English Placement Exam & Exemptions

Competency in English skills is a graduation requirement at FIT/SUNY. Placement into the proper English course is an important factor in making sure you succeed. At FIT, placement is determined by taking one of the following exams: 

• SAT verbal exam, including the essay writing exam (preferred) 
• ACT verbal exam, including the essay writing exam

One of these is required before you can register for EN121 (Freshman Composition); the course must be completed within the first year of study at FIT. Skills are evaluated using your performance on the SAT or ACT. If your skills are not sufficient for EN121, you will be placed in the appropriate Educational Skills course.

The following charts help determine placement.

SAT Critical Reading and Writing  

If you score:	You will register for:
490 and below	ES 133 College English and ES 033 Lab
500 – 530	EN 121 Freshman Composition and ES 037 Survival Grammar
540 or higher	EN 121 Freshman Composition

ACT Verbal and Writing  

If you score:	You will register for:
14 and below	ES 133 College English and ES 033 Lab
15 – 17	EN 121 Freshman Composition and ES 037 Survival Grammar
18 and above	EN 121 Freshman Composition

A score on either the SAT or ACT allows you to register immediately for a writing course.

(If you have not taken either of these exams in the past five years, you must take the FIT placement exams before registering for English and math courses.)

If you believe you should be exempt from English placement based on transfer credit for an English composition course taken at another accredited college, please have an official transcript sent to the FIT Registrar's Office.

If you are not pleased with your SAT/ACT score, you should make arrangements to retake the exam through College Board.

International Students:  Since you do not take the SAT or ACT exams, you must take the FIT English placement exam when you arrive at FIT, before registering for any English course.