Placement Testing
Course Placement & Testing Policy
At Northeast College of Dental Hygiene, we’re committed to placing students in the courses that best support their academic success. Our placement policy ensures you start at the right level based on your educational background.
✅ U.S. High School Graduates
Students who have graduated from a U.S. high school are exempt from placement testing and will be placed into appropriate courses once official high school transcripts are received.
If your unweighted GPA is below 2.8, you have the option to take a placement test to help determine appropriate course placement.
🌍 International Students
If you completed high school outside the U.S. and do not have other applicable placement measures, you will need to take the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) placement test after submitting your application.
After applying, please schedule your EFL test appointment to proceed with placement.
📜 High School Equivalency (GED & Adult High School)
Students who earned a GED or completed Adult High School are also exempt from placement testing and will be placed into courses upon receipt of transcripts.
Placement decisions will be based on GED or equivalency scores dated January 2014 or later.
If these scores do not meet current placement benchmarks, students may choose to take a placement test or begin at the developmental level.
Test
Minimum score for placement
GED
145 in all subject areas
HiSET
15 in all subject areas (4 on essay)
SAT Critical Reading
or Writing*
500 (before March 2016)
SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing*
480 (after March 2016)
SAT Math*
500 (before March 2016)
530 (after March 2016)
ACT Math*
20
ACT Reading / English*
20 / 16
Additional Placement Options
At Northeast College of Dental Hygiene, we recognize a variety of academic achievements and standardized test results for course placement. All submitted scores and transcripts must meet the following conditions:
🔎 Note: All scores must be less than 10 years old at the time of application. All coursework and GPA will be verified upon receipt of official transcripts.
🧠 Advanced Placement (AP) Exams
Applicants who have taken an AP English or Math exam may submit official scores for review to determine testing exemption.
➡️ Refer to our AP Credit Policy for full details on credit and placement eligibility.
🎓 Previous College Coursework
Students who have completed an associate degree or higher may qualify for placement based on their degree transcript.
Students who earned a grade of “C” or better in a college-level English or math course from a regionally or nationally accredited U.S. institution may also qualify for direct placement.
📊 Standardized Placement Tests
We accept the following placement test scores (must be dated within the past 10 years):
ACCUPLACER
ACCUPLACER Next Gen
RISE Placement Scores
Students who have earned a score of 88 or higher on the TOEFL iBT (internet-based test) may be exempt from ESL placement testing.