESL courses are available through the American Language (AMLA) Department.
   
• Math:  All students will be eligible for transfer-level math upon completion of the AQ.
   
• Reading:  Students with a U.S. high school diploma or equivalent will automatically be eligible for transfer-level reading upon completion of the AQ.

To complete the AQ, go to www.mtsac.edu/assessment/aq/. It is recommended that you have a copy of your high school transcripts with you when you are completing the AQ. Follow the questionnaire directions carefully as it can be completed only once. After completing the questionnaire, you will be given your course placement recommendations.

• If you feel that the course placements you receive do not reflect your current abilities in the subject matter, you may make an appointment with a counselor.
• If you have questions about your placement results, you may talk to a counselor.
• You can always take a course at a lower level than the course you are placed.
• If there was an error in the questionnaire you submitted, please schedule a counseling appointment.

Non-Native Speakers of English

After completing the AQ, some non-native speakers of English might be directed to contact the American Language (AMLA) Department to continue the assessment process. These students will consult with an AMLA Guided-Self Placement facilitator, who will recommend appropriate coursework. Reading course advice will be based on writing course placement.

Non High School Graduates

After completing the AQ, students who have attended but not graduated from a U.S. high school will be referred to a counselor to assist with English and reading course placement.