Minimum Competencies and Placement Testing

Administrative Procedure 1.104

Related Administrative Procedures:
4.101 – College Admission
4.404 – Placement Test Appeals

A Minimum Competency is a specific type of prerequisite used to determine college-readiness that is mandated at ECC for all Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) general education transfer courses. Minimum competencies may also be used as prerequisites for other ECC courses.

All ECC IAI general education courses have required minimum competencies in reading, writing, and/or mathematics that students must meet prior to enrolling into these courses. Some courses have multiple minimum competencies. Students must meet all minimum competencies and any additional prerequisites in order to register for a course.

Students are required to meet specific minimum competencies based on their program of study.

Minimum competencies may be demonstrated by any one of the following ways:

Test Scores

ECC accepts ACT, SAT, PSAT, HiSet, and GED test scores to satisfy minimum competency requirements.

High School Transition Coursework

If you have successfully completed a high school transition math or English course with a C or better you will be placed according to the Transition Course completed. Please submit official eighth semester high school transcripts to the ECC Admissions Office for review.

High School GPA

Reading and Writing — If you have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on an unweighted 4.0 scale, based on a minimum of six semesters of high school coursework, excluding summer, you can be placed into college-level English and any course with a developmental English or reading prerequisite. Please submit your official high school transcript to the ECC Admissions Office for review.

Math — If you have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on an unweighted 4.0 scale with successful completion of a grade of C or better in both semesters of a fourth year of math, you can be placed into certain college level math courses. Please submit your official eighth semester high school transcript to the ECC Admissions Office for review.

Early College Credit

Visit Advanced Testing for course credit awarded for AP, CLEP, and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

Prior College Coursework

If you have taken college-level courses at another college/university, you may have satisfied minimum competency requirements. Additionally, if you have successfully completed, with a C or better, an appropriate developmental math or English course at a regionally accredited college or university, you may have satisfied minimum competency requirements. Please submit college transcripts to the ECC Admissions Office for review.

Completion of ECC developmental coursework

Reading – Grade of “C” or better in RDG091 or LTC099.
Writing – Grade of “C” or better in ENG098 or LTC099.
Math – Grade of “C” or better in MTH 095, MTH098 or MTH099. 

ECC Placement Tests

If you have taken college-level courses at another college/university, you may have satisfied minimum competency requirements. 
Additionally, if you have successfully completed, with a C or better, an 
appropriate developmental math or English course at a regionally accredited 
college or university, you may have satisfied minimum competency requirements. 
Please submit college transcripts to the ECC Admissions Office for review