With early registration upon us, we have had several questions about the Regents’ Test policy. Denise Bickford has compiled the following list of frequently asked questions. If you have more questions, please feel free to call her, 471-2792, or Keith Rouse, Academic Testing Center Coordinator, 471-2050.

What is the Regents’ Test
The Regents’ Test is an examination to assess the competency level in reading and writing of all degree-seeking students enrolled in undergraduate programs in the University System of Georgia institutions.

When should a student take the Regents’ Test?
Beginning students should take the Regents’ Test during the semester in which they are enrolled in ENGL 1102.

Are there any exceptions?
Students with SAT-I Verbal scores of at least 510 or ACT Reading scores of at least 23 will be considered to have fulfilled the reading comprehension requirement of the Regents’ Test. Scores must be from a national administration of the SAT or ACT.

Students with College Board Advanced Placement (AP) English scores of at least 3, International Baccalaureate (IB) higher-level English scores of at least 4, or SAT II English Writing scores of at least 650 will be considered as having fulfilled the essay requirement of the Regents’ Test.

New Exceptions

Students with SAT-I Verbal scores of at least 530 or ACT English score of at least 23 and a grade of “A” in ENGL 1101 or SAT-I Verbal scores of at least 590 or ACT English score of at least 26 and a grade of “B” in ENGL 1101 will be considered as having fulfilled the essay requirement of the Regents’ Test. Scores must be from a national administration of the SAT or ACT.

What should I do if I’m advising a student with an “RT” hold?
Students who have not taken the Regents’ Test by the first semester of enrollment after completing 30 semester hours of degree credit will have a “Regents’ Test Hold” placed on their registration. When the student registers for the next administration of the Regents’ Test, the “Regents’ Test Hold” can be bypassed by an advisor to allow the student to register for classes for the next semester. The student should register for the Regents’ Test online.

How many times can a student with less than 45 earned hours take the Regents’ Test?
All students with fewer than forty-five semester hours who do not pass the Regents’ Test may retake the test once without remediation. Students with fewer than forty-five semester hours having at least a B in both English 1101 and English 1102 may retake the test twice without remediation.

What should I do if I’m advising a student with an “RR” and/or “RW” Regents’ remediation hold?
Students who have not taken or passed both parts of the test by the time they have earned forty-five semester credit hours must take remediation for both the writing and reading each semester of enrollment until they have passed both parts. These students are not permitted to take reading remediation one semester and essay remediation the following semester.

Are there any circumstance under which a student who needs both remediation courses can take only one in a semester?
The only exception is for part-time students taking one remedial course and no more than one degree credit course in a semester.

What is the required reading remediation course?
Students who do not pass the reading portion of the Regents’ Test and have at least forty-five semester hours of academic degree credit may not retake the Regents’ Test until they have taken RGTR 0198 (Advanced Reading Skills) for credit and obtained the approval of their RGTR 0198 instructor certifying that they have attained a degree of reading proficiency approximating that required by the Regents’ Test.

What is the required writing remediation course?
Students who do not pass the writing portion of the Regents’ Test and have at least forty-five semester hours of academic degree credit may not retake the Regents’ Test until they have taken RGTE 0199 (Writing Laboratory) for credit and obtained the approval of their RGTE 0199 instructor certifying that they have attained a degree of writing proficiency approximating that required by the Regents’ Test.

What about transfer students?
All transfer students are subject to the Regents’ Test policy: A transfer student from within the system is subject to the standard Regents’ Test policy. Transfer students with thirty or more semester credit hours transferring from outside the System or from a System program that does not require the Regents’ Test should take the test during their first semester of enrollment at Macon State College. Students who have not passed both parts of the test before the third semester of enrollment at Macon State College are subject to the same remediation requirements previously outlined. While both the reading and writing section of the Regents’ Test must be passed, they need not be passed simultaneously.