Placement Testing

NPC students who meet certain conditions must follow the placement rules outlined below. 

Students who must take the placement test and follow the results are: 

• Students enrolling in courses with placement prerequisites who have not previously taken a placement test or; 
• Students pursuing an NPC Associates Degree, Certificate of Applied Science, or AGEC (Arizona General Education Curriculum).

Students may be exempt from the placement system if they meet one or more of the following criteria: 

• Students providing proof of an accredited associates degree or higher unless the degree includes no college-level math; 
• Students providing Next-Generation ACCUPLACER, ASSET, or COMPASS scores from another institution; 
• Students providing official transcripts listing a grade of "C" or higher for College Composition I (reading/writing requirement) and/or college-level math (math requirement); 
• Students providing ACT or SAT scores that meet NPC placement minimum standards (see placement chart); 
• Students taking courses for Audit grade only. The Audit grade exemption applies only to courses with a placement prerequisite. Courses with course prerequisites may not be waived by this exemption. 

All students taking CCP course(s) must take the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) assessment for proper placement in CCP, as well as complete all CCP paperwork.

IMPORTANT PLACEMENT NOTES 

• Students may test a maximum of three full tests per academic year. This means no more than 3 full tests or 3 tries at any one portion of the test. ACCUPLACER will monitor test takes and notify the student when they have reached 2 retakes (3 takes total) since their first attempt. 
• Placement test scores are effective for a maximum of five years. If more than five years have elapsed since a student-tested, and the student now needs to use those test results to enroll in a class, the student must retest.   
• Students pay an annual (Fall to Fall) $20 Placement Testing Fee if they need to test in a given year. The campus/center office will collect the fee. Please follow the upcoming Business Office procedure to determine if a student has paid the fee. This fee went into effect on August 1, 2009.