Placement Evaluation/Proficiency Sessions

Register online for a placement evaluation session
Applicants seeking admission to the Evening program, should apply click on "APPLY NOW" under admission in the menu to the left.

The dates for placement evaluations if you are planning to enroll in spring 2009 or summer 2009 follow:

Thursday, January 8, 2009        6pm, TBA
Wednesday, March 18, 2009      6pm, TBA
Thursday, May 14, 2009           6pm, TBA

If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled placement sessions listed above, please contact the administrative assistant in each department and schedule a time to take the placements during business hours of 8:30 – 5:00.

English placement- Contact the English Department at 786.3709
Math placement- Contact the math department at 786.3596

You must complete these evaluations prior to meeting with a professor for advisement, but you may take them any time after you submit your application. The results of the placement evaluations do not have any bearing on your acceptance to the Evening College. Evaluations are used as placement tools only.

How to Register for a Placement Evaluation

You may register online for a placement evaluation session.

Or, contact Hope Bursac at 803.786.3955 or by email at hjbursac@columbiasc.edu and register to take the evaluations. If you need to change the date of your evaluation once you register, you must notify her and reschedule.

What's Required

The English evaluation requires you to write a brief essay. Your essay should include the following:

• An introductory paragraph
• A clearly-stated thesis
• Body paragraphs limited to one point each
• Body paragraphs with topic sentences
• Body paragraphs with adequate development
• A concluding paragraph
• Proper use of grammar, mechanics, and spelling (If your spelling skills are weak and you think you have misspelled a word in your essay, you can write an 'sp' above the word you believe is misspelled, and it will not be counted against you.)

It is suggested that you do the following when writing your essay: First, outline your essay, making certain that you have examples to back up your main points. Next, write the essay, following your outline. Finally, proofread for grammar, mechanics, and spelling.

You are given an hour and a half to complete the essay. The essay is scored by the English Department at Columbia College and you are notified of the results within three weeks. Your advisor will receive a copy of the results and during your advising session will discuss your placement in the upcoming semester.

The math evaluation consists of questions in the following areas:

You may NOT use a calculator during the math placement. You have an hour and a half to complete the math placement, and it will be scored by the math department within two weeks. Your math score has NO BEARING on your being accepted into the Evening program. This evaluation is used as a placement tool ONLY!