Reading and Writing Placement

Reading and Writing Category One prerequisites are reinstated. Students can meet Reading and Writing Category One requirements using any of the following measures. 

• College-level credit totaling 12 semester hours with at least a “C” average. Reading Category One only.
• College certificate, Associate degree, BA/BS degree, Graduate degree. Reading Category One only.
• Minimum high school cumulative, non-weighted GPA of 2.6 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent, with a minimum of 7 semesters (3.6/5.0).
• ACT composite score of 20 or higher. Proof of score must be provided. Send unofficial score report to testing@cod.edu.
• SAT total score of 950 or higher. Proof of score must be provided. Send unofficial score report to testing@cod.edu.
• SAT Reading/Writing subscore of 480 or higher. Proof of score must be provided. Send unofficial score report to testing@cod.edu.
• ACCUPLACER Reading test taken at another institution with minimum cut–off score of 246. Send unofficial score report to academictesting@cod.edu.
• ACCUPLACER Writing test taken at another institution with minimum cut–off score of 250. Send unofficial score report to academictesting@cod.edu.
• Students who do not meet one of the prerequisites will need to take the Guided Self Placement Questionnaire (GSP).

The Guided Self Placement (GSP) is a multiple-choice assessment that asks native English speakers to self-assess their reading and writing skills and strategies. The assessment takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Questions cover topics such as a student’s comfort level with college reading and writing processes. Students also read a short college-level passage and self-assess their comprehension abilities through multiple-choice comprehension questions. The GSP does not need to be completed in a COD testing center.

Based on students’ responses, they are provided English course recommendations and are given a Reading & Writing category score. Students who score below Category 1 in either Reading or Writing, are required to take developmental (pre-college) coursework. Students should only take the GSP if they do not meet one of COD’s other measures for English Placement. To complete the GSP, log on to the Student Portal, click myACCESS, and then click Guided Self Placement.

Proof of some prerequisites can be submitted to the Office of Student Records.

If you have additional questions, contact academictesting@cod.edu.