Placement
Get Started at CNM with Placement Tools
If you are new to CNM, you may be wondering what courses to enroll in and what courses are required for your degree program. The CNM Assessment Center offers free placement tools to help you get started: The Directed Self-Placement (DSP) and the Accuplacer.
Please Note: Beginning July 1, the Accuplacer Reading assessment will no longer be available. CNM will be moving to the Directed Self-Placement (DSP) tool to determine placement levels for non-math courses. Existing Accuplacer Reading scores will still be honored. The Accuplacer will continue to be available for courses requiring a math placement. Visit our Accuplacer page to learn more.
CNM’s Directed Self-Placement (DSP) is not a test or exam; it's a free questionnaire that can be taken on your phone, tablet, or computer at a time most convenient for you. The DSP will help you select the appropriate reading and/or writing course for your learning needs. Once completed, you will receive a recommendation for the IRW or ENGL class you should take in your first semester at CNM.
While the Accuplacer can be used for a variety of subject placements, at CNM, we use the Accuplacer to help you determine the appropriate course you should sign up for as a new student. The Accuplacer is a free, self-paced tool with immediate results upon submission. You can take the Accuplacer remotely or in-person, but all appointments must be scheduled in advance.
Math Camp Registration
Secure your spot now and pave the way for academic success at CNM.
Summer Math Camps
Join our free Summer Math Camps at CNM Main Campus and get a head start on your fall courses. Perfect your skills, aim for a higher placement level, and graduate sooner!
Our experienced math faculty will help you review and learn personalized content designed to improve your math placement and prepare you for your next math class at CNM.
For more information about the CNM Summer Math Camps, please email Jenny Ross.
Dates and Times
- These three-week camps will run from July 8 - July 25.
- There are two sessions to choose from: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
We encourage you to attend as many of the camp times as possible, but we will be able to support you whenever you are able to attend. After your first day, the CNM Tutoring Center can help with the Math Camp content. Please visit the The Learning and Computer Center (TLCc) for hours of operation.
Who Should Attend?
We will help you review material that has been customized to meet your learning needs. Our tutors will help students who:
- Need math help at any level, from basic math to calculus.
- Have never taken a math class at CNM.
- Have never taken a placement test.
- Want to improve their placement level.
- Want to review math concepts and skills before taking their next math class.
Benefits
- Learn about your options for math classes at CNM.
- If you feel your math skills have improved from the Summer Math Camp, you can try to place into a higher math level while you're at the camp.
Additional Placement Options
Alternative Methods
In addition to the main DSP and Accuplacer, other common placement options include:
- Providing ACT and SAT scores to CNM
- Graduating from high school (for non-math placement)
- Your high school GPA must be 2.5 or greater
- You must have graduated with a conferred diploma
- You must submit an official transcript to CNM. You may also have an unofficial transcript reviewed by an Academic Advisor.
- Enrolling in the required prerequisite courses at CNM and passing with a grade of CR or C or higher.
- Completing the required prerequisite courses at another institution with a grade of CR or C or higher.
The advanced degree attribute is also used as a type of placement. You can provide confirmation through the admissions process of an advanced degree:
- Associate degree meets IRW courses and ENGL 1110
- Baccalaureate degree or higher meets all developmental courses and ENGL 1110, BCIS 1110, MATH 1101, MATH 1215, BIOL 1140 & BIOL 1140L, CHEM 1120 & CHEM 1120L
For assistance with placement using the alternative methods mentioned above, please speak with CNM Advisement. Your Advisor can review your unofficial transcripts and provide placement guidance. For more information about unofficial and official transcripts, visit CNM's Transcripts webpage.
Placement Tests
CNM also offers tests for placement in Biology, Spanish, and French. Most placement tests are free and can be taken remotely or in-person with a scheduled appointment unless otherwise noted.
The Avant Spanish Heritage placement test is a required diagnostic tool used for entry into the Spanish Interpreter Certificate Program. Students meet with their advisors to discuss score results and next steps for the program.
Areas Tested:
- Content and organization
- Language structures
- Vocabulary
- Writing, including spelling and mechanics
- Speaking, including pronunciation and fluency
Please note: there is a $25 administrative fee if taken in-person or $43.90 if taken remotely. Textbooks, notebooks, and paper are not allowed. This test is only available at the Main Campus assessment center or remotely.
The French placement test consists of 25 multiple-choice questions and is used to determine course placement at CNM depending on your current French language skill level; it does not give you credit for any French course.
Important Details:
- All French courses have a prerequisite or co-requisite of IRW 0980.
- If you score a 21 or higher, you will be placed in French 1120
- If you score a 20 or lower, you will be placed in French 1110.
- Test scores are valid for one year.
If you do not earn the score you want, you must wait 24 hours before retesting. Only two attempts are allowed within a one-year period. This test is given at any CNM Assessment Center on a walk-in basis except the South Valley Campus.
The Biology placement test is intended for students with significant prior experience in Chemistry and Biology. We recommend you have a grade of “B” or better in high school Biology and Chemistry or have significant background experience in these two areas.
If you pass the test with a score of 64, the following courses will be waived:
- BIOL 1140/1140L
- CHEM 1120/1120L
- prerequisites for BIOL 2310/2310L
- prerequisites for BIOL 2210/2210L
- Biology and Chemistry prerequisites for NUTR 2110
If you do not earn a score of 64 or higher, you must wait 24 hours before retesting. Only two attempts are allowed within a one-year period.
Check out our Biology Placement Information PDF for details and preparatory materials.
The Spanish test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions with a one-hour time limit. It is used to determine course placement at CNM depending on the Spanish language skill level. The test does not give you credit for any Spanish course. All Spanish classes have the pre-requisite of IRW 0980.
Test Scores and Course Placements:
- If you score a 0 - 50, you will be placed in Spanish 1110
- If you score a 51 - 70, you will be placed in Spanish 1120
- If you score a 71 - 80, you will be placed in Spanish 2110
- If you score a 81 - 100, you will be placed in Spanish 2120
Test results are good for one year. If you do not earn the score you want, you must wait 24 hours before retesting. Only two attempts are allowed within a one-year period.