Due to COVID-19, Rio Salado has developed a temporary process to help students meet course placement requirements. Please review the temporary COVID-19 exceptions on the MCCCD Course Placement Chart for options.
If GPA, ACT, SAT, GED, or Accuplacer scores are unavailable to you, and you would like to place in English, Reading, or MAT140, 141 or 142, click here: EdReady Placement Option. Please follow the EDReady Instructions.
More information can be found at the District Placement webpage.
Course Placement
Rio Salado College offers five placement options for English, math and reading courses using your:
- Unweighted grade point average (GPA) on your high school transcript
- ACT, GED or SAT score
- Course placement testing score
Submitting College Transcripts for Evaluation
You can submit college transcripts from prior college courses in English, math or reading. Learn about the Prerequisite Approval Process.
Placement Guidelines: High School Transcripts, ACT and GED Scores
The following chart displays specific placement guidelines using high school transcripts, ACT and GED scores:
| High School GPA At least 2 years of
HS No more than 10 years out of HS |
ACT Valid for 5 years
Placement based on individual subject area test scores |
SAT Valid for 5 years.
Placement based on individual subject area scores |
English | Math | Reading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 or above* | 22 or above | New Sat (2016) Evidence-Based Reading & Writing: 480-800 Math: 530-800 Old Sat (Before 2016) |
ENG 101 | MAT15X or 187 | CRE101 | |
| 2.6 – 2.99 | 18-21 | New Sat (2016) Evidence-Based Reading & Writing: 460-470 Math: 510-520 Old Sat (Before 2016) |
ENG 101 | MAT14X or 12X | RDG100 | |
| Below 2.6 | Below 18 | New Sat (2016) Evidence-Based Reading & Writing: Below 460 Math: Below 510 Old Sat (Before 2016) |
Take Writeplacer |
Take ACCUPLACER |
Take ACCUPLACER |
|
| Students who wish to place into a higher level may take the ACCUPLACER as a secondary measure. *Presidents’ Honors Scholarship Eligibility: Completion of a secondary education program in Maricopa County (including NCA-accredited, charter, private, religious high schools, homeschool), with a final, unweighted, GPA of 3.25 or higher. |
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You will need to take a placement test before registering for classes if:
- You are currently a high school freshman/sophomore
- Your high school GPA is below 2.6 and you do not have an eligible ACT, SAT or GED score
- Your high school transcripts are older than 10 years
- You obtained a GED before 2014 or earned a score below 165
- You wish to place into a higher level of English, Math, or Reading
- Your high school transcripts are from outside the United States
Placement Methods
Placement with GPA on a High School Transcript
If you attended high school within the past 10 years and you have completed at least two years of high school:
- Submit your official high school transcripts for evaluation
- Complete the HS GPA Submission form.
- Submit the high school transcript form by mail or in-person at Rio Salado' Admissions, Records and Registration office.
Placement with ACT, SAT or GED Score
- ACT and SAT:
- Placement based on individual subject area test scores
- Scores are valid for five years
- Request your ACT Scores be sent to Rio Salado College (College Code 0103)
- Request your SAT scores
- GED:
- GED taken in or after 2014
- Scores are valid for placement for five years
- Request your GED scores
Placement with a Placement Test
ACCUPLACER is a placement test used at colleges and universities to identify a student’s skill level in English, reading and math.
The CELSA (Combined English language Skills Assessment) is a computerized test used for course placement into the English as a Second Language program for both English and Reading.
Retaking a Test
Students are permitted one retest in English, reading or math after a 24-hour waiting period. An additional retest is permitted no sooner than three months from the oldest valid score date. For more information, contact the Tempe Testing Center by calling 480-517-8560 or call toll-free 866-517-8560 or email Testing.RioLearn@riosalado.edu.
Submitting Transcripts
You can submit transcripts to Rio Salado College online, by mail and in-person.
Online
High School GPA, ACT, SAT, GED Submission Form
- Log in and complete the form online
- Have a digital copy of your unofficial high school transcript, ACT, SAT or GED scores
By Mail and In-Person
Admissions, Records and Registration Office
Rio Salado College
2323 W. 14th St.
Tempe, AZ 85281
