Accuplacer Placement Testing

Purpose of Assessment

Skills Assessment is required as part of the entrance process into Maryland colleges. Assessment is a process to help identify your current skills in writing, reading, and mathematics. It is not a test that you pass or fail. Placement testing provides information necessary to make the best decision about the initial courses that you need to begin your college career. Our goal is to place you into the courses in which you will be most successful. Based on your test results, you may be placed in preparatory courses to help you build the foundational skills that are needed for success at the college level.

You must take the Placement Assessment:

• if you are seeking a degree or certificate
• if you are a student attempting your first college level English composition or math course or are enrolled in a course that has a math or English prerequisite

Placement testing for HCC applicants is done strictly on a walk-in basis.

Are you exempt?

• You are exempt from mathematics placement assessment if you:
  • already have a college degree,
  • have earned a SAT math score of 550* or more,
  • have earned an ACT math score of 21* or more, or
  • have successfully completed a college-level mathematics course
• You are exempt from English placement assessment if you:
  • already have a college degree,
  • have earned a SAT critical reading score of 550* or more,
  • have earned an ACT English score of 21* or more, or
  • have successfully completed a college-level English course
• If you are enrolled at another college and have written approval to take a course at HCC from your institution, you MAY be exempt from placement assessments.

*All SAT and ACT scores are valid for 5 years from the testing date.

Placement Results

• Placement for English and ESL courses is determined using the English and ESL Placement Matrix [1].
• Placement for mathematics courses is determined using the Mathematics Placement Matrix [2].

IST Placement Tests

• SALI
  • The Simulated Assessment of Learning Interface (SALI) exam is included with the standard battery of placement exams (SALI, English, and mathematics).  The 10-question SALI exam tests your ability to navigate a Microsoft Windows environment and perform basic computer functions.  Students are able to re-test the SALI once.  The results of the SALI exam will determine placement in IST 100 or 102.
• Keyboard Exemption [3]
  • Your advisor will determine if you need to take the IST 101 Keyboarding course.


Skills Assessment scores are valid for two (2) years from the date of assessment at Hagerstown Community College.

Retaking the Placement Tests

Students may retake one part or all of the placement assessment once within two years from the date of their original test. Students who have begun an English or mathematics course at HCC are not eligible to retake the placement assessments.

There is a $15 retest fee payable to the Finance office which must be satisfied prior to testing. (Please note that candidates testing on Saturday should arrange to pay their fee ahead of time as the Finance Office is not open on Saturday.)