Assessment
Assessment
Assessment
Assessment
Assessment
Assessment
Assessment

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Assessment is Required for any new first time student enrolling in any English/reading/math course.

Assessment for New and New Transfer Students
Challenging an English Prerequisite
Challenging a Math Prerequisite

    All our transferable mathematics courses required a prerequisite. Please submit your official high school transcript to the Admissions & Records Office or bring it to your advising appointment.  If you have taken Algebra II for a whole year and received a “C” grade for both semesters you will be allowed to enroll in our Math P122 (Introduction to Probability & Statistics) or Math P101 (Trigonometry).  If you have not taken the prerequisite, you can challenge any course, by submitting the Prerequisite Challenge Form to Jeff Gervasi, Chairperson of the Math & Science Division at (559) 791-2226 or email him at . Students who have received a “C” grade or higher in Algebra II for two semesters from high school do not have to take another math course at PC for the associate degree requirement only.
    Click to view Prerequisite Challenge Form
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Non-High School Graduates:
    If you do not have a high school diploma or GED, you must receive the following scores on the assessment test to be eligible for Federal Financial Aid: Writing (35), Reading (35), and Numerical Skills (34). If you do not receive the required assessment scores, you can sign-up for a retesting session. Students are eligible for State Aid but not federal aid until the required scores are met.
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Who is Exempt from Assessment?
    Students who have completed an associate degree or higher, students who are enrolling in less than seven units and who do not intend to earn a degree or certificate, and who have satisfactory completion of course work equivalent to college-level English or college-level math.
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Special Accommodations for Disabilities & English Learners
    Disabilities: If you have a verifiable physical or learning disability or a sensory impairment that might require special testing or learning accommodations, please sign up for the special accommodation sessions at the Disability Resource Center (Academic Center, Room 115) at (559) 791-2215 or email .

    English Learners: Students whose primary language is not English are strongly recommended to sign-up for ESL (English as Second Language) Assessment/Orientation.  We combine assessment and orientation into the same session.  Students are administered the CELSA examination which determines one’s grammatically English skills. You can click on E-SARS to make an assessment appointment online.

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Where is Assessment Held?
    Assessment and orientation sessions are held on local high school campuses each spring. See your local high school counselor for dates. Assessment sessions are held at the college campus from October thru January and again March thru August. Click here to see Matriculation Schedule.
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Recommended Sequence of English Writing Courses:
    Students who plan to enroll in any English course must take an assessment to determine their writing level. Level Four is the lowest level and Level One is the highest level.

    Level Four: English P083 – Basic Writing:
    Covers grammar usage and basic writing techniques.  Emphasis on writing simple sentences and short, coherent paragraphs. Includes study skills.  Credits do not count toward the associate degree.  Please seek the advice of your writing instructor before enrolling in the next writing level class.

    Level Three: English P071 (formerly numbered English 71) – Basic Writing Skills:
    A practical course aimed at developing clarity in simple written sentences and short compositions.  Some drills in basic skills according to the individual student’s needs. Prepares students for level 2 courses.  Credits do not count toward the associate degree.

    Level Two: English P050 (formerly numbered English 50) – College Writing:
    A course intended to prepare students to successfully contend with the rigorous demands of transfer level academic writing across the curriculum.  Emphasizes development of 500 word plus essays in which students used evidence to support clearly stated arguments. Research techniques including documentation (use of MLA in text parenthetical and Works Cited page), paraphrasing, analysis. Experience in selected modes. Application of essay exam techniques and principles of rhetoric. Prerequisite: Eligible for level 2 English placement or completion of English P071 with a grade of “C” or higher. This course is not transferrable to a four year college.

    Level One: English P101A (formerly numbered English 1A) – Expository Composition:
    This course is a study of expository writing, including paragraph development, essay organization, semantics, logic, refinements of style.  Readings in expository essays used as models for writing exposition.  Instruction and experience in writing reference paper. Students will read at least two book-length works and write a minimum of 8,000 words. Prerequisite: Eligible for level 1 English placement or grade of “C” or higher in English P050.

    Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in other English literature and advanced composition courses upon completion of English P101A.

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Recommended Sequence of Mathematical Courses:
    The assessment instrument used for math placement does not measure higher than pre-algebra. Therefore, it is strongly advised to bring your high school transcript to place you accordingly in an appropriate math course.

    Lowest Level Math: Math P061/P061L - Pre-Algebra:
    A careful treatment of the fundamental arithmetic concepts and the applicaion of mathematical operations to the solution of mathematical-oriented problems that are commonly encountered in industry. Designed to lead the students to discover relations and form generalizations involving fundamental operations. Emphasis is on the reading and comprehension of word problems. Includes the computational skills for linear, area and volumetric measurements; the metric systems; US Customary system; ratio and proportions; percents and interest on loans and investments; motion; statistics; geometric shapes; mathematical tables; taxes; signed numbers; and introduction to algebra.
    Second Level Math Course: Math P055 – Elementary Algebra:
    A study of the elementary concepts of algebra, including the structure of algebra, formulas, signed numbers, nominals, polynomials, products and factorings, linear equations, ratio, proportion, variation and graphing of functions.

    Next Level Math Course: Math P051 – Intermediate Algebra:
    Includes the study of elementary algebraic theory and techniques carried into greater detail.  Extends beyond elementary algebra in quadratics, irrational functions, complex numbers binomial theorem, ration, proportion, variation, progressions, logarithms, and determinants. This course does count toward the associate degree.

    Transferable Mathematics Courses Begin Here:
    If you are transferring to a four-year college, please check their catalog for your major, and determine which transferable math course to take based on your major at that college.

    Math P122 – Introduction to Probability and Statistics:
    A study of basic description and inferential statistics. Topics will include graphs and frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and variation, probability.  Bayes Theorem, discrete and continuous probability distributions, including the normal and binomial distributions, hypothesis testing with one and two samples, estimation, linear correlation and regression, chi-square procedures (tests for goodness of fit and independence), analysis of variance, non-parametric statistics and conducting a study.
    Special Comments: This course meets a General Education requirement in the CSU Breathe/IGETC transfer checklist.

    Math P101 – Trigonometry:
    A study of the meaning of the trigonometric ratios unit, circle relations, graphs of the trigonometric function, logarithmic and exponential functions, solution of oblique and right angles, complex numbers.
    Special Comments: This course meets a General Education requirement in the CSU Breathe transfer checklist. If you are planning to transfer to a UC campus, this is not a transferable math course.

    Other transferable mathematics courses include:
    Math P102 (Precalculus), Math P103 (Analytic Geometry and Calculus), Math P104 (Analytic Geometry/Calculus), Math P205 (Analytic Geometry/Calculus), and Math P206 (Advanced Engineering Mathematics).
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