Prospective Students — Placement Test
Students enrolling in an English 1101 or 1102 or any math course will need to first place into the course. Placement can be satisfied with either the prerequisite course, an ACT/SAT, or COMPASS test score. Ask your high school counselor about taking the Compass test.
Placement Information
Students may also take the COMPASS test on any ISU campus for a $7 fee, per test, for English and math. Students must bring a photo identification with them. Please call for testing hours. The locations to take the test are (Please call for testing hours):
Counseling and Testing
Graveley Hall, 2nd Floor
Pocatello, ID 83209
(208) 282-4907
University Place
Counseling, Testing, and Career Services
Bennion Student Union Building, Room 223
1784 Science Center Drive
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
(208) 282-7750
Idaho State University Meridian
1311 E Central Dr.
Meridian, ID 83642
Phone (208) 373-1700
ISU English Placement - Early College Program
English Course |
Compass Score |
ACT English Score |
SAT Writing Score |
Completion of Enlgish Course |
| 0090 | 67 or below | 17 or below | 440 or below | --- |
| 1101 | 68-94 | 18-24 | 450-560 | 0090 |
| 1102 | 95-99 | 25-30 | 570-690 | 1101 |
| Bypass 1102 | --- | 31 or higher | 700 or higher | --- |
Advanced Placement English scores earn test credit for English courses as listed above once a student is attending as a New Freshmen.
For questions regarding COMPASS (placement test) scores, SAT scores, or ACT scores, contact the Department of English and Philosophy: (208) 282-2478.
ISU Math Placement - Early College Program
All mathematics courses except MATH 0015 have prerequisites. Students place into a course by completing the prerequisite course(s) with a grade of C- or better or by achieving appropriate scores on the math portion of the ACT/ SAT exam or Compass mathematics placement exam.
Early College students who wish to take a math course may enroll in a college-level course by submitting passing placement scores to the Early College Program or the Admissions Office. Students should review the math requirements for any majors they are considering at ISU or elsewhere. Only certain mathematics courses will meet Obective 3 at ISU or general education mathematics at other colleges and universities. When considering enrollment in a math course, we recommend that you speak with your instructor, the Early College Program or advisors at other universities or colleges you are considering.
Students should plan their mathematics coursework according to their intended majors. Some majors, for instance, require MATH 1153, and others require MATH 1160. Students who will take calculus must be especially careful to determine whether MATH 1160, Brief Calculus, or MATH 1170, Calculus I, is appropriate. Taking one after the other counts as a repeat and provides no further credit toward graduation.
| MATH Course* | Completion of MATH Course | ACT Math Score | SAT Math Score | Compass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0015 | No prerequisite | --- |
--- |
--- |
| 0025 | 0015 | 16 |
390 |
46 on Prealgebra (MAPL 1) |
| 1108, 1123, 1127 | 0025 | 19 |
460 |
45 on Algebra (MAPL 2) |
| 1130, 1143, 1147, 1153 | 1108 | 23 |
540 |
61 on Algebra (MAPL 2) |
| 1144, 1160 | 1143 | 27 |
620 |
51 on College Algebra (MAPL 3) |
| 1170 | 1144 or 1147 | 29 |
650 |
51 on Trigonometry (MAPL 4) |
* Objective 3 courses are bold