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PLACEMENT INFORMATION


All students who do not have valid scores (ACT, SAT, Placement) or who have scores (ACT, SAT, Placement) older than five years can take the ACCUPLACER Exam. Students should contact the Spearfish Campus Testing Center at 605.642.6099 (BHSPTestingCenter@BHSU.edu) to take this exam. 

Standardized Tests

The ACCUPLACER is administered at the Spearfish Campus Testing Center, located on the Second Floor of the E.Y. Berry Library-Learning Center, Room 240. For more information on Testing Center Services please call 605.642.6099 or email BHSU/Spearfish Testing Center at BHSPTestingCenter@BHSU.edu.

The ACCUPLACER is the comprehensive, computerized assessment and diagnostic system that determines placement into appropriate college-level Mathematics and English (writing) courses. This measure is required of all entering students who have not submitted valid ACT, or comparable scores, (within the past five years) for admissions purposes. Students with no valid scores will incur no extra charge when taking the ACCUPLACER.

Students wishing to challenge their valid scores or course placement may also take the ACCUPLACER. The challenge fee is $20. You may challenge your placement up to two (2) times.

 

The scales used to determine placement are listed below:

Mathematics Placement
Course GPA Math Index Accuplacer NextGEN Smarter Balanced-Math Challenge Index
MATH 101 or 
MATH 103+093*
Basic Placement: anyone can take these courses; there is no placement or prerequisite requirement for these courses.
MATH 114+094* 2.34-3.029 MI 950+ QAS 224-254 2543-2627 CI 950+
MATH 103
MATH 114
3.03-3.55 MI 1150+ QAS 255-300 or AAF 200-249 2628+ CI 1150+
MATH 120
MATH 281
3.55+ MI 1300+ AAF 250-300 or
Calc. Accuplacer 1-15
NA CI 1300+
MATH 123 3.55+ AND Calc. Accuplacer 19+ MI 1300+ AND Calc. Accuplacer 19+ AAF 250+ AND
Calc. Accuplacer 19+
NA CI 1300+ AND Calc. Accuplacer 19+

 *These classes do not satisfy degree requirements.

Math Index (MI) = (250 x HS GPA) + (17 x Math ACT subscore).
Example: If a student has a high school GPA of 3.4 and a math ACT subscore of 24 , their Math Index would be 1174 and placed into MATH 102, MATH 103 or MATH 104.
(250 x 3.4)+(17 x 24) = 1233

Challenge Index (CI) = (290 x HS GPA) + AAF + 20

 

English Placement
Course ACT English Score Accuplacer NextGEN Writing Smarter Balanced English SAT Reading & Writing (ERW)
ENGL 101C + ENGL 032* 1-17 200-262 0-2582 200-470
ENGL 101 18+ 263+ 2583+ 490+

*These classes do not satisfy degree requirements.

 

Additional Details

  • Test Scores and High School GPA must be no more than 5 years old, in order to be used for placement.
  • AAF = Advanced Algebra and Functions
  • QAS = Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra & Statistics
  • South Dakota Board of Regents Placement policies: Refer to the BOR Guideline 7.6 Section 4 (located on pages 4 and 5) for more information.

Contact Info

admissions@BHSU.edu
Phone: 605.642.6131
Fax: 605.642.6254

Admissions
Black Hills State University
1200 University St.
Spearfish, SD, USA 57799