Diagnostic Assessment Requirements

To best prepare our students for academic success and appropriate course selection, diagnostic assessment is required for all new students at Delaware Valley College. The College utilizes assessment results from the SAT or ACT, high school grade point average, and internal assessments.

Mathematics Diagnostic Assessment

The mathematics and physics department utilizes the SAT-Mathematics section as the primary assessment for determining the best course for an incoming student at the College so that each student’s opportunity for success is maximized. The criteria are as follows:

  • Students who score below 465 on the SAT-Mathematics section will be enrolled in MP 0010, Fundamentals of Algebra.
  • Students who score 465 or higher on the SAT-Mathematics section but less than 620 will be enrolled in MP 1102, College Algebra.  Students in this range whose academic programs prefer that they begin with MP 1203, Elementary Functions, or MP 1205, Finite Mathematics, can take a diagnostic assessment during New Student Orientation to determine appropriate course selection.
  • Students who score 620 or higher on the SAT-Mathematics section may enroll in MP 1204, Calculus I, or a lower-level Mathematics course based upon program requirements.

Some exceptions to these criteria are as follows:

  • Students who have received advanced placement (AP) credit for MP 1204 Calculus I
  • Students who have received transfer credit for a mathematics course taken at another institution and approved by the Delaware Valley College mathematics and physics department as equivalent to MP 0010, MP 1102, MP 1203, MP 1204, or MP 1205.

English Diagnostic Assessment

All incoming students are required to complete the SAT Essay prior to registering for their first English course. Exceptions are as follows:

  • Students who have received transfer credits in English Composition
  • Students who have received a qualified score on the advanced placement (AP) English exam.

The SAT essay gauges the student's preparedness for college-level English courses. Based on the results of the exam, the English department will recommend which course is most appropriate for the student. Because the goal of the diagnostic testing process is to maximize the opportunity for success, the student may not register for a course at a level higher than the one recommended by the English department.

College Reading Diagnostic Testing

Entering students who earn a score of less than 400 on the SAT-Verbal section will be required to enroll in a college reading course to elevate their reading level so that they can be successful in college courses, which require significant reading skills.