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Frequently Asked Questions
Basic Skills Assessment

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Study Guides & Test Preparation

Exemptions to Testing/
Transfer Students

Exempt Classes

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Understanding Your Results/
Description of Courses

Prerequisites / Recommended Prep.

Challenging Prerequisites
Retesting

AP Exam - College Credit

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Microbiology Prerequisite

English as a Second Language
(ESL) Assessment

Chico State Students

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Financial Aid Testing

Understanding Your Results

GET YOUR RESULTS

Purpose of Assessment and Placement

The purpose of establishing placement levels is to help you succeed as a student enrolled at Butte College. The assessment process is designed:

To provide students with feedback about their reading, writing, and math skills prior to registering for classes.
To assist students in matching their levels of basic skills with those levels needed to successfully pass the courses offered through the College.
To inform students about which reading, English and math courses they're eligible to enroll in.

If you are a transfer student, your placement and computer printout reflects tests you took at your other school or an evaluation of your transcripts. You will want to pay close attention to the information listed and the corresponding interpretation sheets as the curriculum and course requirements at Butte College may be different from those at your other school.

Reading Your Computer Printout

The information on the computer printout is different for each student; it is based on your assessment scores or an evaluation of your transcript, and triggers specific messages and recommendations for you. You should read all the messages thoroughly as they apply uniquely to your results.

The number possible for each of the subsections and total score is listed, as is the number you scored correct and the percent you got correct. The total score correct is your score. Your educational background has been combined with your assessment results to establish your basic skills placement levels (shown in Roman numerals) and course eligibility (shown in the box on the right side of the printout).

You have been placed into different skill levels of reading, English and math. There are two ways students are placed into these basic skills placement levels: one is by your performance on basic skills assessment, the other is by successfully completing college classes with grades of "C" or better. You will be advanced to the higher levels automatically as you complete classes. In the future, your computer printout will reflect these changes. If you have not established placement information in each of the three areas, be sure to contact the Assessment Office.

Interpreting Your Results

There are Interpretation Sheets that describe the various basic skill classes offered through Butte College and contain other pertinent information about the BSA results. At the top of each of these pages, you can review the different levels and range of scores needed for each course. All of this information, as well as catalog descriptions of the basic skills classes (reading, English and math) and their respective prerequisites, can be found within Description of Courses on this website.

Reading
There are six levels of reading where you may have been placed, from Intro through Level V. Some students have had difficulty with the reading assessment so another test, the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP), which is structured differently, has been made available to students. If you placed below Level III in reading, you may choose to take the DRP through the Assessment Office. Most students who have already taken it have found it to be easier to complete and have been able to raise their placement levels to qualify for higher reading classes.

English
There are 4 levels of English where you may have been placed, from Levels I though IV. Level V in English indicates Freshmen Composition has been satisfactorily completed. If your placement level for English is "None," the course listed on your computer printout is an introductory writing course offered through the Reading department. A description of this course appears on the reading interpretation sheet. If this applies to you, you may want to retest in English. If you were placed in English Level IV and reading Level V, you are eligible to apply for the Butte College Honors Program. If you are interested, there are brochures describing this program in the Transfer/General Education Office (LB 344).

Math
There are six levels of math were you may have been placed, from INTRO through Level V. The Basic Math Assessment places students into Whole Numbers, Math 214 through Beginning Algebra, Math 108 (Intro. Level - Level III). The Algebra I Assessment, allows for placement into Math 124-Intermediate Algebra (Level IV). Intermediate Algebra is important to take if you are planning to transfer, as it is the prerequisite course for most of the transfer math classes. Students receiving scores of 10-25 on the Algebra I Assessment are placed into Beginning Algebra, Math 108, as a refresher course.

A placement Level V is required for transfer math courses. The Algebra II Assessment test is necessary for these classes unless intermediate algebra has been completed in college with a "C" grade or better. As you can see from the interpretation sheet, however, different scores are required for various transfer-level math classes. Students receiving scores of 14-20 on the Algebra II Assessment will be placed into Math 124, Intermediate Algebra, as a refresher course. Math 124 is the best class to take as a review if your major requires a specific math course and you didn't receive placement into that course. Because there are specific math courses recommended or required for various transfer majors, you'll want to discuss your educational goal with a counselor in selecting the appropriate math class for yourself. If you feel you could have done better on the math portion of the assessment, you may want to retest or take a different math test. There are study guides available for the different math assessments; these are located in the Assessment Office and on our website. You probably should pick up one to review your skills prior to retesting.

Basic Skills Placement Levels and Enrollment

Your placement levels correspond to classes other than reading, English and math courses. An essential part of your academic success is based on your understanding of how your basic academic skills relate to all of the courses you choose to take. Most classes offered through Butte College have some type of prerequisite or recommended preparation. These are used to establish a student's readiness for the content to be covered within a course. "Recommended Prep" has been established by the faculty to inform students of the basic skills (i.e., reading, writing and math skills) needed to perform satisfactorily in their courses. Recommended Prep is listed in the Butte College catalog with the course descriptions. Review what is listed in the catalog for the courses you're interested in taking and compare these with your placement levels. If your placement levels are below what is recommended for the courses you plan to enroll in, consult a counselor. You will want to be aware of the support services the College provides to assist you with any academic challenges you may face. Recommended Prep is advisory and may be waived at the time of registration.

Course Eligibility for Reading, English, and Math Classes

As you can see from your computer printout, you have established eligibility for courses in reading, English and math. The classes that are listed are those you are eligible to enroll in. This type of eligibility, unlike recommended prep, cannot be waived. You can, however, take classes below your course eligibility.

If your score falls in a "Decision Zone," this will be noted under the course listed on the computer printout. Your skills appear to be on the borderline in terms of your readiness for the higher course, the higher course is the one listed. You will need to decide which course will be best for you to enroll in. You may find you must apply good study skills and probably more time than other students to be successful if you choose to enroll in the higher course. You may wish to discuss your options with a counselor before you make your decision.

As you complete basic skills courses with grades of "C" or better, you will be allowed to register for the next course. If you receive a D, F, NC or withdraw from the basic skills course, you will not advance.

Depending on your academic goal, Associates Degree, Bachelors Degree, or some Certificate programs, you will need to meet competency in reading, English and math to satisfy the requirements of your program.

Retesting

If you feel that you have been misplaced, you may retest once in any of the subject areas. At the top of the interpretation sheets, you can see the range of scores needed for each class. If you just missed the higher class by a couple of points, you may want to take the assessment over. If you do choose to retest in any area, review your printout to determine which of the subsections you should focus on to improve your score. You can retest through the Assessment Office Monday through Thursday. Our phone number, (530) 895-2350, is listed on this handout if you want to schedule an appointment. Don't forget to review the appropriate math study guide or use the self-paced tutorial computer program before retesting!

Special Permission / Challenging Course Eligibility

If you feel your course placement may not reflect your abilities accurately, you can discuss it with a counselor or an instructor of that subject. There is a possibility that the counselor or instructor may temporarily override your course eligibility and give you Special Permission to enroll in a higher course. You must attempt the appropriate Butte College assessment test to be eligible to pursue Special Permission.

Your Special Permission form needs to be on file in the Assessment Office prior to registering for the class.

If you have any questions about your placement information, contact the Assessment Office or discuss your concerns with a counselor.