Placement Test Exemptions

The following options may excuse you from part or all of the Placement Tests. 

PRIOR COURSEWORK
If you have taken college-level math, English, or science courses at another school and earned a grade of C or higher, you do not need to take the Placement Test in that area. Official transcripts must be submitted to the Enrollment Center.

HIGH SCHOOL GPA

• If you have graduated from high school, the Massachusetts Common Assessment Policy allows placement into math and English courses based on high school GPA.
• For Math Placement: Students who have graduated within the past three years with a math GPA of 2.7 or higher are eligible to enroll in college level math courses, determined by major.
• For English Placement: Students who have graduated within the past 10 years with an English GPA of 2.7 or higher are eligible for English 101.
• Official high school transcripts must be submitted to the Enrollment Center. 

AP and CLEP CREDIT
RCC awards credit for a number of Advanced Placement (AP) and CLEP exams. Visit our CLEP/AP page for more information. 

GED COLLEGE READY
Students who have earned GED scores of 165 or higher within the past three years are eligible for placement into college level courses.

GED TEST	RCC COURSE PLACEMENT
GED Mathematical Reasoning	College Level Math
GED Reasoning Through Language Arts	English 101
GED Science	College Level Science

Official GED Transcripts must be submitted to the RCC Enrollment Center.

To order an official copy, go to www.diplomasender.com.

Digital copies from Diploma Sender are accepted.

GED scores must be less than 3 years old to be used for placement. If your GED scores are more than 3 years old, you will be required to take the College Placement Tests.

NOTE: If you passed your GED at RCC in 2019 or later, you do not have to order a copy through Diploma Sender. Please contact the Testing Department: testing@rcc.mass.edu to have your GED scores transferred in to RCC.

• We accept Accuplacer scores from other institutions if they are less than 3 years old, and if they are the same tests we use at RCC to determine course placement.
• Students can retrieve copies of their results directly from Accuplacer by using this link.
• Score reports can be emailed to the RCC Testing Department at testing@rcc.mass.edu.
• We will verify all scores with the institution that administered the tests.
• Students who transfer scores may still have to take some additional test sections at RCC.

August 2026: Students may take the Self-Guided Placement once. 

• Placement Test Rubrics
• RCC Placement Testing 2022 - English
• RCC  Placement Testing 2022 - Math 
• Study Guides and Links

Students of other institutions who need to take an Accuplacer test may do so at RCC. The fee for testing non-RCC students is $28.50. The fee must be paid online at the time the appointment is scheduled. To schedule an appointment, visit our registration page. For Exam Group, choose College Placement. For Exam, select the last option: NON-RCC STUDENT ONLY—ACCUPLACER TESTING.

Your results will be issued to you when you complete your exams, and can be forwarded to your school if you provide the specific email, mailing address, or fax number. You will need to fill out an Accuplacer Score Request form and submit it when you check in for testing.

Email testing@rcc.mass.edu with any questions prior to registration.