QCC currently uses a variety of measures to ensure that students are placed in a math course that leads to the best chance of success in the math curriculum and eventual graduation.

Do I Need Math Placement Testing?

The QMAT Assessment helps ensure you start with the right math course for you and your program. The QMAT is a placement assessment designed to determine your readiness for specific math courses. Whether or not you need the QMAT, you should consider taking it depending on your major.  
  
Important: All students are eligible to take a 5-credit version of MATH 121 (Topics in Mathematics) or MAT 122 (Statistics) without taking the QMAT. These courses meet math requirements for many non-STEM degrees and certificates.     

Students in these programs will take several math or science courses. Taking the QMAT helps you start in the right place and skip taking extra classes. You can register without the QMAT, but you can move ahead through the courses faster if your QMAT score supports it. See the table at the bottom of the page for more information on QMAT Scores and course placements.  

**If you have passed and have credit from AP Calculus, you do not need to take the QMAT.  

Health & Medical Programs  

  • Dental Hygiene  
  •  Nursing (Day, Evening, LPN-to-RN, Paramedic-to-RN)  
  •  Radiologic Technology  
  • Respiratory Care  
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant  
  • Surgical Technology  
  • Public Health  
  • Healthcare—Pre-Nursing or Pre-Dental Hygiene  

Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology  

  • Manufacturing Technology  
  • Engineering (Biomedical, Mechanical, Photonics)  
  • Electronic Engineering Technology (Biomedical, Mechanical, Photonics)  
  • Computer-Aided Design (CAD)  
  • Automated & Robotics Manufacturing Technology  

Computer Science & Information Systems (Transfer Options)  

  • Computer Science (Transfer)  
  • Computer Information Systems—Transfer Option  
  • Interactive Media & Game Design  

Liberal Arts—STEM Focus  

  • Liberal Arts—Biology  
  • Liberal Arts—Chemistry  
  • Liberal Arts—Mathematics  
  • Liberal Arts—Environmental Science  

Business   

  • Business Administration Transfer  
  • Business Administration Career  

Next Steps:  

You are encouraged to take the QMAT if you are in a program that includes STEM but may not require multiple advanced courses. Taking it may allow you to start at a higher level and save time.   

**Please note: if you have a 2.7 high school GPA or higher, you may not need to take the QMAT.  

Examples of Recommended Majors:  

  • Business Administration (Career or Transfer)  
  • Accounting or Finance  
  • Health Office and Medical Office programs  
  • Computer Systems, Data Science, or Web Applications  
  • Early Childhood Education  
  • Fire Science  
  • Criminal Justice  
  • Biotechnology  

Next Steps

If you choose to take QMAT, complete it before meeting with an advisor.  
Study materials and testing procedures are the same as above.  

Schedule your QMAT test before your advising appointment.  

Students in these programs do not need to take the QMAT before meeting with an advisor. However, you may still choose to take it if you want more flexibility in future math or science options.  

Examples of Programs Not Requiring QMAT:  

  • Liberal Arts—English, History, Psychology, Sociology, Theatre, Music, or Visual Arts  
  • General Studies  
  • Human Services  
  • Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management  
  • Early Childhood Education Certificates  
  • Computer Support, Networking, or IT Certificates  

Next Steps

Proceed directly to schedule your advising appointment. See your QCC email from Academic Advising for more information.  

Resources

See below for important assessment links.

Schedule the QMAT assessment
Blackboard Registration Instructions

Math Placement

Placing students into the appropriate math course is important towards successful completion of a degree or certificate. or acceptance into a program. 

One way to properly place students is with QMAT (QCC's Math Assessment Test). Students who plan to take the QMAT placement test are strongly encouraged to practice/review before taking the actual placement test. Academic Advising will email students instructions on how to register for access the QMAT practice tests. 

Other ways to properly place students uses multiple measures, such as scores from the SAT, ACT, GED, HiSET, AP, or CLEP exams.

  • QMAT is QCC’s math placement test.
  • It is given in person by the Testing Center to students seeking to properly place into a QCC math course.
  • No student is required to take the QMAT placement test because QCC offers corequisite college-level math courses appropriate for your major. Please speak to an academic advisor if you have further questions.
  • QMAT is a series of five (5) tests, or “levels”, of varying math skills. The higher the level, the more advanced the mathematical material.
  • Each test is made up of between 8 – 10 multiple-choice questions.
  • Every student begins testing at Level 1. And depending on how well a student answers the questions in Level 1, the following level, Level 2, is available to a student. This process possibly continues until all five levels are completed.
  • If a student does not test out of a particular level, the subsequent level test will not become available to a student. For example, a student might complete Level 1 and Level 2, but Level 3 does not “open” to a student, because a high enough score was not achieved in Level 2.
  • Your goal should be to go as far as you possibly can! Doing the best you can on each level could potentially save you time and money by placing yourself out of math courses you do not need to take.
  • Students are allowed up to two (2) attempts on the QMAT placement test and are strongly encouraged to practice/review before taking the QMAT.
  • Level 1 covers Beginning Algebra material, such as:
    • Solving linear equations; finding intercepts; add, subtract, multiply, and divide polynomials; algebraic rules for exponents.
  • Level 2 covers Intermediate Algebra material, such as:
    • Factoring trinomials and difference of squares; add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational expressions; linear slope; Quadratic Formula; Pythagorean Theorem.
  • Level 3 covers College Algebra material, such as:
    • Simplify complex fractions; solve compound inequalities; simplify rational expressions; imaginary numbers; solve radical equations; factor sum or difference of cubes; rational exponents.
  • Level 4 covers Pre-Calculus material, such as:
    • Domain and range of functions; asymptotes; graphing polynomial equations; composite functions; inverse functions; solve logarithmic equations.
  • Level 5 covers Trigonometry material, such as:
    • Convert between degrees and radians; determine and use reference angles to evaluate trig functions; graph trig functions; inverse trig functions; solve equations with multiple angles; use trig identities; use the unit circle to define trig functions.

It’s possible for a student to place as high as Calculus I.

  • If a student chooses not to take the QMAT or if they earn a QMAT score less than 22, a student is allowed to enroll in the following courses:
    • MAT 095 Beginning Algebra – 3 credits
    • MAT 121 Topics in Math + MAT 051 Corequisite Topics in Math – 5 credits total
    • MAT 122 Statistics + MAT 052 Corequisite Statistics – 5 credits total
  • A QMAT placement score between 22 - 32 allows a student to enroll in the following courses:
    • MAT 100 College Algebra + MAT 097 Corequisite College Algebra – 5 credits total
    • MAT 111 Math for Educators I + MAT 054 Corequisite Math for Educators I – 5 credits total
    • MAT 103 Math for Business – 3 credits
    • MAT 121 Topics in Math – 3 credits
    • MAT 122 Statistics – 3 credits
    • MAT 147 Tech Math I – 4 credits
  • A QMAT placement score between 33 - 43 allows a student to enroll in the following courses:
    • MAT 100 College Algebra – 3 credits
    • MAT 111 Math for Educators I – 3 credits
  • A QMAT placement score between 44 - 52 allows a student to enroll in the following course:
    • MAT 123 Pre-Calculus – 3 credits
  • A QMAT placement score between 53 - 58 allows a student to enroll in the following course:
    • MAT 124 Trigonometry – 3 credits
  • A QMAT placement score above 58 allows a student to enroll in the following course:
    • MAT 233 Calculus I – 4 credits
QMAT Scores and Placement into Math Courses
  • A student with a High School GPA of at least 2.70, or a HiSET score of at least 15, or a GED score of 165 is eligible to enroll in:
    • MAT 103 Math for Business* (3 credits)
    • MAT 121 Topics in Math (3 credits)
  • A student with an SAT score of at least 530 or an ACT score of at least 21 is eligible to enroll in:
    • MAT 103 Math for Business* (3 credits)
    • MAT 121 Topics in Math (3 credits)
    • MAT 122 Statistics (3 credits)
  • The following CLEP tests with minimum scores of 50 percentile allows for the following earned math course credits:
    • College Math Test - MAT 121 Topics in Math (3 credits)
    • College Algebra - MAT 100 College Algebra (3 credits)
    • Pre-Calculus - MAT 123 Pre-Calculus (3 credits)
    • Calculus Math - MAT 233 Calculus I (4 credits)
  • The following AP tests with a minimum score of 3 allows for the following earned math course credits:
    • AP Statistics - MAT 122 Statistics (3 credits)
    • AP Precalculus - MAT 123 Pre-Calc (3 credits) and MAT 124 Trigonometry (3 credits)
  • The following AP tests with a minimum score of 4 allows for the following earned math course credits:
    • AP AB Calculus - MAT 233 Calculus I (4 credits)
    • AP BC Calculus - MAT 233 Calculus I (4 credits) and MAT 234 Calculus II (4 credits)

*MAT 103 is restricted to Business Admin Career and Business Admin Certificate majors

QMAT Placement Chart
ScoreCourse NameCourse Number
60CalculusMAT 233
55TrigonometryMAT124
 Discrete MathMAT 125
45Pre-CalculusMAT 123
35College Algebra*MAT 100
 Math for Educators 1**MAT 111
25College Algebra Corequisite*MAT 097
 Technical Math IMAT 147
 Math for BusinessMAT 103
 Topics in Math****MAT 121
 Statistics***MAT 122
 Math for Educators I Corequisite**MAT 054
15Beginning AlgebraMAT 095
 Statistics Corequisite***MAT 052
 Topics in Math Corequisite****MAT 051
 Key: Corequisite Pairs 
 MAT 100/MAT 097 
 MAT 122/052 
 MAT 121/051 

Need Help?

Testing Department: testing@qcc.mass.edu | 508.854.2784  
Student Accessibility Services: SAS@qcc.mass.edu | 508.854.4471  
Advising: advising@qcc.mass.edu