Placement Requirements

All new students interested in enrolling in credit classes are required to meet placement requirements prior to registering for credit courses and must submit a completed application to RVC prior to testing.

Determining Placement

As a community college, Rock Valley College provides different starting points for students interested in taking credit classes. We want to make sure your journey at Rock Valley College begins at the best place for you, so we will review your transcripts for the following multiple measures to establish your starting point.

Multiple Measures:

• High School &/or College transcripts - includes AP, CLEP, IB, and successful completion of appropriate developmental education course(s) in English &/or Math at another regionally accredited college or university.
• Cumulative High School GPA (within five years)
• SAT, ACT, and/or GED scores (within three years)
• Transitional courses in English &/or Math (within 18 months)
• CASAS (120 days)
• Placement Assessments: ACCUPLACER, ALEKS, EdReady

Submitting Your Transcripts

Students WITH transcripts: Students should submit their high school, GED, or college/university transcripts to the Rock Valley College Records & Registration Office on the second floor of the Student Center located on the Main Campus.

For more information about submitting your transcripts, contact RVC-records@rockvalleycollege.edu or call (815) 921-4250. While an official transcript is always preferred, students may submit unofficial transcripts for placement determination.

Placement Measures

English/Language Arts 

• Adult Ed Bridge - EdReady
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 1.99 and below 
  • ACCUPLACER: 226 and below
  • SAT (English): 420 and below 
  • CASAS: 247 and below
  • GED: 120 and below
• Developmental – ENG 098: Integrated Reading & Writing
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 2.0-2.49 
  • ACCUPLACER: 227-236
  • SAT (English): 421-449 
  • CASAS: 248 and above
  • GED: 121-144
• Additional Support/College-Level – ENG 100/101: ENG plus Support (ALP)
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 2.5-2.99 
  • ACCUPLACER: 237-249
  • SAT (English): 450-479 
  • GED: 145-164
• College-Level – ENG 101: English 101
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 3.0 and above 
  • ACCUPLACER: 250 and above
  • SAT (English): 480 and above 
  • ACT (English): 19
  • Transitional English (C or better)
  • GED: 165 and above

Math 

Non-STEM Pathways

• Developmental - MTH-096A: Math Literacy for College Students
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 2.0+ 
  • ACCUPLACER: 227 QAS
  • ALEKS Score: 14+
  • Prior Course: ALEKS-PPL Bridge with 14+ score 
  • GED: 145+
• Additional Support College-Level - MTH-115P: General Education Math Plus Support
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 2.3+ 
  • ACCUPLACER: 241 QAS
  • ALEKS Score: 22+
  • Transitional Math: TM001 or TM002 (C or better)
  • Prior Course: MTH-096A or 094 (C or better)
• Additional Support College-Level - MTH-220P: Elements of Statistics Plus Support
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 2.5+ 
  • ACCUPLACER: 241 QAS
  • ALEKS Score: 25+
  • Transitional Math: TM001 or TM002 (C or better)
  • Prior Course: MTH-096A or 094 (C or better) OR MTH-115P (C or better)
• Non-STEM College-Level - MTH-115: General Education Math
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 2.5+ and 4th year of HS Math 
  • ACCUPLACER: 252 QAS / 240 AAF
  • ALEKS Score: 30+
  • SAT (Math): 470+ 
  • ACT (Math): 18+
  • Transitional Math: TM001 or TM002 (B or better)
  • GED: 165+
• Non-STEM College-Level - MTH-220: Elements of Statistics
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 3.0+ and 4th year of HS Math 
  • ACCUPLACER: 252 QAS / 240 AAF
  • ALEKS Score: 36+
  • SAT (Math): 470+ 
  • ACT (Math): 18+ 
  • Transitional Math: TM001 or TM002 (B or better)
  • Prior Course: may be MTH-115 or MTH-115P (C or better) if previously taken
  • GED: 165+

STEM Pathways

• Developmental - MTH-096S: Beginning/Intermediate Algebra (STEM)
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 2.3+ 
  • ACCUPLACER: 241 QAS
  • ALEKS Score: 22+
  • Prior Course: ALEKS-PPL Bridge with 22+ score
  • GED: 145+
• College-Level Plus Review - MTH-120P: College Algebra Plus Review
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 2.7+ and C or better in Algebra 2+ 
  • ACCUPLACER: 252 QAS / 240 AAF
  • ALEKS Score: 35+
  • Transitional Math: TM001 (C or better)
  • Prior Course: MTH-096S or 094 (C or better) OR MTH-096A with ALEKS Bridge
• STEM College-Level - MTH-120: College Algebra
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 3.0+ and B or better in Algebra 2+ and 4th year of HS Math 
  • ACCUPLACER: 257 QAS / 240 AAF
  • ALEKS Score: 46+
  • SAT (Math): 550+ 
  • ACT (Math): 22+ 
  • Transitional Math: TM001 (B or better)
• STEM College-Level - MTH-216: Math for Elementary Teachers I
  • Cumulative HS GPA: 3.0+ and 4th year of HS Math 
  • ACCUPLACER: 257 QAS / 240 AAF
  • ALEKS Score: 36+
  • SAT (Math): 470+ 
  • ACT (Math): 18+ 
  • Transitional Math: TM001 (C or better)
  • Prior Course: MTH-096S or 094 (C or better) OR MTH-096A with ALEKS Bridge
  • GED: 165+