Public Colleges and Universities College Placement

Oklahoma's colleges and universities work hard to ensure that every student with the drive to earn a college degree has the support to achieve that goal. To meet students where they are, our institutions are reviewing each student's goals and capabilities individually. While college admission tests like the ACT and SAT are a valuable tool to see if you're ready for college, they are one of many ways to determine if you're prepared for college-level coursework. Colleges and universities now look at a variety of factors to make decisions about admission and course placement, such as high school GPA and course rigor. These measures, as well as those described in detail below, are designed to evaluate students as individuals, not test scores.

Purpose - Not Placement

Higher education institutions have developed a process to determine a student's academic goals, career goals and overall college readiness. Through this process, students can choose a broad area of study or a more specific area, called a meta-major. Choosing a meta-major allows a student to enroll in the right courses, particularly in math, so the student can enter a program of study in their first academic year.

Multiple Measures

Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT are no longer the primary tool colleges and universities use to determine if a student is ready for college-level coursework. Colleges and universities now consider multiple criteria to make course placement decisions (math and English). Those criteria may include high school GPA, high school courses, class ranking and degree of study.

Remediation Reform

For students who may not be completely ready for college-level coursework in math, English or reading, Oklahoma's higher education institutions offer additional services, called co-requisite supports, that allow students to enroll in certain college-level courses while receiving the support services they need to master the subject, such as tutoring, online labs, and peer study groups.

Students should contact colleges or universities for specific information about college admission measures and co-requisite support options.

After you've been accepted to an Oklahoma state college or university, your academic advisor will help you get a good start by ensuring you enroll in the right courses for your skill or knowledge level. Your ACT subject test scores in science, math, reading and English will be reviewed. If you scored a 19 or better on a subject test, you'll be placed in a credit-earning course for that subject area.

If you scored below the required cut score for ACT/SAT, you may undergo additional testing in an area or the college or university may look at additional factors such as your high school GPA to determine the appropriate course. If these measures show you're ready for college-level work, you'll be placed in a credit-earning course. If the test indicates you're not ready, you'll be placed in a college course with additional support, such as a co-requisite course.

It's important to note that institutions may require higher ACT subject scores for admission and course placement (for general education English, math and science courses). As with other aspects of the college admission process, please consult with your college advisor prior to enrollment at a particular college.

Math Pathways

It's also more important than ever to identify a program of study, which will determine the appropriate math course for you. Historically, the algebra-to-calculus pathway has been the college math requirement for most students. However, over the last decade, it has become clear that this pathway doesn't reflect the types of skills many students will actually need in their lives and careers.

In response, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education implemented a variety of math pathways to help students enroll in math courses that align with their degree of study and the needs of their future careers. The four math options are quantitative reasoning, statistics, functions and modeling, and pre-calculus. All four courses are designed for first-time college students.

Oklahoma public community colleges and universities accept these alternate math courses to fulfill students' math requirements. Students should contact colleges or universities for specific information about degree requirements and course availability.

For more information about college admission measures, co-requisite course support services, or college placement, contact Dr. Rachel Bates, OSRHE Associate Vice Chancellor for Educational Partnerships, at rbates@osrhe.edu or call the Student Information Hotline at 800.858.1840.

Independent (Private) Colleges and Universities
Placement policies may differ for independent (private) colleges and universities (not tax supported, nonprofit). Check with the institution you wish to attend for additional information.