Academic Testing Center
DEPARTMENT MENU
ACCUPLACER (placement testing) is now being offered remotely through Zoom
In order to participate in remote testing and before scheduling a test, you will need to do the following:
- Go to the Zoom website, download and install Zoom: https://www.zoom.us/download#client_4meeting.
- Check that Zoom was set up correctly by clicking the following link: https://www.zoom.us/test. Please use the option to join with video.
- Check that your computer can run ACCUPLACER by clicking here: https://www.accuplacer.org/#/systemRequirement.
If you completed items 1 through 3 successfully, you should be able to test remotely. When you are ready to schedule placement tests, email testing@nicholls.edu or call 985-493-2596. If you are entering Nicholls in the fall, you do have the option to wait until on-campus operations resume. However, a date for the resumption of campus activities has not yet been determined.
Welcome to the Academic Testing Center at Nicholls State University.
The Academic Testing Center administers a variety of tests to both college and prospective college students, and to area residents as needed. The following tests are of particular importance to prospective Nicholls students: American College Testing (ACT) and the ACCUPLACER tests. These tests are used for English and mathematics placement. Other tests administered by Academic Testing include the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. The proctoring of correspondence course testing is also available.
Fall 2025 Office Hours (subject to change)
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday
Monday, August 18, 2025 – Wednesday, December 12th, 2025
Monday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Holidays and Closures
Labor Day Holiday Monday, September 1st
NSU Fall Break #1 Thursday, September 25th – Friday, September 26th
Graduate Comprehensive Examination Friday, October 24th
NSU Fall break #2 Monday, October 27th – Tuesday, October 28th
Thanksgiving Holidays Monday, November 24th – Friday, November 28th
SCHEDULE A NICHOLLS WEB-BASED EXAM
To schedule a Nicholls Web-Based exam click below.
SCHEDULE A TESTING APPOINTMENT
For Nicholls students only.
Non-Nicholls students should call 985.448.4462 to schedule an exam.
The Nicholls State University Academic Testing Center offers testing for Nicholls students enrolled in Nicholls web courses (WWN, WWP). Testing must be web based. The Center does not administer paper-and-pencil exams. The link below provides instructions for scheduling exams. Testing intervals are one hour and thirty minutes long. Appointments are available on a first come, first served basis. To schedule more than one exam on any given day or if you have problems scheduling an exam, please call 985.493.2596 or email testing.center@nicholls.edu.
ACCUPLACER TESTING
The ACCUPLACER computer-adaptive college placement test is available to both Nicholls and Non-Nicholls students. The Academic Testing Center offers the Writing test and the Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics test. The cost of each test is $10. Remote testing is available with Nicholls serving as either the home or remote site. Non-Nicholls students using Nicholls as a remote testing site will be assessed a $20 proctoring fee.
ACCUPLACER Testing Limitations and Restrictions
The ACCUPLACER test is used for placement purposes only. Course credit cannot be awarded based on ACCUPLACER scores. Prospective first-time freshmen who are ineligible for admission because of the need for more than one developmental course may take the ACCUPLACER test an unlimited number of times. First-time freshmen who have been admitted to the University and placed into English 100, Math 100, Math 115, or Math 116 may challenge placement by taking ACCUPLACER prior to the official first day of classes of the semester in which the student intends to enroll in any of the courses. ACCUPLACER may be taken for this purpose no more than three times for each subject. Once classes have begun, and a student is enrolled an English or mathematics course, either as an audit or for credit, then that student is no longer eligible for further ACCUPLACER testing. In that case, the student’s placement shall be considered final. If non-developmental placement is achieved at any point during ACCUPLACER testing, that placement is considered final and all remaining attempts at ACCUPLACER testing are eliminated. Students using Nicholls as a remote testing site must adhere to the ACCUPLACER testing policies of their home institution.
ACCUPLACER testing is available only by appointment. To schedule a test, please call 985.493.2596 or email testing.center@nicholls.edu. Students should report to 212 Elkins Hall (campus map). Students are not allowed to use a personal calculator. An onscreen calculator is provided for select items. Test results are available immediately after testing is complete. One score is issued for the Writing test and one for the Mathematics test. Course placement is determined by these scores.
ACT/SAT/ACCUPLACER English and Mathematics Placement Guide
| Course | ACT Engl Sub-Score Range | SAT ERW Score Range (Beg March 2016) |
ACCUPLACER Score Range (Writing) |
| ENGL 100/100L | 16 – 17 | 460 – 490 | 240 – 249 |
| ENGL 101 | 18 – 27 | 500 – 630 | 250 + |
| ENGL 102 | 28 – 31 | 640 – 690 | NA |
| ENGL 2XX | 32 + | 700 + | NA |
| Course | ACT Math Sub-Score Range | SAT Math Score Range (Beg March 2016) |
ACCUPLACER Score Range (Quant, Reas, Alg, and Stats) |
| MATH 115/115L | 16 | 430 – 500 | 240 – 249 |
| MATH 100 or 116/116L | 17-18 | 510 – 520 | 250 – 259 |
| MATH 101 or 117 | 19- 22 | 530 – 550 | 260+ |
| MATH 102, 106, 108, 110, or 214 | 23 – 26 | 560 – 630 | NA |
| MATH 165 | 27 + | 640 + | NA |
Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations
High school students achieving scores of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement examinations are eligible to receive credit on the basis of such test scores. Credit is granted for freshman-level and sophomore-level courses only. Students who have completed these tests should have their scores sent by College Board directly to the Nicholls State University Office of Records and Registration.
Freshman and Sophomore (lower-level) courses where there is no direct equivalent are
articulated as 100- or 200-level, 1XX or 2XX.
The Following Examinations are Approved for Nicholls Credit (Revised June 2017)
| AP/CEEB Title | Minimum Score | Nicholls Equivalent |
Hours Credit |
| Art History | 3 | ART 280, 281 | 6 |
| Biology | 3 | BIOL 105, 106 | 6 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | MATH 101, 102, 165 | 11 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MATH 101, 102, 165, 166 | 15 |
| Chemistry | 3 | CHEM 105, 106 | 6 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | XXXX 1XX | 3 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | CMPS 1XX | 3 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | CMPS 130 | 3 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | ECON 212 | 3 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | ECON 211 | 3 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | ENGL 101, 102 | 6 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | ENGL 101, 102 | 6 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | GEOL 1XX | 3 |
| European History | 3 | HIST 101, 102 | 6 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | FREN 101, 102 | 6 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | GERM 1XX | 6 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | GOVT 250 | 3 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | GOVT 101 | 3 |
| Human Geography | 3 | GEOG 104 | 3 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | XXXX 1XX | 3 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | XXXX 1XX | 3 |
| Latin | 3 | LATN 1XX | 6 |
| Music Theory | 3 | MUS 119 | 4 |
| Physics 1: Algebra-Based | 3 | PHYS 101 | 3 |
| Physics 2: Algebra-Based | 3 | PHYS 102 | 3 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | PHYS 102 | 3 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | PHYS 101 | 3 |
| Psychology | 3 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | SPAN 101, 102 | 6 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | SPAN 2XX | 6 |
| Statistics | 3 | MATH 214 | 3 |
| Studio Art Drawing | 3 | Art Elective to be determined by Art Department upon review of portfolio | 6 |
| 2D Design | 3 | ||
| 3D Design | 3 | ||
| United States History | 3 | HIST 255, 256 | 6 |
| World History | 3 | HIST 150, 151 | 6 |
American College Testing (ACT)
American College Testing offers the ACT test several times during the academic year. The ACT exam is administered at Nicholls on the following dates:
June 14, 2025
July 12, 2025
Registration for the ACT test is done online. The site also provides information on test preparation. Typically, the test is given in Peltier Hall (campus map). Parking is available on Madewood Drive near the building and in several parking lots across campus. Arrival, identification, and seating of examinees begins at 7:45 a.m.
Students should bring the following on test day:
- A valid photo ID;
- An admission ticket issued by ACT;
- A few pencils;
- An acceptable calculator (see calculator rules).
Cell phones must be powered off and put away before entering the test center. Cell phones must remain out of sight for the duration of the test, including during breaks.
Students are eligible for course credit in English and/or mathematics if their ACT scores are sufficiently high. Students receive credit in:
- ENGL 101 if they score 28 or higher in ACT English
- ENGL 102 if they score 32 or higher in ACT English
- MATH 101 if they score 23 or higher in ACT Mathematics
- MATH 102 if they score 27 or higher in ACT Mathematics
| English | |
| Course | ACT English Score Required |
| ENGL 100 | 16 – 17 |
| ENGL 101 | 18 – 27 |
| ENGL 102 | 28 – 31 |
| ENGL 2XX | 32 – 36 |
| Math | |
| Course | ACT Math Score Required |
| MATH 115 | 16 |
| MATH 100 or 116 | 17 – 18 |
| MATH 101 or 117 | 19 – 22 |
| MATH 102, 106, 108, 110, or 214 | 23 – 26 |
| MATH 165 | 27 – 36 |
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Students enrolled at Nicholls State University may receive credit for prior learning through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), a national standardized testing program that offers exams equivalent to final exams in introductory college freshman and sophomore courses. Nicholls accepts credit earned through CLEP for courses only at the freshman and sophomore levels. Students must earn the minimum score of 50 or higher to receive credit. Credit is awarded when the CLEP examination score is reported on an official transcript from CLEP and sent directly by the CLEP transcript service to the Office of Records and Registration. Passing scores for subjects credited through CLEP are recorded by an “S,” by the equivalent Nicholls course number and title, and by the appropriate credit hours.
CLEP credits will be accepted from other accredited institutions only if the scores meet Nicholls credit-granting standards. Resident students may not gain credit through CLEP for courses equivalent to or at a lower level than other courses they have already taken at Nicholls. CLEP exams are administered at the Nicholls Testing Center, an official CLEP Test Center, in 212 Elkins Hall (campus map). Students must call 985.448.4462 to schedule a CLEP test. Examinees are required to register for CLEP tests and pay CLEP testing fees prior to scheduling a testing appointment with the testing center. In addition to fees assessed by CLEP, Nicholls charges proctoring fees of $20 for Nicholls students and $40 for non-Nicholls students at the time of testing. Personal calculators are not permitted. Freshman and Sophomore (lower-level) courses where there is no direct equivalent are articulated as 100- or 200-level, 1XX or 2XX.
The following examinations are approved for Nicholls credit:
| CLEP Title (CLEP Examinations Descriptions) |
Minimum Score | Nicholls Equivalent | Hours Credit |
| American Government | 50 | GOVT 101 | 3 |
| American Literature | 50 | ENGL 215, ENGL 2XX | 6 |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | ENGL 1XX | 3 |
| Biology | 50 | BIOL 105, 106 | 6 |
| Calculus | 50 | MATH 101, 102, 165 | 11 |
| Chemistry | 50 | CHEM 105 | 3 |
| 70 | CHEM 105, 106 | 6 | |
| College Algebra | 50 | MATH 101 | 3 |
| College Composition | 50 | ENGL 101 | 3 |
| College Composition Modular | 50 | ENGL 101 | 3 |
| College Mathematics | 50 | MATH 117 | 3 |
| English Literature | 50 | ENGL 215, ENGL 2XX | 6 |
| Financial Accounting (max credit earned is 3 credit hours) | 50 | ACCT 1XX | 3 |
| 65 | ACCT 205 | 3 | |
| French Language | 50 | FREN 101, 102 | 6 |
| German Language | 50 | GERM 1XX | 6 |
| History of the United States I | 50 | HIST 255 | 3 |
| History of the United States II | 50 | HIST 256 | 3 |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | PSYC 212 | 3 |
| Humanities | 50 | HUMA 1XX | 3 |
| Information Systems | 50 | CIS 231 | 3 |
| Introduction to Educational Psychology | 50 | PSYC 1XX | 3 |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | BSAD 221 | 3 |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | SOCI 151 | 3 |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | BIOL 1XX | 3 |
| GEOL 1XX | 3 | ||
| Precalculus | 50 | MATH 101, 108 | 7 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | ECON 212 | 3 |
| Principles of Management | 50 | MNGT 1XX | 3 |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | MKTG 1XX | 3 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | ECON 211 | 3 |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | HIST 1XX | 3 |
| Spanish Language | 50 | SPAN 101, 102 | 6 |
| Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 | 50 | HIST 101 | 3 |
| Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present | 50 | HIST 102 | 3 |
CORRESPONDENCE TESTING
The Nicholls Testing Center offers proctoring services for students taking correspondence/distance learning courses. Students are responsible for coordinating test delivery with the instructor of the course. All correspondence exams must be sent directly to the Testing Center.
Hard copy versions of exams should be mailed to:
Nicholls State University
Academic Testing Center
P.O. Box 2186
Thibodaux, LA 70310
Nicholls State University
Academic Testing Center
906 East 1st Street
Thibodaux, LA 70301
Exams can also be emailed to testing@nicholls.edu.
Students are required to make an appointment for correspondence testing. To schedule a test students should call 985.448.4462. All testing takes place in 212 Elkins Hall (campus map). Proctoring fees are $20 for Nicholls students and $40 for non-Nicholls students.
NICHOLLS ADVANCE CREDIT TESTING
Students may earn course credits through Nicholls Advance Credit Testing (NACT). Advance credit testing is available for qualified high schools seniors planning on attending Nicholls. To participate, a student must have an ACT composite score of 24 or higher and a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher. Individual tests may require additional qualifications. Students are allowed to take at most three exams.
The exams available and the list of courses for which credits may be earned are listed below. Credit is awarded to only those students that attend Nicholls. Please check degree program requirements before selecting tests. Some courses listed below may not be degree applicable.
If you are interested in taking advance credit tests, please email testing@nicholls.edu or call 985.448.4462.
| NACT Exam | Course Credit Awarded | Time Allowed for Exam |
| Basic Biology I – Principles of Biology (for non-science majors) [ACT science sub-score of 23 or higher] | BIOL 1051 | 90 min |
| Chemistry (ACT mathematics sub-score of 23 or higher) | CHEM 101 or CHEM 1052 |
120 min |
| Elementary French | FREN 101 or FREN 101, 1022 |
60 min |
| Physical Geography | GEOG 103 | 60 min |
| World Regional Geography | GEOG 104 | 60 min |
| American National Government | GOVT 101 | 60 min |
| State and Local Government | GOVT 252 | 60 min |
| History of Western Civilization (ancient world to the mid- seventeenth century) |
HIST 101 | 60 min |
| History of Western Civilization (mid-seventeenth century to the present) |
HIST 102 | 60 min |
| World History (ancient world to 1500) | HIST 150 | 60 min |
| World History (1500 to the present) | HIST 151 | 60 min |
| American History (earliest times to 1876) | HIST 255 | 60 min |
| American History (1876 to the present) | HIST 256 | 60 min |
| Trigonometry (ACT mathematics sub-score of 23-26) | MATH 102 | 90 min |
| Calculus I (ACT mathematics sub-score of 27 or higher) | MATH 165 | 90 min |
| Introductory Sociology | SOCI 151 | 60 min |
| Elementary Spanish | SPAN 101 or SPAN 101, 1022 |
60 min |
1BIOL 105 is a course designed for non-science majors. Most science programs require BIOL 155.
2Course credit awarded is based on exam score. For example, a student may score well enough to earn
credit for CHEM 101, but not CHEM 105.
Click the following link to view course descriptions: NACT Course Descriptions
ABOUT THE ACADEMIC TESTING CENTER
The Academic Testing Center at Nicholls State University supports the student-centered focus of the University by providing both Nicholls students and residents of the region with quality, professional educational testing services. The Academic Testing Center is committed to providing a knowledgeable, courteous testing staff and a testing atmosphere that is secure, quiet, accommodating, and accessible to all individuals in need of academic and professional testing.
The Testing Center maintains confidentiality of documentation and test scores. This office will not release or discuss any part of the student’s documentation without the student’s informed and written consent. Test scores will not be given over the telephone. Students must contact the Testing Center by emailing elaine.benoit@nicholls.edu or calling 985.448.4462 to obtain a copy of their scores.
| Test | Nicholls Students |
Non-Nicholls Students |
| ACCUPLACER Mathematics |
$10 | Not Applicable |
| ACCUPLACER Writing |
$10 | Not Applicable |
| ACCUPLACER (Nicholls as a remote site) |
Not Applicable | $20 |
| CLEP* | $20 | $40 |
| Correspondence |
$20 | $40 |
| *Additional fee assessed by College Board. | ||
Praxis and ParaPro exams are now computer based. Paper-and-pencil exams are no longer offered on campus. Please visit the following websites for details for Praxis or ParaPro. You may also call 1.800.772.9476.
| ACCUPLACER | https://www.accuplacer.org/ or https://accuplacerpractice.collegeboard.org |
| ACT | www.act.org |
| CLEP | www.collegeboard.org/clep |
| GMAT | http://www.gmac.com/ or http://www.mba.com/ |
| GRE | https://ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/ |
| Homework Louisiana | http://homeworkla.org/ |
| Kaplan Test Prep | www.kaptest.com |
| LSAT | www.lsac.org/jd/lsat/preparing-for-the-lsat |
| MCAT | www.aamc.org/students/mcat |
| NLN | http://www.nln.org/ |
| Praxis | www.ets.org/praxis/ |
| Praxis ParaPro | www.ets.org/parapro |
| PSAT/NMSQT | www.collegeboard.com/psat/student/html/indx001.html |
| SAT | http://sat.collegeboard.org/home |
| Study Tips | http://www.studytips.org/ |
| Sylvan Learning Center | http://www.educate.com/ |
| Test-Guide | https://www.test-guide.com/ |
| Test Prep Review | https://www.testprepreview.com/ |
| TOEFL | www.toefl.org |
| 4Tests | http://www.4tests.com/ |
Nicholls State University is not responsible for the contents of websites listed above. These links are provided as a convenience in finding resources.
CONTACT INFO
Office Location:
212 Elkins Hall
Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2008
Thibodaux, LA 70310
Phone/Fax: 985-448-4462
E-mail: testing.center@nicholls.edu
7:00 am – 4:30 pm
LOCATION
