Directed Self-Placement

Students can consult a course grid to enroll in the English class most-appropriate to their needs. Students are not required to take the standardized Accuplacer test for placement.

Guidelines and Process

The English Placement Grid is an overview of STCC’s entry-level courses in English. Reading and writing are interconnected skills, but STCC understands that some students are more comfortable in one of the two skills. Placements are determined independently to allow students to find the most appropriate courses to meet their educational needs.

To prepare for your upcoming appointment with an academic advisor, please follow the steps below to help you identify the courses that best fit your skills and comfort level.

  1. Locate the course identified by your initial placement results from the Testing Center. The initial placement is determined by high school GPA or essay.
  2. Review the English Placement Grid.
  3. Consider your placement. Think about your experiences with writing as you read over the English Placement Grid and consider these questions:
    1. How well do you understand the “Necessary Skills” listed?
    2. Do you struggle with any of the “Skills Developed” in the course?
    3. How easily do you think you could complete the “Typical Course Activities” listed?
  4. Decide what course is best for you.
    1. If you are confident that you already possess most of the “Skills Developed” in the course, look one column to the right and repeat step 3.
    2. If you are concerned that you do not have the “Necessary Skills” listed, look one column to the left and repeat step 3.
    3. When you are confident you have found a course that would offer a reasonable challenge and cover skills you have not yet mastered, make note of the course in preparation for your appointment with an academic advisor.
  5. Schedule an Advising Appointment. To make an appointment to meet with an advisor, please contact the Academic Advising and Transfer Center at advisor@stcc.edu or (413) 755-4857. 

For a one-page PDF infographic of the process please see the Directed Self-Placement for English Infographic PDF.

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