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Effective Date: Fall 2026
Last Reviewed: Spring 2026
Last Revised: Fall 2023
Next Review: Fall 2035
Policy Statement
All undergraduate degree programs require successful completion of the Kent Core Composition requirement. Placement into the appropriate starting course in the sequence is determined by ACT English or SAT evidence-based reading and writing or high school GPA.
To provide more opportunities to all students, ACT/SAT scores and/or high school GPA older than two years are acceptable for English placement. Students who do not have ACT/SAT scores or a high school GPA will take Accuplacer Reading and Writeplacer. Students who have taken Accuplacer sentence skills, Writeplacer or reading comprehensive at another institution within two years of their initial start date may opt to transfer those scores to Kent State University.
Kent Campus Students
| Assessment | Score | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| ACT English | 0-25 | ENG 11011 |
| ACT English | 26+ | ENG 21011 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 200-590 | ENG 11011 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 600+ | ENG 21011 |
| Accuplacer and Writeplacer (challenge to ACT/SAT placement) | 7+ | ENG 21011 |
| GED Reasoning Through Language Arts College Reading | 165+ * | ENG 11011 |
| Final high school GPA | 2.8+ | ENG 11011 |
Regional Campus Students
Students admitted to a regional campus who do not meet the university readiness standards will be required to enroll in and earn a minimum C grade in ENG 01001 and a minimum C- grade in ENG 11002 ("stretch" sequence) before they can enroll in ENG 21011. Students who wish to challenge their writing placement into ENG 01001 and would like to try to place directly into ENG 11011 may do so using the Writing Placement Reassessment. Regional Campus students are given the option to enroll in those courses regardless of their older ACT/SAT or GPA.
| Assessment | Score | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| ACT English | 0-17 | ENG 01001 and ENG 11002 |
| ACT English | 18-25 | ENG 11011 |
| ACT English | 26+ | ENG 21011 |
| ACT Reading and Writeplacer Next Generation | 0-19 and 4 | ENG 01001 and ENG 11002 |
| ACT Reading and Writeplacer Next Generation | 20+ and 4 | ENG 11011 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 200-470 | ENG 01001 and ENG 11002 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 480-590 | ENG 11011 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 600+ | ENG 21011 |
| Accuplacer Next Generation Writing | 0-4 | ENG 01001 and ENG 11002 |
| Accuplacer Next Generation Writing | 4 and 0-249 Accuplacer Reading | ENG 01001 and ENG 11002 |
| Accuplacer Next Generation Writing | 4 and 250+ Accuplacer Reading | ENG 11011 |
| Accuplacer Next Generation Writing | 5-6 | ENG 11011 |
| Accuplacer Next Generation Writing | 7+ | ENG 21011 |
| GED Reasoning Through Language Arts College Reading | 165+ * | ENG 11011 |
| Final high school GPA | 0.0-2.79 | ENG 01001 and ENG 11002 |
| Final high school GPA | 2.8+ | ENG 11011 |
- *
Kent State University awards college credit for GED 175+ scores.
Reason for Policy
A university English placement policy ensures that students begin their coursework at a level that matches their current knowledge and skills, which supports academic success and persistence. A clear placement policy also promotes equity and consistency by applying uniform standards across students and modalities, while allowing for multiple measures (e.g., test scores, prior coursework, GPA) to account for diverse educational backgrounds.
Procedures
There are no procedures associated with this policy.
Forms/Instructions
There are no forms associated with this policy.
Additional Resources
- Credit Transfer
- Destination Kent State
- Placement and Testing Services
- Placement Assessments
- Placement in Writing Courses
- Writing Placement Reassessment
Frequently Asked Questions
- I have a couple of different scores that suggest different placements. Which one will be used?
Kent State will always defer to the score that gives you the highest placement. - I am an international students whose first language is not English. How do I get placed into college writing courses?
If you are an international student and your first language is not English, you will need to take the International Student College Writing Placement Exam. There are no exceptions to this, and only the Department of English can give you permission to register for the college writing courses. Use your university email address to contact the Department of English at eslcomp@kent.edu. Send your first and last name and your Kent State ID number along with any questions you have. The test occurs online and is taken on demand. If needed, alternate versions of the exam are available. Please state that in your email.
Definitions
ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces): A web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what students knows and do not know in a course. ALEKS then instructs students on the topics they are most ready to learn. As students work through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses them to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS courses are very complete in their topic coverage, and ALEKS avoids multiple-choice questions. Students who show a high level of mastery of an ALEKS course will be successful in the actual course they are taking. (Source: www.aleks.com)
Destination Kent State: A three-part orientation program designed for first-year students to familiarize them with Kent State University. The program provides new students with the tools necessary to enjoy a successful journey to graduation.
Related Information
- Alternative Credit Programs
- Critical Reading Strategies Placement
- Developmental Coursework
- Foreign Language Placement
- Kent Core
- Mathematics Placement
- Retroactive Credit
- Standardized Test Score Reports
- University Readiness Standards
Revision History
Amended Fall 2026: Revised policy removes high school GPA of 3.8 and writing sample to be placed in ENG 21011.
Amended Fall 2023: Revised policy lowers the high school GPA for remediation-free placement, from 3.0 to 2.8.
Amended Fall 2022: Revised policy adds 3.0+ high school GPA for remediation-free placement (with writing sample for higher placement) and replaces the Accuplacer Writeplacer with the Writing Placement Reassessment for students wishing to challenge their writing placement. ACT/SAT scores and/or high-school GPA older than two years will be accepted for placement. Students without ACT/SAT scores will take Accuplacer Reading and Writeplacer for placement.
Amended Fall 2020: Revised policy expands on college writing placement tests and scores for students on the regional campuses. Notation added that GED 175+ score is awarded college credit.
Amended Fall 2019: Revised policy replaces the writing challenge with Accuplacer Writeplacer for students to reassess or challenge their original placement in the writing courses. Score of 7 or higher will place students in ENG 21011. Old SAT scores (pre-2016) are removed.
Amended Fall 2018: Revised policy changes SAT scores for placement due to the new SAT test.
Amended Fall 2017: Revised policy changes the COMPASS test (from Writing to Reading) and adds Accuplacer and GED scores for placement into writing courses.
Amended Fall 2014: Revised policy sets specific ACT, SAT and COMPASS scores for placement into writing courses.
Amended Fall 2012: Revised policy complies with the Ohio Remediation Free Standards for undergraduate students and to provide college-testing thresholds for placement into mathematics courses.