POLICY NO: 2-17
VCCS POLICY NO: 6.0.1.1, 6.4.0.2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 10/19/2022
REVISED DATE: 12/01/2022

  1. Purpose:

    To establish standards and guidelines for placement into college-level courses.

  2. Definitions:

    N/A

  3. Policy:

    1. In addition to general admission to the college, students must meet all course prerequisites prior to enrollment in the course(s), which may include demonstration of readiness in English and Mathematics.

      1. Multiple Measures

        1. English placement will be determined by using one of the following measures.

          English Placement Criteria and Course Options
          English Measures
          Standard
          English Course Options
          Graduation from high school or an equivalent homeschool six (6) or more years before applying to a VCCS college Completed VCCS Enrollment Survey
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          ENG 111 + EDE 111
          EDE 101
          Graduation from high school or an equivalent homeschool less than six (6) years before applying to a VCCS college - High School GPA 3.0 or higher
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          2.0-2.9
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111+ EDE 11
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          Less than 2.0
          Student must enroll in:
          EDE 10
          SAT – ERW 480 or above
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          400-470 range
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111+ EDE 11
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          Below 400
          Student must enroll in:
          EDE 10
          ACT – Subject Area Test English and Reading 18 or above
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          15-17
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111+ EDE 11
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          14 and below
          Student must enroll in:
          EDE 10
          GED – Reasoning Through Language Arts 165 or above
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          Below 165
          Student must enroll in:
          EDE 10
          VPT – Virginia Placement Test Placed in ENG 111
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          Placed in ENF 2 or ENF 3
          Student may enroll in:
          ENG 111+ EDE 11
          ENG 115
          ENG 131
          Placed in ENF 1 or lower
          Student must enroll in:
          EDE 10

          1At student’s request, after consultation with an advisor.

        2. Math placement will be determined using one of the following measures.

          Math Placement Criteria and Course Options
          Math Measures1
          Standard
          Math Course Options
          Graduation from high school or an equivalent homeschool six (6) or more years before applying to a VCCS college Completed VCCS Enrollment Survey
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154
          MTH 154 + MDE 54
          MTH 155
          MTH 155 + MDE 55
          MTH 161
          MTH 161 + MDE 61
          MTH 167
          Graduation from high school or an equivalent homeschool less than six (6) years before applying to a VCCS college - High School GPA and Algebra II: 3.0 or higher
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154
          MTH 155
          MTH 161 or
          MTH 167
          2.0-2.9
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154 + MDE 54
          MTH 155 + MDE 55 or
          MTH 161 + MDE 61
          Less than 2.0
          Student must enroll in:
          MDE 10
          Graduation from high school or an equivalent homeschool less than six (6) years before applying to a VCCS college - High School GPA and NO Algebra II: 3.0 or higher
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154
          MTH 155 or
          MDE 60
          2.0-2.99
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154 + MDE 54
          MTH 155 + MDE 55 or
          MDE 60
          Less than 2.0
          MDE 10
          SAT – Math 500 or above
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154
          MTH 155
          MTH 161 or
          MTH 167
          400-490 range
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154
          MTH 155 or
          MTH 161 + MDE 61
          Below 400
          MDE 10
          ACT – Subject Area Test Math 18 or above
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154
          MTH 155
          MTH 161 or
          MTH 167
          17
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154
          MTH 155 or
          MTH 161 + MDE 61
          GED – Mathematical Reasoning 165 or above
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154
          MTH 155 or
          MTH 161 + MDE 61
          155 – 164 range
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          MTH 154 + MDE 54
          MTH 155 + MDE 55 or
          MDE 60
          154 or below
          MDE 10
          VPT – Virginia Placement Test Eight or more MTT/MTE competencies satisfied
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 161
          MTH 167
          Six or more MTT/MTE competencies satisfied
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 161
          MDE 61
          Four or more MTT/MTE competencies satisfied
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 154
          MTH 155
          Three or more MTT/MTE competencies satisfied
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 154 + MDE 54
          MTH 155 + MDE 55
          MDE 60
          Two or more MTT/MTE competencies satisfied
          Student may enroll in:
          MTH 101-133
          One or fewer MTT/MTE competencies satisfied
          MDE 10

          1Students in Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science will have the opportunity to place directly into MTH 263. Students in other programs who want to enroll directly into MTH 263 must demonstrate they meet the prerequisite (MTH 167 or MTH 161 + 162) with successful completion of the pre-calculus with trigonometry challenge exam. .
      2. Additional placement criteria for students who graduated from high school or the equivalent less than six years before applying to Reynolds

    2. English as a Second Language

      Students whose native language is not English and who did not graduate from a U.S.based high school must be assessed by staff members in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program before registering for any courses at the college. To evaluate language proficiency, the ESL program requires prospective students to take a placement assessment administered by the ESL Program.

      1. Students whose native language is not English and who graduated from a U.S.based high school have the right to request to take the ESL Placement Assessment and enroll in any needed ESL classes. However, it is their choice, and they may leave the ESL Program of their own volition at any time.

      2. ESL students who separate from the college may be required to re-take the ESL placement assessment, unless they have successfully completed a writing intensive college-level course equivalent to ENG 111.

      3. Students with a disability who are in need of an accommodation for (or adjustment in) testing shall be provided an accommodation upon determination of eligibility. Students should be referred to the Office of Student Accommodations and Reynolds Policy 1-15, and Reynolds Procedure 1-15, Eligibility of Students with Disabilities to Receive Accommodations.

    3. High School Students

      High school students intending to take classes while in high school must first demonstrate readiness for college level coursework. The criteria for high school student readiness is located in Policy 1-11 Admissions. High school students are held to course placement criteria upon meeting readiness.

  4. Procedures:

    N/A

  5. Other Information:

    JSRCC Form 11-0000, Application for Admission

    JSRCC Form 11-0006, Transient Student Approval Form

    Reynolds Policy 1-15, Eligibility of Students with Disabilities to Receive Accommodations, 

    Reynolds Procedure 1-15, Eligibility of Students with Disabilities to Receive Accommodations