EPT REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

INFORMATION FOR INCOMING FRESHMEN REQUIRED TO TAKE THE EPT (PDF)

Students entering Cal Poly from high school are required to take the EPT or show an exemption from it based on placement in the "exempt" category on the Early Assessment of Readiness for College English taken in conjunction with the 11th grade California Standards Test in English Language Arts; based on scores earned on tests such as the SAT I, SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement tests; or based on equivalent college-level coursework. ( The IB test does not exempt students from the EPT, nor does it qualify for English 134 or 133 credit, although you may earn credit for elective courses.) Students should review the exemptions carefully, checking dates and scores, to see if they qualify for any of them.

First-time freshmen will be required to satisfy the EPT requirement by testing or exemption BEFORE they register for fall quarter classes in August. Students who have not met this requirement will find a HOLD on ALL registration privileges until the requirement is met. The CSU English Placement Test (EPT) and Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) Examination Essential Information Bulleltin provides all the details for students who need to take these examinations. It is extremely important to document an exemption or take the EPT at the earliest opportunity in order to avoid a registration HOLD.

Students who qualify for an exemption that is not reflected in University records should check to see if the qualifying score was sent to Cal Poly when the test was taken. Often students earn a qualifying score before they have decided on a college, or they have taken a test multiple times and the specific score qualifying them for a college-level expository writing course has not been reported to or recorded at Cal Poly. Applicants who need to take the EPT or document an exemption from it are notified on the Admission Application Status screen viewable through My Cal Poly Portal.

If students are not sure the score has been reported to Cal Poly, they should send a copy of their qualifying test score report to the Writing Skills Office, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 or FAX it to (805) 756-7497 so the exemption can be documented on the student's permanent record at Cal Poly.

High school students who have earned a grade of C or better in a transferable, college-level composition course equivalent to English 134 or 133 should have a college transcript forwarded to the Evaluations Office at Cal Poly to document this exemption.

If a student needs to take the EPT, he or she should register for the earliest possible test date to find out before registration whether to take English 134, 133 or one of the developmental writing courses to prepare for one of the freshman-level composition courses.

The English Placement Test is offered year-round at various CSU campuses and at ALL CSU campuses in May and June. The specific test dates and registration deadlines for each campus are listed in the EPT/ELM Essential Information along with the addresses of the Testing Offices at all the campuses. Students may take the test at any CSU campus, but test scores should be directed to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.