Assessment & Testing

For assistance with Assessment & Testing questions, please email our office: testing@sdccd.edu. Make sure to include your full name and CSID number for a timely response.

What is Assessment?

Assessment is a process that is designed to assist students in determining which English and math courses they should start with, specifically identifying milestones (also known as placement levels) in these areas. Assessment also helps students in meeting course prerequisites. Students may also meet course prerequisites based on other factors such as college-level English or mathematics course completion.

Do I need to complete the Placement Assistant?
In most cases, students are placed while applying to Mesa when they answer questions about high school in the CCCApply application. The Placement Assistant is intended for students who have not been placed for English and math yet. You may need to complete the Placement Assistant if:

You have no milestone levels
You applied to Mesa while in high school
You input incorrect information (such as wrong GPA) when you applied
You graduated from a high school outside of the U.S.
The Placement Assistant can be accessed below.

Assessment via Placement Assistant
Some students will need to update their milestones by completing the Placement Assistant. If you:

-are currently enrolled in a U.S. high school

-graduated from a U.S. high school more than 10 years ago

-completed the GED, or HiSet exam

please submit your information via the Placement Assistant. (link below)

Please use Chrome or Firefox - the program will not work on Internet Explorer. You will need your:

ID: (10-digit Mesa College I.D.)
U.S. High School cumulative GPA
Highest High School English Course Completed (C- or better)
Highest High School Math Course Completed (C- or better)
HiSET or GED scores (if applicable)
The Placement Assistant Program will allow only one submission per student*
If you receive a red error message that reads "Value already present" please email testing@sdccd.edu

Placement Assistant

Please contact the Assessment Center with any questions via email: testing@sdccd.edu.

ONLINE ORIENTATION

The Online Orientation is one of the steps in matriculating to Mesa and is designed to cover important information about Mesa College to students. Once the Orientation is completed, there is a certificate that is e-mailed confirming the completion. This certificate can be forwarded to the Assessment Office via e-mail including the Mesa Student I.D. number to clear this matriculation step. You can e-mail us at testing@sdccd.edu.

English LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (ELAC)

If English is not your native language, you may benefit from taking an ELAC class before a college-level English class. For more information regarding the ELAC self-assessment (called ELAC GO!) please click here, or email testing@sdccd.edu.

CHALLENGE Exam information

Challenge Exams (also called Advancement Exams) can help clear prerequisites for Mesa College classes after you have already assessed. Because of changes to the process for Fall 2023, please email the Assessment & Testing office (testing@sdccd.edu) for the most up-to-date information specific to your situation. Make sure to include your full name, 10-digit CSID number and the class that you are trying to enroll in.