Testing FAQs

Does it matter when I take my academic tests?

Students are encouraged to complete the battery of academic tests as early as possible. Registration for the fall term depends on placement test results. In order to register for a complete schedule of classes during New Student Orientation, you should have completed your tests. Also, if you want to exercise a retest option or complete a summer course, testing early has distinct advantages. 

I just received my academic test results, and I have some questions. Whom shall I contact?

Questions about testing policies and practices should be referred to the Office of Student Academic Services. Concerns about academic programs and your schedule of classes should be referred to the chair of the division in which you have declared a major.

How do I register for the academic tests?

Register online for academic testing from the Class of 2016 pages.   

May I use a calculator?

All students are allowed to use calculators, EXCEPT for those students who are taking the ATI TEAS examination.

What courses will I take in the fall term?

Final course schedules are based on academic test results, program requirements, and general education requirements. You will register for classes during Orientation and receive your schedule then.

I indicated that I was interested in honors courses, but I wasn’t placed in any. Why not?

Enrollment in honors courses depends on performance on the college’s academic tests. Further, applicants are selected on the basis of high school grades, SAT or ACT scores, and other indicators of academic merit. Not all students who indicate an interest in honors classes will be admitted into the program.

I have taken college courses and Advanced Placement exams. Do I still need to take academic tests?

Placement Testing may not be required if you have completed college-level courses elsewhere and earned grades of C or better in those courses. If you have taken Advanced Placement exams and earned scores of 3 or better,  you may also not require testing. Please notify the Student Academic Services Office for a final determination regarding whether or not placement testing is needed!

My results letter says that I placed in a developmental (basic) course. I’m confused. Do I get credit for this class?

Developmental courses (ENG 012, 013 and 014; MATH 011 and 015) offer credit equivalency. This way, if you are enrolled in a developmental course, your status as a full-time student is not affected and you remain eligible for financial aid. However, these courses do not offer credit toward a degree.

If I am not getting degree credit for a developmental course, will it take me longer than four years to graduate?

The college cannot guarantee that each and every student will earn a degree in four years, but we make every effort to make this goal possible. Placement in developmental courses does not necessitate a delay in graduation. Students should work closely with their academic advisors during their college years in order to ensure they are on track and making satisfactory progress towards their degree.

My letter regarding test results suggested I might take a summer course to improve my abilities. Am I required to take a course?

No. If a student places in a developmental (basic) course, he/she might consider taking a summer course in order to strengthen these particular skills, but a summer course is not required for students. It is recommended as an option.

What if I want to take a summer course?

Many times a student who places in a developmental (basic) course chooses to take the class over the summer at a local community or four-year college. To do this, the course must be approved by the Director of Student Academic Services.

How do I get a course approved?

It is the student’s responsibility to find the course at a local community or four-year college. The student should fax, mail, or email the following information to the director of student academic services: the name of the college offering the class, the name and number of the course, a complete description of the course. Once this information is received, the director will make a decision regarding whether or not the course is an acceptable substitute. The Office of  Student Academic Services does not assume responsibility for locating appropriate summer classes. See the attached document for information on finding courses at a local college.

What is the Fax number and e-mail address?

The fax number is 845-569-3558. The email address is assessment@msmc.edu.

When I applied to the college, I wrote down “history” as my major. Now I want to major in business. What should I do?

If you decide on a change in major, you need to inform the Registrar’s Office. Changing a major might necessitate the need for additional testing in mathematics. For instance, if as a history major you were exempt from math testing based on your SAT scores, but you change your major to business, you will need to return to the college and complete the COMPASS placement examination.

I placed in a developmental course, but I don’t think I need it and I don’t want to take it. What can I do?

Placement in developmental (basic) courses is mandatory at Mount Saint Mary College. Students do, however, have the opportunity to retest once in reading and mathematics, but they must do this by August 3, 2011. No retests will be administered after August 3, and retests are not available in writing. Students who wish to exercise the retest option should work with a tutor or do some preparation for the test. The academic tests are reliable measures of a student’s competencies. If nothing is done to prepare for a retest, scores usually remain the same as the first time. In some cases, they drop.

I am an incoming nursing major, but I was not placed in Anatomy and Physiology. Why not?

Academic tests are used not only to place students in developmental courses, but also to postpone their enrollment in credit-bearing classes. Students may complete these required courses once they have developed the essential academic skills needed for success in these classes. If you placed in a developmental math, reading or writing course, you cannot be registered for Anatomy and Physiology.

My mother called your office for my test results, and she was told I had to call. Why?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits college personnel from disclosing information from the student’s record to anyone other than the student or a school official who has rights to this information. As such, we cannot inform parents of your placement examination results. Further, while we regard parents as critical support systems, we expect college-age learners to raise questions, address problems and discuss solutions independent of their parents. To this end, we encourage the students themselves to make inquiries concerning their placement exam scores.