To foster student success, DCC administers placement tests to new students. This ensures that students are placed in classes consistent with their current level of academic ability. While other tests may be required based on a student's individual needs, the ACCUPLACER test is the primary tool.
A written, timed test of basic skills developed by the American College of Testing. Click ASSET to download sample problems.
The Michigan Test of English as a Second Language (ESL)
This test is an objective test of 100 questions. The first 20 questions test listening skills with questions asked on a cassette tape. The following 80 questions concern grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills. Students have 75 minutes to complete this test, and it is scored immediately. This test is used to determine whether a student is ready to enroll in an English course at Dutchess Community College, and if so, which course is appropriate.
Science Placement Test
A test for students who wish to place into BIO131.
Click Science Screening Test Guide for more information on the test.
Click Science Placement for sample questions.
English Course Placement Appeal
The English Course Placement appeal is available to students who place in a certain range on the Sentence Skills portion of ACCUPLACER or Writing portion of ASSET. Students are given the opportunity to come in during some "walk-in" testing times to write an essay which is then evaluated by a professor from the English department to determine final course placement. Students qualifying for the English Course Placement appeal will be notified.
Spanish Placement Test Web-CAPE
The Spanish Placement test evaluates a student’s current Spanish skills and determines course placement. It is an untimed computer adaptive test.