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Placement Testing

Use placement testing to help reach your goals

Enrolling in the appropriate college level courses is very important to be a successful learner at Colorado Mountain College. Placement testing is an important step in choosing those courses that will help you be successful in reaching your educational goals.

According to the State of Colorado, all first-time degree-seeking students, as well as students seeking select certificates, must be assessed in reading comprehension, English, and mathematics. For more information on placement testing, contact your campus student service counselor or:

Dr. Bonnie Steele, Director of Assessment
bsteele@coloradomtn.edu, 970-384-8500

Placement Tests Accepted
The following tests are used by CMC for placement testing purposes.

  • ACT
  • SAT
  • Accuplacer

 See the ACT and SAT College Codes for Colorado Mountain College Campuses

What is Accuplacer?
Accuplacer is a test used for placement purposes and is administered to potential and current students to assess academic levels prior to enrollment. The test will assess your content knowledge in reading, sentence skills, and mathematics. All new degree and certificate students are required to take the placement tests.

Accuplacer Costs
First administration of any section of the Accuplacer Placement test can be taken at any CMC campus at no cost for CMC students. Retests for CMC students are $20 per section per retest. Non-CMC students can take the test but will be charged a $25 administration fee.  Retest fees for Non-CMC students are $25 administration fee plus $20 fee for each section retested.

CMC Testing Locations and Contacts
Tests are administered at all CMC campuses and sites on an appointment basis or in groups prior to each semester. Contact your local campus to schedule your appointment.

Remote Testing Process
If you are a future student from outside the Colorado Mountain College district, you are encouraged to test at your local community college.

After you have completed your test, ask the testing center to forward a copy of your scores to Dr. Bonnie Steele, 802 Grand Ave, Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601.

Testing Guidelines

  • Bring picture ID. You will not be permitted to test without proper identification.
  • Bring your college ID number.
  • Please adhere to our hours, and allow sufficient time to take your test.
  • No food or drink is allowed in the testing center.
  • Under no circumstances can children under 12 years of age be allowed in the testing center or left unattended in the hallway.
  • All cell phones and beepers must be turned off upon entering the testing center.

Exemptions from Placement Testing

  • Students who have earned a bachelor’s or associate’s degree.
  • Students who have previously been assessed at a Colorado public postsecondary institution.
  • Students who have successfully completed basic skills instruction in mathematics, writing, or reading are exempt from the requirement for assessment in that subject area only.
  • Students who have successfully completed a college-level course in English are exempt from the requirement for assessment in English and reading.
  • Students who have successfully completed a college-level course in mathematics are exempt from the requirement for assessment in mathematics.

Retest Policy and Requirements

CMC students wishing to retest after they have completed any self-remediation must sign-up with the front desk staff and pay a $20 per test section fee prior to retaking any test. Only one retest per subject per semester is allowed. Students must wait a minimum of one week to retake a test. The highest test score will be used to place students into the appropriate course(s).

Testing for Students with Disabilities

Please see Testing for Students with Disabilities.

Websites to Review Prior to Testing