Placement for Classes
What is placement?
Placement measures readiness for English composition and math and is required to register for many classes, so completing placement early is a good idea. Placement is free, self-guided, and can be taken from the comfort of your own home.
Pro Tip: Take English and math placement as soon as you have a ctcLink ID number. Students who do placement early are more likely to graduate on time.
How do I take Placement?
If you have a ctcLink ID number, you can complete English and math placement online using your laptop or phone - or you can use a campus computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, find answers to frequently asked questions about English and math self-assessment tools at Seattle Central College.
You do not need to do placement if you have taken and completed a college-level English class at any time, or if you have completed a college-level math class in the previous three years. If this applies to you, email your unofficial college transcript showing the class(es) to admissions.central@seattlecolleges.edu. Include your ctcLink ID number and name as it appears on state or federal identification.
Yes! The English and math Directed Self-Placement assessments are available from the comfort of your home. Both are recommended as simple and free, and for many students, they are the best choices.
Please check out our additional options for placement, which you may have already completed. Click on a placement option for more information.
Running Start, Basic and Transitional Studies, and International Program students should check with those programs for additional placement information.
Congratulations! As soon as your placement is recorded, you should be ready to register for classes. During the busiest registration times, it can take up to a week for scores to be added to ctcLink. By the end of your first quarter, meet with you assigned advisor to discuss your educational plan.
The Seattle Central College Testing Office subscribes to the mission and standards outlined by the National College Testing Association (NCTA) and is dedicated to providing quality assessment and testing services to the college community. These services include:
- Comprehensive testing for initial student placement into reading, writing, and math classes
- Providing a proctored testing environment for Central's Correspondence and Distance Learning students
- Supporting accommodated testing for students with documented disabilities
- Providing a proctored testing environment for correspondence students of other institutions
- Administering the General Education Development (GED) Test both on-campus and in local correctional institutions