University Assessment & Testing

English Placement Exam Information

OSU uses the College Board's ACCUPLACER Next-Generation Writing test for the OSU English Placement Exam.  ACCUPLACER's Next-Generation Writing test is a broad-spectrum computer-adaptive assessment of test takers' developed ability to revise and edit a range of prose texts for effective expression of idea and for conformity to the conventions of Standard Written English sentence structure, usage, and punctuation.  Passages on the test cover a range of content areas (including literary nonfiction, careers/history/social studies, humanities, and science), writing modes (informative/explanatory, argument, and narrative), and complexities (relatively easy to very challenging).  All passages are commissioned--that is, written specifically for the test--so that "errors" (a collective term for a wide range of rhetorical and conventions-related problems) can more effectively be introduced into them.  Questions are multiple choice in format and appear in sets built around a common, extended passage; no discrete (standalone) questions are included.  The test is untimed, though most students complete the exam within an hour.  Students are not allowed access to any additional materials, websites, or other unapproved aids when taking the exam.  At OSU, this exam is used for English placement and English remediation. 

Maximum Number of Exam Attempts

Students are permitted two attempts at the OSU English Placement Exam.  Additional attempts beyond two require approval from the Director of University Assessment and Testing.

Exam Retakes and Preparation

Students must wait a minimum of 24 hours between exam attempts. Students wishing to improve their score and English skills are encouraged to use the free ACCUPLACER Official Web-Based Study App.

Exam Administration

Students who need to take the OSU English Placement Exam must schedule an appointment at the OSU Testing Center in Stillwater or the OSU-Tulsa Testing Center in Tulsa in order for their scores to be valid for remediation and placement purposes.

Exam Score for Remediation

The ACCUPLACER Next-Generation Writing test has a score range of 200 - 300.  Students must score a 263 or greater to satisfy an English remediation requirement at OSU.  Visit the English Placement page for additional information.

Cost

The cost of the OSU English Placement Exam is covered through student assessment fees.

Accessibility for Students with Disabilities

There are no audio elements in the OSU English Placement Exam, and the exam is untimed. Screen reader technology is available within the ACCUPLACER platform. Use of the mouse is required, and it is not possible to print out the exam in advance due to the computer-adaptive nature of the exam. A human assistant is permitted for students needing assistance using the mouse.  For additional questions please contact Student Accessibility Services.

Additional Information

More information on the ACCUPLACER system is available on the ACCUPLACER website.

OSU adopted the College Board's ACCUPLACER Next-Generation Writing test for the OSU English Placement Exam in September 2018 as a replacement for the previously-used (and since retired) ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills test.  Students who took the OSU English Placement Exam between September 2015 and September 2018 had to earn a score of 86 on the Sentence Skills test to remove English remediation.