Assessment and Placement

Harper College welcomes all who can benefit from the courses and programs offered. To that end an assessment policy is in place requiring all new full-time students to complete writing, reading and math placement tests. Students entering their first English and/or math courses are also required to complete appropriate placement test(s).
The goals of assessment are:

1. To inform students about their competency levels in English, reading/writing and math.
2. To place students in the English and math courses in which they have the best opportunity for success.
3. To help underprepared students whose reading assessment scores are substantially below college level by requiring them to enroll in developmental reading courses prior to or along with their English courses. New full-time students who place into reading must enroll in the appropriate reading course during their first semester.

Details of the mandatory assessment and placement policy, including options for waiving testing, are available in the Assessment and Testing Center