ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT POLICIES Los Angeles City College This report is part of a series of summaries that outlines the assessment and placement policies used across the nine community colleges that comprise the Los Angeles Community College District. The information presented in this report was collected from college websites and district documents. MAY 2013
Matriculation Los Angeles City College states that matriculation is a process that brings students and the college into partnership to assist students in meeting their educational objectives. Participation in each step of the matriculation process assists students in identifying, planning, and achieving their educational and career goals. Admissions: All new students, except AB540 students, can submit an application for admission by using the admissions application. Link: http://www.cccapply.org/applications/cccapply/apply/los_angeles_city_college.html. All new students who have never attended or returning students who have not attended LACCD for the past year need to apply for admission. Students still in high school may also apply using LACC s online application but they also must submit the Supplemental K-12 Application, found on the same admissions application page. International students must apply through the International Student Office in Admissions. AB 540 students must apply in person at the admissions office. Assessment: After students submit an application for admissions and receive a registration appointment, the college requests that students immediately schedule a time to take assessments in math, English or English as a Second Language (ESL). All students participating in matriculation must be assessed. Students can schedule a time to take an assessment in person or online at: http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/counsel/counselingonlineappts.html. Orientation: LACC provides orientation to inform students about campus resources and support services. The college does not provide information on whether students can attend an online or on campus orientation session. Counseling: Students can receive counseling for educational, transfer, and career exploration. Students can schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor in person or online. Students are advised to attend a counseling session with an academic advisor. Follow-Up: After the first semester of enrollment, the college provides follow-up counseling that continues to provide students with academic guidance. Here students have the chance to continue ining their student educational plan to accommodate certificate, degree, and/or transfer goals. Who is eligible for matriculation? Students who are pursuing a vocational certificate or Associate s degree Students who are pursuing to transfer to a four-year university or college Students who are undecided about their specific goals but express a broad educational intent Who is exempt from matriculation? Students who have completed 30 units or more including English 28 or 101 and Mathematics 115 or equivalent courses Students who have completed an Associate s degree or higher Students who are enrolling for personal enrichment or recreational purposes without plans of taking more than 15 units of credit classes
Registration New students can enroll in classes after they have submitted an application for admission. LACC recommends that all matriculating students finish assessments, orientation, and meet with an academic advisor prior to registering for classes. Matriculating students are asked to meet with counselors to properly interpret test results and select appropriate courses. Pre-requisites, co-requisites, and advisories: A pre-requisite is a course that a student must complete before taking the course in which they wish to enroll. A co-requisite is a course that must be concurrently taken with the course in which the student wishes to enroll. An advisory is a course that students take prior to a course they wish to enroll. Assessment Students who matriculate must take assessments in English, ESL, and math. Students can obtain information about assessment on LACC s assessment webpage: http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/matriculation/assessment.html. The website provides practice tests in English, ESL and math. LACC stresses the importance of students taking assessments prior to registering for classes. Assessment test used to place students in math ACCUPLACER Who must take the assessment test? Students who are pursuing a degree or certificate Students who are pursuing to transfer to a four-year university or college Students who register for more than six units Students who enroll in a class with a math or English prerequisite Who is exempt from being assessed? Students with college degrees How often can a student take an assessment test? Students can re-test six months after their initial test What is the frequency with which tests are offered? Tests are typically offered five days a week and students must make an appointment to schedule a testing day and time Are sample test questions available? Students are given suggestions on ways to prepare for the test. Test questions are also provided on the LACC website: http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/matriculation/assessment.html
Cut Scores These scores represent the math cut scores from spring semester 2005 to spring semester 2008 at LACC. 2005 2008 Arithmetic test Elementary Algebra College Level Math Score 17 35 65 17 28 50 76 109 17 43 63 68 AR AR EA EA EA EA CM CM CM< 35 65 28 50 76 109 43 63 68 Recommended placement 105 112 EA AR 112 113, 115 121-125 CLM EA 121-125 215-245 >245 Student Background Questionnaire Based on documents received from the district, LACC gathers background information on students using one student background questionnaire. Questions that are bolded are treated as multiple measures. 1. What documented disabling condition do you have, if any, that might affect the usefulness of your test scores as measures of your skills? 2. Is English the first language you learned? 3. What is the total number of years you studied mathematics in high school? Count less than a full year as a year, but do not count a repeated year of the same course as an additional year of study. 4. Did you study algebra for at least one semester in high school? 5. How long has it been since you have taken a mathematics course or other formal mathematics training? 6. Are you a high school graduate or do you hold a GED certificate? 7. Do you intend to apply for federal financial aid? Are you a returning college student? 8. Have you ever taken a trigonometry course? 9. How many years have you studied English, not ESL, in a high school? 10. How many hours per week to you spend reading materials In English? 11. Did you graduate from high school in the United States? Multiple Measures Based on documents received from the district, LACC only awards multiple measure points to ENL (English-as-a-Native Language) students. In general, multiple measures capture a student s course taking patterns in high school math. ENL students can be awarded up to five multiple measure points. It is unclear whether ESL students also receive multiple measure points in addition to their math assessment score. ENL Questions Answers Additional Points Question 3: What Is the total number a) 1 year 0 of years you studied mathematics in b) 2 years 0 high school? c) 3 years 1 e) 4 years 1 f.) More than 4 1 g.) Omit 0 h.) None 0 Question 4: Have you studied algebra? a.) Yes 1
Question 5: How long has it been since you have taken a mathematics course or other formal mathematics training? Question 8: Have you ever taken a trigonometry course? Total multiple measure points b.) No 0 a.) Less than 1 year 1 b.) 1 to 3 years 0 c.) 4 to 6 years 0 e) 7 or more 0 a.) Yes 1 b.) No 0 Minimum and maximum total points 0 to 5 added Course Challenge Petition To challenge a prerequisite or a co-requisite, students need to provide official college transcripts and show that they completed prerequisite or co-requisite classes with passing grades. In addition, students must submit their prerequisite challenge petition to the department chairperson. Students can receive information about a course challenge petition from their counselor. A student may challenge any pre-requisite or co-requisite on one or more of the grounds listed below: The pre-requisite or co-requisite has not been established in accordance with the districts process for establishing pre-requisites and co-requisites The pre-requisite or co-requisite is in violation of the Pre/Co-requisite and Advisory Regulations The pre-requisite or co-requisite is either unlawfully discriminatory or is being applied in an unlawfully discriminatory manner The student has knowledge or the ability to succeed in the course program despite not meeting the pre-requisite or co-requisite The student will be subject to undue delay in attaining the goal in his/her educational plan because the prerequisite or co-requisite course has not been reasonably made available The student has not been allowed to enroll due to a limitation on enrollment established for a course that involves intercollegiate competition, public performances, honor courses, or blocks of courses for which enrollment has been limited to a cohort of students. The student shall be allowed to enroll in such a course if no equivalent section is offered, and the student would be delayed by a semester or more in attaining the degree certificate specified in his/her student educational plan Supporting Documentation LACC does not provide information on the proper documentation a student needs to submit in addition to the challenge petition form Procedure to file a course challenge petition: Obtain LACC pre/co-requisite challenge petition online: http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/admissions/prereq%20challenge%20form.pdf Complete the form and compile necessary paperwork providing grounds for evidence Turn in the forms and additional paperwork to the appropriate academic office o Students should receive a reply within 5 working days of the submission
Counseling The counseling department offers different academic services to help students reach their educational goals. Matriculating students are recommended that they meet with a counselor to help devise an educational plan. The educational plan identifies a student s goal (certificate, degree, or transfer) and specifies a path the student should to reach this goal. The goal of academic counseling is to ensure that students attain their own educational and career goals. Students can make an appointment to meet with a counselor in person or online at http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/counsel/counsel.html. LACC also offers online advising to students who have already completed orientation and have met in-person with a counselor. To access this service, LACC requires students to first meet face-to-face with a counselor. Though LACC stresses the importance of counseling, it does not appear to be mandatory for matriculating students. Sources Los Angeles City College: Matriculation. (2012). Matriculation: steps to success. Retrieved from http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/matriculation/index.html