Guided Self-Placement for English and Math

Website: https://www.westvalley.edu/admissions/assessment/
All students are required to complete the guided self-placement, pre-orientation, orientation and develop a comprehensive educational plan in order to receive a priority registration date for enrollment. All community colleges have eliminated placement exams and replaced with Guided Self Placement for classes starting in Summer or Fall 2019.

Follow these four easy steps:

1. Review the English and Math Course sequence in the schedule of classes.
2. Have access to unofficial high school transcripts
3. Navigate the Guided Self-Placement tool.
4. Take a picture or print your results to present at orientation or initial counseling appointment.

Disability and Educational Support Program (DESP) for students: if you have a verifiable disability, you may request accommodations for assessment. Contact the DESP Office at (408) 741-2010 or TTY / DESP (408) 741-2658.

ESL (English as a Second Language) Orientation and Placement Test

Website: https://www.westvalley.edu/admissions/assessment/
ESL Orientation: The ESL Orientation will take place the day before each placement test and will have the same start time. Beginning Fall 2021, the ESL orientation is mandatory for all new entering ESL students. To request an orientation and placement test appointment, students need to email their contact information and student ID number to the ESL department. During the orientation, students will learn about the ESL program, how to take the placement test, and how to use technology for taking classes.

Placement Test: The ESL placement test will take place the day after the orientation and will be proctored using Zoom.

Orientation

Website: https://www.westvalley.edu/admissions/orientation.html
West Valley Welcome: This is a one-time pre-orientation requirement for all students. It is a virtual experience that will guide you through registration and financial aid steps; and introduce you to a wide variety of campus resources so that you can have the best possible start to your academic experience. Beginning April 2021 all new students are required to complete the West Valley Welcome pre-orientation prior to registering for classes.

College Orientation: This is a requirement for priority registration. In order to be eligible for a priority registration date, students must also complete Guided Self-Placement and have an educational plan on file. The following orientation courses offer in depth information about the college and transfer opportunities, career planning and academic success strategies, meet the requirements for priority registration, and offer education planning resources:

• COUN A: College Orientation (1/2 unit)
• COUN 2: Academic and Personal Planning (1 unit)
• COUN 5: College Success (3 units)
• COUN 12: Careers and Lifestyles (3 units)
• LRSV 1: Learning Strategies for College and Careers (3 units)

Procedures for Auditing Courses

The Colleges of the District allow auditing of courses except for courses in programs that require special presentation and/or program admissions on a limited basis. Each college department will determine which courses may be audited. Priority in class enrollment shall be given to students enrolled in the course for credit toward a degree or certificate. An auditing student is a class observer who attends the class without the requirement of taking tests or completing assignments. The auditing student must submit a college application (if not already enrolled at the college for the given term).

To audit a course, students:

1. Attend the first-class meeting and request permission to audit the course from the instructor. Students must receive approval from the specific instructor by the last day to add the course each term.
2. Obtain and complete an Audit Form from Admissions and Records.
3. Bring the Audit Form to the Admissions Office by the third week of the term with a payment of $15/unit fee. Students enrolled in classes to receive credit for ten or more semester units shall not be charged a fee to audit three or fewer units per semester.

High school and F-1/I-20 students are not allowed to audit a course. No student auditing a course shall be permitted to change his or her enrollment to receive credit for the course. An auditing fee as established by California Education Code is payable at the time of enrollment as an auditor, except for students enrolled in ten or more semester units auditing a course with three or fewer semester units.