Placement Options

Placement Options

At Peninsula College, there are several options for students to get accurately placed into the math and English courses that they are ready for. English and math placement also provides entry into courses in most other subject areas at the college.

Please click on any of the dropdowns below for information about placement into college-level English and math courses.

High School Transcripts

You can be placed into math and English courses based on a review of your high school transcripts.

This is a great option if:

• You’ve graduated from high school within the last 3 years.
• You are currently in high school and applying for Running Start.

Please note, Running Start students, ‘provisional placement’ may be given to students who have completed one semester of a math or English class and are enrolled to complete the second semester before starting college classes. Second-semester transcripts will need to be submitted before placement will become official.

To begin the transcript placement process, please send a copy of your high school transcript to placement@pencol.edu.  You can contact your high school guidance counselor or administrative office to request that a copy be sent.

Minimum criteria for placement into college-level courses are listed below.

ENGLISH

Placement into college-level English (ENGL 101) requires one of the following on your high school transcript.

• Honors English: B or higher & cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above
• HS English: B (3.0) average over at least 3 semesters

MATH

Placement into college-level math (MATH 107, 146, 111, or PHIL 120) requires one of the following on your high school transcript.

• Algebra I & Geometry: C or higher in 2 semesters of both (four total semesters)
• Algebra II: C or higher in 2 semesters
• Integrated Math III: B or higher in 2 semesters
• Bridge to College Math: B or higher in 2 semesters
• Statistics: B or higher in 2 semesters

If you’ve taken and done well in higher level math courses in high school, you’ll place into higher level math courses at PC.

Standardized Test Scores

If you’ve taken the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA), the SAT, the ACT, or the GED in the past three years, you can be placed into math or English classes based on a review of your test scores.

Please send documentation of your test scores, or request that your high school send a copy to placement@pencol.edu.

ENGLISH

Placement into college-level English (ENGL 101) requires one of the following.

• SBA: ELA Score of Level 3 or 4
• SAT: Reading/Writing Score of 480 or above
• ACT: Reading Score of 19 or above
• GED: RLA Score of 165 or above

MATH

Placement into college-level math (MATH 107, 146, 111, or PHIL 120) requires one of the following.

• SAT: Math Score of 520 or above
• ACT: Math Score of 21 or above
• GED: Math Score of 165 or above

Scores on the SAT or ACT that surpass higher thresholds will result in placement into higher level math courses.

Placement from another Washington College

Peninsula College participates in placement reciprocity with all the colleges in the Washington State Community and Technical College system. If you’ve been given a placement by another college within the past year, that placement will be valid at PC.

English Placement Essay

You may choose to write a short essay for review and placement if you have not placed into college-level English from your high school transcript or standardized test scores.

You’ll need to make an appointment with the Placement Center for this option. You’ll be invited to choose a writing prompt from among several options and to write a three-to-five paragraph essay in response to the prompt.

Your essay will be reviewed by a member of the English faculty to determine which English level is right for you.

To schedule an appointment to write an English Placement Essay, please call (360) 417-6346 or email placement@pencol.edu.

Accuplacer Placement Test

The Accuplacer is an untimed computer-based placement test that assesses your reading, writing, and math skills. The results of the assessment help guide your placement into math and English courses that best match your knowledge level and preparedness.

Scheduling an Accuplacer Assessment
The Accuplacer is available for in-person testing at our Port Angeles, Port Townsend or Forks campuses, as well as online over Zoom. Testing is available by appointment only.

To request placement testing, please complete the placement test request form. Once your request has been submitted, you will receive an email with available dates and times to take your test.

Please know that you will need your Peninsula College Student ID number. Additionally, a photo ID is required for testing. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Current driver’s license
• Current state or federal ID
• High school/middle school/college photo ID
• Current passport
• Tribal ID
• Naturalization card or certificate of citizenship

To complete your test online, you will need the access to the following:

• A computer or laptop with a webcam, microphone, and speakers and high-speed internet. Phones and tablets are not supported.
• A space with no interruptions and a clean desk or table with only a computer or laptop, keyboard, mouse, scratch paper, and pencil.

Cost
If you are an admitted Peninsula College student, your first test in English, Math and ESL will be free. (The testing fee is generously covered by the Peninsula College Foundation). If you choose to retake a test, the fee is $15.  If you are not a Peninsula College student, the cost is $20.

Resources to Prepare for the ACCUPLACER
You can study for and practice the test at ACCUPLACER Practice.
Additional English and math study resources are available at Khan Academy.

Scores Required for College-Level Placement
Placement into college-level courses require the following:

• English (ENGL 101): English composite score of 265 or above
• College-level math (MATH 107, 146, 111, or PHIL 120): Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, or Stats score of 252 or above

Self-Placement

In the absence of other placement options, students may choose to self-place for English into Accelerated ENGL 90 - Fundamentals of English, and for math into MATH 63 - Introduction to Algebra.

Advanced Placement or CLEP Test Scores

If you’ve taken Advanced Placement classes in high school, or if you’ve taken a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Test through the College Board, you can be placed into math or English classes based on these.

Please send documentation of your course completion or test scores to placement@pencol.edu. 

International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Transcripts

If you have International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Transcripts, you can be placed into math or English classes based on these.

Please send transcripts to placement@pencol.edu.