Testing
Placement Testing

In an effort to provide more effective educational services for non-exempt students, Chipola College and the State of Florida have established a placement testing program. Through the Placement Testing Program, the college can better identify the student’s academic strengths and weaknesses. Test results are used by the college to advise students and to place them in courses which will best assist them in improving reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Degree-seeking students who require college preparatory instruction must begin competency-based preparatory course work within the first 12 semester hours. Students must maintain continuous enrollment in preparatory courses until successfully completed.

First-Time-In-College (FTIC) students seeking admission to the Associate in Arts Degree or the Associate in Science Degree Programs are advised to participate in the Placement Testing Program prior to registering for their first term. Chipola College administers the Postsecondary Educational Readiness Test (PERT) as the primary placement test. Students who have achieved a college ready score on the Enhanced American College Test (ACT) or the Scholastic Achievement Test-I (SAT-I) within the past two years of the date of admission may request that these scores be accepted for placement purposes.

The PERT is offered Monday thru Thursday in the Chipola College Testing Center by appointment only or online. Examinees must schedule appointments and pay testing fees at least 24 hours in advance using the link on the Testing Center web page. (www.registerblast.com/chipola/Exam)

Placement test scores are valid for two years. An examinee may retest on the PERT after 30 days.

Placement Testing Exemptions

Transfer students who have completed English Composition I (ENC 1101) or its equivalent and have completed College Algebra (MAC 1105) or its equivalent may be exempt from placement testing. A student who entered 9th grade in a Florida public high school in the 2003-04 school year, or any year thereafter, and earned a standard high school diploma or a student who is serving as an active duty member of the U.S. Armed Services is not required to take a placement test and is not required to enroll in developmental instruction.

TABE Testing Requirements

As per rule 6A-10.040, students enrolled in a postsecondary program offered for career education credit of 450 hours or more shall complete an entry-level basic skills examination within the first six (6) weeks after admission into the program. However, a student is exempt from taking the TABE if any of the following criteria are met:

  1. 1. The student possesses an earned AA, AS, or higher degree.
  2. The student has a minimum passing score on a standardized test provided the test scores are not over two years old.
  3. The student has successfully completed college level English and mathematics courses.
  4. The student has completed preparatory courses with a “C” grade or higher.
  5. The student entered 9th grade in a Florida public school in 2003-04, or any year thereafter, and earned a standard high school diploma.
  6. The student is serving as an active duty member of the U.S. Armed Services.
  7. Students with disabilities as defined in Section 1007.264 may be exempt also. No student will be awarded a Workforce Development certificate until the student achieves the minimum level of basic skills required for that program by the Department of Education.

The TABE is offered Monday thru Thursday in the Chipola College Testing Center by appointment only. Examinees must schedule appointments and pay testing fees at least 24 hours in advance using the link on the Testing Center web page at www.registerblast.com/chipola/Exam.

CGS 1100 Screening Exam

The CGS 1100 Screening Exam allows computer proficient students the ability to be exempt from the introductory computer course CGS 1060 providing they score 70% or better on the exam. There is a fee for the test which is administered in the Testing Center. Examinees should contact the testing center at 850-718-2284 to schedule an appointment.

BSC 2085 Screening Exam

The BSC 2085 Screening Exam allows students who have not successfully completed BSC 1005 or successfully completed one year of high school biology, the ability to exempt the biology prerequisite for BSC 2085 providing they score 70% or better on the exam. There is a fee for the Screening Exam which is administered in the Testing Center. Examinees should contact the testing center at 850-718-2284 to schedule an appointment.

Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)

Completion of the TEAS is a requirement for consideration for admission to the Chipola College Nursing Program. This exam is designed specifically to assess a student’s preparedness entering the health science fields. The ATI TEAS test is timed and is comprised of 170 questions set up in a multiple-choice format with four-option answers. Questions are designed to test the basic academic skills students need to perform in class in the areas of: Reading, Math, Science, and English and Language Usage. Candidates must make an appointment on RegisterBlast (www.registerblast.com/chipola/Exam) at least 24 hours in advance and seating is limited. For more information regarding the TEAS, contact the Testing Center or visit: https://www.chipola.edu/admissions/testing-center/teas.

Advanced Placement /Credit by Exam (CLEP)

Students who have taken the College Entrance Examination Board’s Advanced Placement (CEEB) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests should have the results forwarded to Admissions and Records. For the CEEB Advanced Placement Tests, Chipola College awards credit in the appropriate subject or discipline as per CEEB’s recommendation for scores 3, 4, or 5.

For the CLEP tests, Chipola College awards credit for each Subject Examination as approved by the State Department of Education. The maximum credit for the subject exams is 45 semester hours. CLEP credit in English Composition with Essay will satisfy the writing requirements of the Gordon Rule (SBE 6A.10.30). English Composition without Essay will NOT satisfy the writing requirement of the Gordon Rule. Since a grade of “P” for passing will be assigned, no grade point will be assigned for credit earned through the CLEP program.

Although Chipola awards credit for both Advanced Placement and CLEP scores, the college does not guarantee that all other colleges and universities will do so. According to an articulation agreement between Florida’s public community colleges and universities, Florida public institutions will accept credit as noted above. This does not apply to all out-of-state institutions.

No CLEP credit will be allowed in a course if the student has previously attempted or earned college credit in that course.

Students who score unusually high on college aptitude tests or on the pre-registration achievement tests may be placed in the more advanced courses of required sequences of the discipline(s). This applies especially to mathematics for which entering students may qualify for placement in any course more advanced than the most elementary college-level course. Such advanced placement does not involve the granting of credit for lower level courses from which the student was exempt. It does, however, enable students to greatly enrich their programs of study and allows them to pursue more advanced courses throughout their college career.

High school graduates who complete a Career Pathways program of study may receive credit-by-exam for selected courses which are included in the Associate in Science Degree or Workforce Development Certificate Programs. Testing must be completed prior to first semester enrollment.

The CLEP is offered on Mondays and Wednesdays in the Chipola College Testing Center by appointment only. Examinees must schedule appointments and pay testing fees at least 48 hours in advance using the link on the Testing Center web page. ( www.registerblast.com/chipola/Exam)

Gordon Rule Requirement

In 1982, the State Board of Education adopted a Communication and Computation Skills regulation (SBA 6A-10.030), also known as the Gordon Rule.

This rule requires all AA degree-seeking college students to take 12 hours from among a list of specified courses that require significant writing assignments and to take 6 hours of mathematics courses at the college algebra level or higher. Grades of “C” or better are required in courses taken to fulfill the requirements of the rule.
Provisions for satisfying the Gordon Rule requirement are as follows.

  1. 1. For the purposes of this rule, a grade of “C” or higher is required for successful completion.
  2. Any student satisfying College Level Examination Program (CLEP) requirements in mathematics for post-admission exemptions of course work shall be allowed to exempt three (3) hours of mathematics required by this rule.
  3. CLEP credit in English Composition with Essay will satisfy the writing requirements of the Gordon Rule (SBE 6A.10.30) English Composition without Essay will NOT satisfy the writing requirement of the Gordon Rule.

See the mathematics and communications sections of the general education requirements (Areas 3 and 4) for a list of mathematics and English/communications courses that will fulfill this requirement.

Graduate Exit Exam (GEE)

All students seeking an Associate in Arts Degree must earn a passing score on the Graduate Exit Exam, an academic exam designed to measure general education foundational skills attained in the first two years of college. Students must schedule for the GEE on Register Blast at www.registerblast.com/chipola/Exam 

Testing deadlines may be found in the Chipola College calendar printed on the inside front cover of this publication. The GEE is offered year around.

Florida Civics Literacy Exam (FCLE)

Students entering the Florida College System under 2021-2022 catalog year and thereafter, for an Associate in Arts (A.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, must demonstrate competency in civic literacy through successful completion of a civic literacy course (AMH2020 or POS2040) AND by achieving a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE). Additionally, students entering the Florida College System in the 2022-2023 catalog year and thereafter, for an Associate in Science (A.S.) or Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S) degree, must also demonstrate competency in civic literacy through successful completion of a civic literacy course (AMH 2010, AMH2020 or POS2040) AND by achieving a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE).

It is strongly recommended that the FCLE be taken immediately following the completion of AMH 2010, AMH2020 or POS2040. Students who are dual enrolled will take the exam at their high school. Early admit students will schedule an appointment to take it in the Testing Center.