Placement Testing

You can take the PERT four times per semester.

Students who started in a Florida Public High School during the 2003–2004 academic year or later and who graduated with a standard high school diploma from a Florida Public High School.

Active Duty Military students who were active duty when they started at HCC and are still active duty.

The state considers these students as college ready and exempt from being required to take the college placement testing to get started. They are also exempt from completing any college preparatory classes if they do decide to take the placement test.

• Students who do not meet the above criteria
• Students who entered 9th grade in a Florida Public High School prior to 2003–2004 academic year
• Students who didn’t attend a Florida Public High School
• Students who earned a high school equivalency diploma or GED
• Students who didn’t earn a Standard High School diploma from a Florida Public High School
• Home Education students
• Private high school students
• Prospective dual enrollment students

The placement test is a good indicator of your skill levels in reading, writing and math. If you do not test at college level in any of these areas, you may need extra work. An academic advisor can help you make decisions about the best course of action to ensure you are successful in your college classes.

Please Note: There is no harm in testing since you are not required to start where you tested.

Academic advisors have to enter a permission in the system that will allow you to register online for college-level classes. Please see an advisor for assistance.

College preparatory classes are there for your benefit to improve skills in particular subject areas before taking the college-level courses that count toward your degree. This is important because your college record follows you, and failing grades and withdrawals from classes can affect your Financial Aid and acceptance into certain programs and universities. You do not want to end up in a situation where you are wasting time and money on classes that you are not able to pass due to a lack of skills.  An advisor can help you make decisions as to the best course of action to be successful in your college classes.

If you take the same course twice, you will be charged the higher out-of-state cost for the 3rd attempt at the course. Financial Aid will not cover this course, and you will have to pay the higher cost out of pocket. The 3rd attempt is the last time allowed at HCC. By taking the preparatory classes and building your skills, you can avoid this.

It is not too late to take prep courses if you find yourself struggling in college-level courses. Please see an academic advisor to discuss the best option for you.

Technically, this would be an option. Since you are exempt from the prep courses, this means they are not mandatory. However, skipping them may not be recommended. If you take the prep courses, but decide you want to take college-level classes before finishing the prep sequence, then you will need to see an academic advisor to discuss your options and make a decision that is best for your success.

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HCC now offers remote PERT exams! To sign-up for a PERT exam, please contact your campus Advising Office via email below, and we will provide instructions to get you started. Please email from your Hawkmail account and include your HCC student ID number.

Brandon bradvising@hccfl.edu
Dale Mabry dmadvising@hccfl.edu
Plant City plantcityadvising@hccfl.edu
SouthShore southshoreadvising@hccfl.e du
Ybor yboradvising@hccfl.edu

To complete a remote PERT exam, you will need the following:

• A laptop or desktop with webcam and Internet access
• Your Student ID number and Hawkmail address for login purposes
• A current photo ID available for identification and verification purposes at the time of testing.
• A quiet, distraction-free testing location