Remedial Courses
While certain courses are required for all students matriculating from a certain college, many courses are remedial and exist simply to teach the skills necessary for students to succeed in future courses. (See Reference 1) While these courses are not counted toward graduation, they do require time, study and focus. Doing well on a college placement test can enable students to avoid courses like these so that they can focus on their major requirements.
Costs
Failing to place out of a college placement test usually means added tuition expense. While remedial courses often have fewer credit hours, they are still expensive and students incur costs associated with books and supplies. The added expense of taking remedial courses can be great, especially if a student is required to take more than one. According to the College Board, doing your best on college placement tests will alleviate the necessity of taking remedial course work.
Time
Perhaps the biggest thing that doing well on a college placement test can offer is time. Without having to take remedial or introductory courses your first year in college, you are free to start on required courses immediately. This ensures that you are on the right track for graduation. Because you should have learned many of the skills tested on college placement tests in high school, taking a remedial course can seem like a waste of time. Doing your best on these tests can help you to place into higher level courses.
Importance
College placement tests shouldn’t be treated lightly. It is easy once you’ve been admitted to a college or university to think that standardized tests are behind you. Taking the time to adequately review and prepare for these types of tests can make a huge difference in the money and time you spend in college.
