Placement test scores are used to determine if preparatory courses are recommended for your academic pathway. You can request your SAT scores from www.Collegeboard.com and ACT scores from www.ACT.org. If you have not taken the SAT or ACT, you can take the PERT at one of the CF campus locations.

All tests must have been taken within the past two years to be used for admissions purposes. All sections of the PERT must be taken, unless informed otherwise. All sections other than the essay section of the ACT and SAT must be taken. Students do not have to have passing scores for admissions purposes.

PERT Test

The PERT test is an untimed placement test that covers reading, writing (English), and math. These test scores are used by your advisor to place you in appropriate classes for your skill level.

Test Structure

The PERT test contains three sections: math, reading and writing (English). Each section contains 30 questions (total of 90 questions on the full test). The test is untimed so you can take as long or as little as you need to complete all questions. Testing Center staff can also save your progress and you can come back any time within 5 business days to complete the remainder of the test.

The PERT test is adaptive, meaning the test difficulty will increase if your skill level is high and it will remain at a rudimentary level if your skill is low. If you get a question wrong on the test, the test will continue giving you questions that are similar in nature. This can drive your score down if you don’t learn the concept before retaking the test.

Scoring

The PERT test is NOT a pass or fail test. Unless you are taking the test for dual enrollment, there is no minimum score needed for admissions. Please see the cut score chart below to see where you will be placed based upon your scores. The following chart shows the courses needed based on the highest placement scores taken within the past two years.

View Chart

Improving PERT Scores

Students concerned about taking the PERT are encouraged to use a study guide, such as Purple Math, Mometrix (Study Guide), or Mometrix (Practice Exam). Students can also enroll in PLATO, an excellent resource that helps many students drastically improve their PERT scores.

PLATO contains pre-tests for all concepts that are tested in the PERT test. It will give you an accurate assessment of your current skill level in these concepts and indicate which sections you are getting right and which ones you might be struggling with.
For any “un-mastered” sections, you can watch tutorials and videos and complete practice questions before doing a mastery test. If you are scoring 80% or above on all the mastery tests, that indicates that you are ready to take the PERT test and do great.

Cost and Registration

The PERT test is $10 if you are taking it for the first time. This fee includes all sections: math, reading, and writing. However, the $10 first time fee still applies even if you are only taking one section (as long as it is your first time taking the test). Retakes are $5 per section up to $10:

• Retake entire test = $10
• Retake 1 section = $ 5
• Retake 2 sections = $10

You can register and pay for the PERT test online. Choose your campus at www.CF.edu/MyTests.

Retake Policy

This test can be taken an unlimited amount of times. However, because the PERT test is adaptive, we strongly suggest studying and making progress in PLATO prior to retesting. The CF Testing team reserves the right to enforce PLATO remediation.