Important Information:

  • Your application to the College must be processed by Admissions prior to taking the placement test.
  • You are strongly encouraged to submit your high school transcript to Admissions.
  • If you have taken the SAT, ACT or NYS English Regents exams you may be exempt depending on the program you are enrolled in and your score. See Exemptions
  • If you are requesting extra-time and/or a calculator for the test you must contact Accessibility at 845-574-4541 before you can test. This must be done prior to getting your appointment for the placement test.
  • In inclement weather, check our delays and closures page.

Ability to Benefit Test

If applying for federal or state financial aid you may be required to prove “ability to benefit” (ATB) through applicable sections of the Accuplacer® assessment tests even if you would otherwise be exempt. The Ability to Benefit Test (ATB) includes three sections: Next- Generation Arithmetic, Next-Generation Reading and Next-Generation Writing. All sections are untimed.

This test is separate and in some cases, in addition to the College Placement test, you may or may not have already taken. You must take the ATB Test if you are in any of the categories listed below:

  • Have a foreign high school diploma
  • Applying for the 24 Credit-Hour HSE (formerly GED) Program
  • Applying for Early Admit Program and financial aid

Ability to Benefit Exam- HSE Scores

If you do not have a high school diploma or HSE (formerly GED), you must pass a federally-approved Ability to Benefit Exam in order to be accepted to RCC. The College administers the Accuplacer exam, a computer-adaptive assessment instrument developed by The College Board, as its federally-approved Ability to Benefit test.

You must pass all three sections of the exam in the SAME testing session.

Accuplacer Section Federal Minimum (Required Test Score)
Essay No minimum score required
Reading 233 Minimum passing score
Writing 235 Minimum passing score
Arithmetic 230 Minimum passing score
Elementary Algebra No minimum score required
College Level Mathematics No minimum score required

Note: Early Admit Program applicants not applying for Financial Aid see if you qualify to be exempt from the placement test. See Exemptions on the Placement and Assessment webpage.

In-Person Placement Schedule

In-person testing will take place in the Technology Center, Room 8280. In-person testing is available on the following dates:

    • January 7, 2025 at 10 am – FULL
    • January 8, 2025 at 10 am
    • January 9, 2025 at 10 am

Please complete the Request for Placement Testing to schedule your test date.

On Test Day You will need:

  • Current Photo ID is required –  (for example driver’s license, passport, military ID, or RCC student ID). No tests administered without proper identification. No digital identification is allowed.
  • If you are unable to provide a driver’s license or a State ID card contact our office at 845-574-4288 and leave a message.
  • Please limit your personal belongings. No watches, cell phones, or any other electronic devices are allowed.
  • No calculators are permitted. You can bring a #2 pencil. No pens or mechanical pencils are allowed.
  • If you have symptoms of COVID, FLU, RSV, or Common Cold or have been in close contact with someone who has any of these symptoms in the last five days, please do not come to campus.

Prior to taking the placement test it is strongly recommended to review the test format online and to take very seriously the importance of the test in determining your academic placement.