Gordon College Learning Support Program
English, Reading, and Math
The mission of the Learning Support program is to provide special assistance to students who have deficiencies in the areas of reading, mathematics, and/or English. The goal of Learning Support is to assist students in achieving entry-level college proficiencies.
A student’s Learning Support requirements are determined on the basis of SAT/ACT scores, college preparatory curriculum deficiencies, and/or college placement exams scores.
The college placement exam, COMPASS, is a computerized placement exam that tests reading, writing, and math skills.
ACADEMIC ADVISING
Academic advising is a critical component of the educational experience. CLICK HERE for advising information for Learning Support Students. |
Placement Exams
The verbal section of the COMPASS tests reading and writing skills and is required for students with college preparatory curriculum deficiency in English and for students who do not have a SAT verbal score of 430 or higher or an English ACT score of 17 or higher, depending on the test the student has chosen to determine COMPASS placement exam requirements.
The mathematics section of COMPASS tests algebra skills and is required for students with a college preparatory curriculum deficiency in mathematics and for students who do not have a SAT math score of 400 or higher or a Math ACT score of 17 or higher, depending on the test the student has chosen to determine COMPASS placement exam requirements.
Students scoring below 78 on the reading portion of the COMPASS must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support Reading by passing the course(s) and scoring 78 or above on the reading portion of the COMPASS.
Students scoring below 65 on the English portion of the COMPASS must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support English by passing the course(s) and scoring 65 or above on the English portion of the COMPASS.
Students scoring below 42 on the math portion of the COMPASS must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support Math by passing the course(s) and scoring 42 or above on the math portion of the COMPASS.
Students who transfer with an ASSET reading score below 41, ASSET English score below 43 and ASSET math score below 45 must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support by passing the course(s) and scoring 78 or above on the reading section of the COMPASS, 65 or above on the English section of the COMPASS and 42 or above on the math section of the COMPASS.
Students who transfer with a CPE reading score below 77, CPE English score below 76 and CPE math score below 81 must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support by passing the course(s) and scoring 78 or above on the reading section of the COMPASS, 65 or above on the English section of the COMPASS and 42 or above on the math section of the COMPASS. See "Criteria for determining Learning Support status" below.
Students with three Learning Support requirements must enroll in the Gordon College First Year Experience course.
Students for whom English is a second language (ESL) may enroll in ESL English and reading. Students scoring below 92 on the reading portion of the COMPASS/ESL placement test must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support ESL reading by passing the course and scoring 78 or above on the reading portion of the COMPASS. Students scoring below 88 on the English portion of the COMPASS/ESL placement test must enroll in and successfully exit Learning Support ESL English by passing the course and scoring 65 or above on the English portion of the COMPASS. See "Criteria for ESL students" below.
| Criteria for determining Learning Support status | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUBJECT | SAT | ACT | COMPASS | ASSET | CPE | PLACEMENT |
| ENGLISH | below 430V** | below 17E** | below 45 | below 39 | below 72 | ENGL 0097 |
| ENGLISH | below 430V** | below 17E** | 45 - 64 | 39 - 44 | 72 - 75 | ENGL 0099 |
| READING | below 430V** | below 17E** | below 65 | below 36 | below 72 | READ 0097 |
| READING | below 430V** | below 17E** | 65 - 77 | 36 - 43 | 72 - 76 | READ 0099 |
| MATH | below 400M** | below 17M** | below 31 | below 39 | below 76 | MATH 0097 |
| MATH | below 400M** | below 17M** | 31 - 41 | 39 - 45 | 76 - 80 | MATH 0098 |
| MATH* | STUDENTS | CANNOT | BEGIN IN | THIS | COURSE | MATH 0099 |
| ESL Students | ||
|---|---|---|
| ESL / COMPASS SCORES | PLACEMENT | |
| ENGLISH | BELOW 88 | ENGL 0090 |
| READING | BELOW 92 | READ 0090 |
Course Descriptions
ENGL 0090 ESL Learning Support English
Prerequisite: This course is for non-native speakers of English only.
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A study of the basics of grammar, paragraphs, and essays to prepare students to complete English 1101 successfully. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of “C” and scoring 65 or better on the exit COMPASS test.
ENGL 0097 Basic English
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A basic composition course which introduces the study of the essay through paragraph development and effective sentence construction. The course will also emphasize grammar. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of “C”, passing 3 extemporaneous in-class paragraphs, passing the paragraph exit test, and passing a comprehensive grammar final exam.
ENGL 0099 Intermediate English
Prerequisite: ENGL 0097 or COMPASS English score of 45-64.
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A pre-English 1101 composition course which emphasizes the expansion of the paragraph into the essay. Emphasis will be given to grammar and usage within composition. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of “C”, passing 3 in-class essay writings, passing the writing sample exit test, and scoring 65 or better on the exit COMPASS test.
GFYE 0098 Gordon College First-Year Experience
Credit Hours: (3-0-3) for institutional use only
An introduction to college life and responsibilities emphasizing the development of academic literacy skills in order to assist first-semester freshmen in the successful transition from high school to college. This course is required of all students entering Gordon College with three Learning Support Requirements.
MATH 0097 Beginning Algebra
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A course designed to help students learn the basic algebra necessary for college level mathematics. Topics include the set of real numbers, algebraic expressions, functions, linear equations, and inequalities, linear equations in two variables, exponents, polynomials and problem solving. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of “C”.
MATH 0098 Algebra
Prerequisite: COMPASS math scores of 31 – 41.
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A study of algebra, including the set of real numbers, solving linear equations and inequalities, graphs and functions, polynomials and factoring, rational expressions and functions, radicals, the basic concept of complex numbers, quadratic equations, and systems of equations. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of “C” and scoring 42 or better on the exit COMPASS test.
MATH 0099 Intermediate Algebra
Prerequisite: MATH 0097 or a grade of IP in MATH 0098.
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A course designed to help students learn the basic algebra necessary for college level mathematics. This course will cover material involving polynomials, quadratic equations, rational expressions and equations, functions, inequalities, radical expressions and equations, and the basic concept of complex numbers. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of “C” and scoring 42 or better on the exit COMPASS test.
READ 0090 ESL Learning Support Reading
Prerequisite: This course is for non-native speakers of English only.
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A development of reading skills necessary for success in college-level courses, emphasizing vocabulary, literal and inferential comprehension, analysis, efficiency, and reading rate. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of a “C” and scoring 78 or better on the exit COMPASS test.
READ 0097 Basic Reading
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A course designed to provide remediation for students lacking basic reading skills that prevent them from comprehending and applying information found in college level textbooks and reading material. The course focus will be on vocabulary development and remediation of identified weakness in literal, inferential, and analysis reading skills. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of “C”.
READ 0099 Intermediate Reading
Prerequisite: READ 0097 or COMPASS Reading score of 65-77.
Credit Hours: (4-0-4) for institutional use only
A course designed to develop the basic reading skills for application to college-level texts and reading material. It will emphasize inferential, interpretive and critical reading skills with introduction of literary techniques and other inferential skills essential for success in credit-bearing composition and literature courses. Other topics will include vocabulary development strategies, oral communication, and study skills. Students may exit the course by earning a minimum grade of “C” and scoring 78 or better on the exit COMPASS test.
RGTE 0199 Regents’ Writing Skills
Credit Hours: (3-0-3)
The Regents’ Writing Skills course is intended to ensure that all graduates of USG institutions possess certain minimum skills in writing. Students learn to evaluate their own writing strengths and weaknesses and work on improving their writing skills so that they are able to write an essay meeting the Regents’ criteria.
RGTR 0198 Regents’ Reading Skills
Credit Hours: (3-0-3)
The Regents’ Reading Skills course is intended to ensure that all graduates of USG institutions possess certain minimum skills in reading comprehension. Students work on improving their comprehension of material drawn from a variety of subject areas (social science, natural science and humanities) with various modes of discourse (exposition, narration and argumentation). Critical thinking and the following four major aspects of reading are emphasized: vocabulary in context, inferential and literal comprehension, and analysis.
COMPASS Exit Test
Learning Support students who have met the class expectations will be eligible for the COMPASS exit tests, given at the end of each semester.
The Learning Support English student may exit the Learning Support program by earning a minimum grade of “C” in ENGL 0099. The student must also pass 3 in-class essay writings, must pass the writing sample exit test and score 65 or better on the exit COMPASS test. The student must receive 3 passing essay grades in order to be eligible for the writing sample exit (which, in turn, must be passed in order to be eligible for the COMPASS exit test). For the writing sample exit, the student must write a 4 or 5 paragraph essay, focusing on criteria such as addressing the topic and staying on the topic, proper development of introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs, and correct grammar usage. Exit sample graders include the learning support faculty and the English department.
The Learning Support reading student may exit the Learning Support program by earning a minimum grade of “C” in READ 0099 and must score a minimum of 78 on the exit COMPASS test.
The Learning Support math student may exit the Learning Support program by earning a minimum grade of “C” in MATH 0098 or MATH 0099 and must score a minimum of 42 on the exit COMPASS test.
Resources
Credit
Credit earned in Learning Support courses is strictly institutional. While it is counted toward the number of credit hours for which a student is enrolled in any semester, it does not count in a student's grade point average and does not count toward graduation.
Policies
The Learning Support program is governed by the policies listed below.
- Required Enrollment:
- During each semester of enrollment, a student must first register for all required Learning Support courses before registering for other courses. This policy also applies to part-time students.
- A student who is required to take Learning Support courses may not register as a non-degree student in an effort to defer taking required Learning Support courses.
- Students with three Learning Support requirements must enroll in the Gordon College First Year Experience course.
- Because all Learning Support courses are offered Fall and Spring semesters on the Barnesville campus in the daytime and evening, students who may prefer to take off-campus courses only are not exempt from taking required Learning Support courses, even if these courses are not available at an off-campus location.
- A student who is required to take Learning Support courses in an area (English, reading or mathematics) may not register as an auditor in any such course in that area.
- 20-Hour Rule: Students who accumulate 20 semester hours or more of college credit and have not successfully completed required Learning Support courses may enroll only in Learning Support courses until all requirements have been successfully completed. Students with transfer credit or credit earned in a certificate or prior degree program who are required to take Learning Support courses for their current degree objectives may earn up to 20 additional hours of college level credit.
- Withdrawal: Students with Learning Support requirements who are concurrently enrolled in Learning Support courses which meet their requirements and in college-level credit courses may not withdraw from a required Learning Support course unless they also withdraw from all college-level credit courses.
- Overloads: Learning Support students may not register for more than 18 semester hours in any given semester. Overloads will not be approved.
If you have questions concerning these policies, see your Academic Adviser.
Learning Support Standards of Progress
In addition to the Academic Standards of Progress (see the on- line Gordon College Catalog) and in accordance with policies of the University System of Georgia, students enrolled in one or more Learning Support courses (see Learning Support Program in the on-line catalog for more information) must comply with progression requirements of the Learning Support program.
Number of Attempts:
- Learning Support attempts are cumulative within the University System of Georgia. Gordon College allows a student three terms in a Learning Support discipline (English, Reading, or Math) before the student is suspended from Gordon College for three years.
- Students who fail to exit the first level of the two-level Learning Support English, Reading or Math sequence after two attempts will be placed on Learning Support suspension for a period of three years without the right of appeal.
Appealing for an Extra Attempt:
- Students who pass the first level of the two-level Learning Support English, Reading, or Math sequence but who fail to exit Learning Support English Reading, or Math after three cumulative attempts may, if they are eligible, appeal for one additional attempt before being suspended.
- To be eligible to appeal, a student must have reached the limit of three attempts in only one Learning Support area. This appeal must be initiated by the end of the current semester by filing a Learning Support petition. If the petition is approved, the student will be given one additional semester.
- Failure to exit the Learning Support program after the fourth attempt will result in the student being placed on Learning Support suspension for a period of three years, and the student will not be allowed to take classes in any college or university in the University System of Georgia.
20 Hours:
Students who have accumulated 20 semester hours or more of college level credit will be allowed to take only the required Learning Support classes. No other classes may be taken.
Readmission:
- Students who have been suspended from the University System and who wish to re-enter Learning Support programs to complete requirements may be retested with the COMPASS (in any unsatisfied area) after a period of three years, if they have not taken any college courses in the University System during that time. The student will be bound by the most current set of COMPASS scores.
- Students readmitted under this provision will not be allowed any more than three additional attempts in any Learning Support area before they are initially suspended.
- Students who have not been suspended and who wish to re-enter the Learning Support program to complete requirements may be retested with the COMPASS (in any unsatisfied area) if they have not taken any college courses in the University System for a period of three years. The student will be bound by the most current set of COMPASS scores. Students readmitted under this provision will not be allowed any more than three additional attempts in any Learning Support area before they are initially suspended.