English Placement Exam
English Placement Requirements
We strive to ensure that our students are slated to take the proper English requirements before they register for courses. Requirements are based on ACT or SAT scores submitted at the time of admission. Updated scores must be submitted to the Office of Admissions prior to registration. The following prerequisites may be required (subject to change).
- ENGL 1303 Basic Grammar & Composition. If your SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing score is below 570 or your ACT Reading score is below 22 or your Classical Learning Test (CLT) score is below 75, and you do not meet the Test-Optional Criteria OR Accuplacer test score; this course will be required and count as an elective credit towards your degree.
- ENGL 1313 Composition & Literature I. This is the standard placement for first-year students and first English course on your degree plan.
- ENGL 1323 Composition & Literature II. If you already have college credit for ENGL 1313 through an AP exam or dual credit class, you will be placed in this course. We must have your test scores or transcripts on file.
Test-Optional Applicants Qualifications
In effort to assist students in their transition to HCU we have provided additional ways students can be eligible for their freshmen level English 1313 Composition Course despite being test optional.
- Grade of A in Senior Non-Advanced Placement or Non-Honors English course in high school.
- Grade of B in Advanced Placement (AP) English or International Baccalaureate HL English (IB) in high school.
- C or higher in a dual credit college-level English course.
If you do not have the following above, you will need one of the examinations listed below to be eligible for English 1313. You may register below for Accuplacer through our testing center link. All tests will need to be in person and proctored, cost $25.
- Accuplacer Next Gen Reading score of 253+ AND 253+ Writing Score or and 5+ WritePlacer score
- Register for the Classical Learning Test offered online
- TSIA2 score of 945+ on the ELAR CRC (Engl Language Arts and Reading section of the College Readiness Classification) Test AND an Essay score of 5+
- TSIA in Reading score of 351+ AND I TSI in Writing score of 340+ AND TSIA I Essay score of 5+
Registration Instructions
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- Choose Group: Pre-Registration/GO Session
- Choose Exam: Accuplacer Pre-Registration/ Go Session
- Choose Date/ Time
- Enter Personal Information
- Check-out/Pay*
* Pell-eligible students have the opportunity to receive a test fee waiver for their Accuplacer exams, relieving the financial burden associated with testing fees. To determine eligibility and register a testing appointment, students are encouraged to contact Mr. Anthony Kazan at akazan@HC.edu.
Note: Students who don’t qualify either by high school requirement or Accuplacer will be placed in our English 1303, Basic Grammar and Composition for the first semester.
Accuplacer Reading/Writing/Essay Exam
General Information
Houston Christian University offers the Accuplacer as the entrance exam for the English department. The Exam consists of three sections.
- Next Generation Reading – CAT. (25 questions)
- Next generation Writing -CAT. (20 Question)
- WritePlacer – WritePlacer. (4-5 Paragraphs)
Minimum Scores
To meet the minimum requirement for placing into ENGL 1313 a Score of.
- 253+ in Next Gen Reading
- 253+ in Next Gen Writing
- 5+ in the WritePlacer
Retesting
A student may retake the Accuplacer in whole or in part as needed.
Houston Christian University offers several exam options including all three sections, and all the combinations of the individual sections, including the individual sections alone. Each exam section is allowed 1 hour to complete (1 hour per section) totaling at 3 hours for all three sections. When taking the exam the Essay section will be given first followed by the other sections.
The tester will receive their results via Email which they will provide before the exam begins. The scores can be accessed by entering the student I.D. into the link. provided by College Board to the tester after the exam is finished.
Advance Placement/IB/CLEP
Please review the Credit By Examination and Scores Requirements for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Examination Program (CLEP).