CUNY Proficiency Requirements
The City University of New York (CUNY) requires all students to demonstrate proficiency in English (reading and writing) and math in order to enroll in credit-bearing courses in the associated subject. Students may establish proficiency in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, meeting benchmark scores on the SAT, ACT, and New York State Regents exams.
Starting with the spring 2020 entering class, students who do not meet benchmark scores will no longer be administered a placement test; rather, CUNY will use a proficiency index to determine developmental education assignment. The proficiency index combines overall high school grade point average with SAT and/or Regents exam scores. There are separate proficiency indexes for English and math. See the CUNY testing website for the benchmark scores that demonstrate proficiency.
Proficiency index scores that fall below the benchmark scores indicate students are in need of some type of developmental support. Students who do not meet the index score for English will be enrolled in a co-requisite English course; for math, students will be enrolled in our two-semester credit-bearing Statistics course.
Contact Us
Academic Testing Center
646-313-8856
Room: 207Q
Testing@guttman.cuny.edu
Office Hours
Monday–Friday
9 a.m.–4 p.m.
ESL Accuplacer (English as a second language placement)
Freshman applicants who have spent at least six months or more in an institution where English is not the primary language of instruction are flagged as potential ESL via the CUNY admissions process. ESL students who meet the CUNY benchmark scores on the SAT, ACT, or New York State Regents will be deemed proficient in English and/or math, regardless of where they attended high school. ESL students who do not meet the benchmark scores in math will be assessed via the proficiency index in math; for English proficiency, ESL students will be evaluated in the following way:
- ESL applicants who do not have a New York State English Regents score will not be assessed via the English proficiency index. Applicants will be required to take Accuplacer ESL to determine reading and writing proficiency and appropriate course placement.
- ESL applicants who have a New York State English Regents score will be assessed via the English proficiency index. Applicants who do not meet the English proficiency index benchmark score will be required to take Accuplacer ESL to determine appropriate course placement.
For more information and preparation material please visit:
https://www.cuny.edu/academics/testing/
What is the Proficiency Index and how will it work?
- The proficiency index is a formula that combines overall high school grade point average with SAT and Regents scores to determine whether the student has a good chance of succeeding in a credit-bearing math or English course without any additional support.
- The proficiency index scores will be used to determine whether the student is eligible to begin in college-level English and math or if remedial intervention is necessary.
- There are separate proficiency formulas for math and English. Both use information that is already part of the application for freshman admissions: student’s overall high school GPA at the time of application, SAT scores, and Regents scores.
- If an applicant has both SAT scores and Regents scores, the formula will use both scores, but if they have only Regents or only SAT, it will use whichever is available.
- If an applicant does not have any relevant Regents Exam or SAT scores, proficiency in English and math will be assessed based on high school GPA or High School Equivalency exam scores.
The formula places more weight on high school grades than test scores, but higher test scores can help offset lower grades and vice versa.
Fulfilling ESL Testing Requirement
Accuplacer ESL is a computer-adaptive test designed for English language learners. The results of the test will be used to determine proficiency and placement so that students may receive the support needed to be successful in their courses.
Accuplacer ESL consists of the following five test sections that are taken on a computer:
- Writeplacer ESL: is a timed (60 minutes) essay response. Students will read a brief statement and will be asked to write an essay in response to a question. The essay response should be at least 300 words, and students will need to express and develop their opinion or point of view. It is very important that students support their position by providing reasons and examples.
- Reading Skills: is an untimed, multiple choice test consisting of 20 questions. Students will be given a short reading passage and will need to answer questions related to the reading passage.
- Language Use: is an untimed, multiple choice test consisting of 20 questions. Students will be asked to fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase and to choose the sentence that best combines two sentences.
- Listening: is an untimed, multiple choice test consisting of 20 questions. Students will be asked to listen to conversations with multiple speakers presenting different topics, and answer questions about the conversation.
- Sentence Meaning: is an untimed, multiple choice test consisting of 20 questions. Students will be asked to select the word or phrase that either
- Makes the sentence grammatically correct
- Or indicates that the student understands the meaning or detail presented in the sentence.
The test sections will be taken in the order that they appear above. Students who achieve a composite score of 105 or higher will meet CUNY’s English proficiency requirements, and will be eligible to enroll in the required college-level English composition course. Students with a composite score below 105 will be placed into the appropriate ESL course, based on their performance on the test. View Accuplacer ESL test preparation resources.
Can students appeal their Accuplacer ESL test results?
Students cannot appeal their Accuplacer ESL test results. However, students may speak to the college ESL Coordinator if they believe that the course placement is incorrect.
How will ESL students be notified about scheduling to take Accuplacer ESL?
ESL students will be notified about Accuplacer ESL after they have accepted the offer of admission from the college they are planning to attend.
The college will send an email with a test appointment or instructions on how to schedule an appointment to take the test. A valid photo identification is required to take the test. Students may not use electronic devices or a dictionary during the test.
Sign up for your ESL Placement Test
Ability-to-Benefit Test (ATB)
All New York State residents who have a foreign high school diploma are required to meet the New York State ATB standards to be eligible for New York State Financial Aid awards, including those under the state’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). Students are required to meet the scores listed on the following Ability-to-Benefit (ATB) test requirements:
To take the Ability to Benefit (ATB) test at Guttman Community College, you must meet the following three requirements:
- You must be a GCC admitted and register student
- You must seek financial aid awards under the state’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and/or NY State Aid
- You do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent (GED) from a United States high school
Fulfilling ATB Testing Requirement
The ATB Test is untimed and comprised of 3 parts (Reading, Arithmetic, and Writing). You should plan to spend 60 to 90 minutes on each part of the test, so about 2 to 4 hours altogether. Passing Scores set as the qualification for ATB are one standard deviation below the mean for test takers graduating from high school who have taken ACCUPLACER in the last three years. The approved passing scores shown below apply to both the computer-adaptive and COMPANION versions of each test:
Ability to Benefit (ATB) Test Score Chart
| TEST SECTION | REQUIRED PASSING SCORE | MAXIMUM SCORE | NUMBER OF QUESTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readings | 233 | 300 | 20 |
| Arithmetic | 230 | 300 | 20 |
| Writing | 235 | 300 | 25 |
Deadlines
Students must take the ATB Test and pass by the add/drop period of the term you are seeking the award for. However, we recommend you take the ATB Test as soon as possible. If you need to retake any part(s) of the test, you can do so before the deadline if you are eligible.
Retest Policy
You must wait the full 14 calendar days (about 2 weeks) from the date of the previous test administration before attempting to administer a retest. Students who do not pass any of the three exams during initial testing are permitted to retest the exam(s).
Sign-up for your ATB Test
Expectations for Students in the Academic Test Center
Study and Test Preparation Guide: (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic)
Accommodations
Students who require testing accommodations (e.g., extended time, readers/scribes, etc.) must contact the Office of AccessAbility Services (OAS) to arrange the exam appointment. Our office will contact you once OAS informs us of your accommodation requirements. Please continue scheduling if you do not require testing accommodations.
Student Expectations
On the day of your test, we aim to create a calm, efficient, and supportive environment to help you perform your best. Here’s what you can expect:
| Dos | Don’ts: |
|---|---|
| Bring a form of Identification: Driver’s license, High school or college ID, State or federal ID card, Military ID card, Passport, Tribal ID card | No FOOD AND DRINK of any kind or chewing gum are allowed in the testing room |
| Naturalization card or certificate of citizenship | No electronic devices are permitted in the testing room, all electronic devices including cell phones and watches are to be turned off and put away during your test session. |
| Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the exam start time. Late arrival will require a rescheduling of your exam. | Restroom: Students are advised to use the restroom before entering the exam area. Leaving and re-entry to the testing room during a test, except for medical emergencies, will not be permitted. |
| Seating: Proctors will assign each student a seat. You are not permitted to choose your own seat. | Personal Belongings: Only authorized materials are allowed on the desktop while testing. Personal belongings such as backpacks, bags, books, notes, calculators, headphones, cell phones, tablets, MP3 players, computing devices, or any device capable of recording audio, photographic, or video content, or capable of viewing or playing back such content will not be allowed on the testing surface and must be placed in an area designated by the testing staff. |
| Follow all instructions provided by the proctor | Quiet Please! No one, other than the student who is taking the exam, is allowed in the room used for testing. Children are not allowed in the room(s) used for testing. Please make other arrangements for children. |
Ability To Benefit (ATB) FAQs
This section provides answers to frequently asked questions relating to the Ability to Benefit (ATB) Tests for New York State Aid Eligibility. All New York State residents who have a high school diploma from outside the United States are required to meet the New York State ATB standards to be eligible for TAP and NY State Aid. The ATB Test is untimed, multiple choice, computer-based and comprised of 3 sections: Reading, Arithmetic, and Writing. You should plan to spend approximately 60 to 90 minutes on each section of the test.
Why do I need to take the Ability to Benefit (ATB) Test?
If you are a New York resident with a high school diploma from outside the United States and are applying for TAP/NY State Aid, you are required to take the ATB test as one of the requisites to receive TAP/NY State Aid.
Is the ATB Test being administered in-person or remotely?
The Ability To Benefit (ATB) Test is only being administered in-person.
How do I schedule an ATB Test?
To schedule your ATB Test please contact us by calling us at (646) 313-8856, or via email at testing@guttman.cuny.edu
How long is the ATB Test?
The ATB Test is untimed and comprised of 3 parts (Reading, Arithmetic, and Writing). You should plan to spend 60 to 90 minutes on each part of the test, so about 2 to 4 hours altogether.
Can I retake the ATB Test if needed?
Yes. If you do not pass your initial ATB Test, you are eligible to retest fourteen (14) calendar days after the previous failed attempt.
When is the deadline to take the ATB Test to qualify for TAP/NY State Aid?
You must take the ATB Test and pass by the add/drop period of the term you are seeking the award for. However, we recommend you take the ATB Test as soon as possible. If you need to retake any part(s) of the test, you can do so before the deadline if you are eligible.
Can I take the ATB after deadline?
Yes, you may take the ATB Test after the deadline. However, you will not be eligible for NY State Aid/TAP in that semester.
I got TAP/NY State Aid in my previous school; do I still need to take the ATB test?
Yes, if you have been informed that you need to take the ATB Test, you can contact our office for further assistance. If you are not sure whether you are required to take the ATB Test, you should send an email to the Office of Admissions at admissions@guttman.cuny.edu
I still have not received TAP/NY State Aid; what should I do?
If you have any questions about your TAP/NY State Aid status, you should contact the Financial Aid Office
I’m an international student; do I qualify for TAP and/or NY State Aid?
You may contact the Financial Aid Office for any questions about your TAP/NY State Aid eligibility. However, if you need to take the ATB Test, by calling us at (646) 313-8856, or via email at testing@guttman.cuny.edu
Next Steps? After Test Completion
Please allow 2-3 calendar days for processing of test results, the testing office will notify students who do not pass the test via email.
Test results can also be viewed on the ACCUPLACER Student Portal – The College Board