College Readiness
Email: college.readiness@wku.edu
Website: http://www.wku.edu/getready/
The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), working with the universities and the Kentucky Department of Education, developed minimum qualifications for admission to state-supported postsecondary education. These standards, referenced as college readiness indicators, are identified below and posted on the CPE website (http://cpe.ky.gov/policies/collegereadiness.html). Students who fail to meet one or more of the standards are required to take supplemental courses.
The current College Readiness Standards established by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education are as follows:
- Unweighted high school GPA
- English: 3.25 or higher
- Mathematics
- Quantitative Reasoning: 3.0 or higher
- College Algebra: 3.5 or higher
- Reading: 3.0 or higher
- ACT scores
- English: 18 or higher on English
- Mathematics
- Quantitative Reasoning: 19 or higher on Mathematics
- College Algebra: 22 or higher on Mathematics
- Reading: 20 or higher on Reading
- SAT scores
- English: 490 or higher on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
- Mathematics
- Quantitative Reasoning: 510 or higher on Mathematics
- College Algebra: 540 or higher on Mathematics
- Reading: 490 or higher on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
- KYOTE test scores
- English: 6 or higher on Writing
- Mathematics
- Quantitative Reasoning: 22 or higher on College Readiness Mathematics
- College Algebra: 14 or higher on College Algebra
- Reading: 20 or higher on Reading
- GED College Readiness
- English: 165 or higher on Reasoning Through Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Quantitative Reasoning: 165 or higher on Mathematical Reasoning
- College Algebra: 175 or higher on Mathematical Reasoning
- Reading: 165 or higher on Reasoning Through Language Arts
- ACCUPLACER Next Gen scores
- English: 250 or higher on Reading
- Mathematics
- Quantitative Reasoning: 250 or higher on Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics
- College Algebra: 250 or higher on Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics
- Reading: 250 or higher on Writing
- ALEKS PPL
- Mathematics
- Quantitative Reasoning: 30 or higher
- College Algebra: 46 or higher
- Mathematics
WKU emphasizes placing students in first-year courses according to their college readiness needs and declared major upon entry. Students placing into two or more supplemental courses (mathematics, reading, and writing) will be required to participate in an academic assistance program.
College Readiness Standards Placement
The College Readiness Standards are implemented through placement exams or unweighted high school GPA that provide academic advisors the additional information necessary to place students in supplemental or co-requisite courses as needed for academic success. Additional information is available on the placement exams website (https://www.wku.edu/getready/placement-exams.php).
The following placement exams are accepted at WKU: ACT, SAT, KYOTE, GED, ACCUPLACER Next Gen, and ALEKS PPL.
Students who desire to take the ACCUPLACER Next Gen exam may contact the Distance Learning Testing Center at 270-745-3628 or testing-center@wku.edu.
Supplemental or Co-Requisite Courses
For students who do not meet the required College Readiness Standards, supplemental or co-requisite courses are required. Supplemental/co-requisite courses are credit-bearing courses that count toward graduation and are calculated in the GPA. These courses may require additional class meetings each week (enhanced) or be a separate class. For supplemental course information, refer to the course placement website (https://www.wku.edu/getready/course-placement.php).
The following supplemental courses are available at WKU:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| English | ||
| ENG 100E & ENG 105 | Introduction to College Writing and Supplemental Writing Lab | 5 |
| Mathematics (enhanced as noted in course scheduling system) | ||
| MATH 109E | General Mathematics | 3 |
| MATH 112E | Problem Solving and Mathematical Skills for Teachers | 3 |
| MATH 115E | Applied College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 116E | College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 115E & MATH 105 | Applied College Algebra and Corequisite Support for Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 116E & MATH 105 | College Algebra and Corequisite Support for Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 123E | Mathematical Applications for Business | 3 |
| Reading | ||
| IDST 199 | University Learning | 3 |