If you attended a local high school and have completed Algebra 2 or higher in the past two years, you may be able to place using your high school transcript. Please review this guide for information on the schools, courses, and grades that can be used.  If you have eligible courses, e-mail a copy of your high school transcript (unofficial or official), along with your name and the last four digits of your ctcLink ID number, to OrcaCentral@whatcom.edu. If you are currently taking a high school math class, please email your high school transcript and a screenshot of your current grade in your math class to orcacentral@whatcom.edu. You can also drop off your documentation in person at the Orca Central front desk in the Heiner Building.

If you encounter any difficulties obtaining this documentation, you're welcome to use our online math placement tool to place into your first math class at WCC. This tool is not a test and typically takes 5 minutes or less to complete. 

If you completed math coursework at a previous college, or you completed College in the High School math classes, you may be able to use your college transcript for placement.  Please e-mail your documentation, including your name and the last four digits of your ctcLink ID number, to orcacentral@whatcom.edu; you can also drop off your documentation in person at the Orca Central front desk in the Heiner Building.

If you are interested in having credits from another college count towards graduation requirements, please visit the Transferring Credits page for more information.

If you encounter any difficulties obtaining this documentation, you're welcome to use our online math placement tool to place into your first math class at WCC. This tool is not a test and typically takes 5 minutes or less to complete. 

The Math Online Placement tool is not a math test.  You will not be asked to answer any math problems. You will need to have a MyWCC account to log in to use the tool. 

Note that it may take up to one business day after you complete your placement tool submission before your results are recorded and you will be able to register for math classes.

If you have taken the Smarter Balanced exam, the GED, or an exam such as an AP, IB, or CLEP math exam, you may be able to use your score report for placement.  Please e-mail your documentation, including your name and the last four digits of your ctcLink ID number, to OrcaCentral@whatcom.edu; you can also drop off your documentation in person at the Orca Central front desk in the Heiner Building.

If you encounter any difficulties obtaining this documentation, you're welcome to use our online math placement tool to place into your first math class at WCC. This tool is not a test and typically takes 5 minutes or less to complete. 

Homeschool students will need to provide all of the following information to have placement determined.

• Transcript showing the grade(s) for the full class
• Name of curriculum or book (e.g. Saxon Algebra 2), including the publication year
• What part(s)/chapter(s) of the curriculum/book were covered

Send the above information to MathHomeschool@whatcom.edu. You will be informed of your placement after it has been determined.

If you encounter any difficulties obtaining this documentation, you're welcome to use our online math placement tool to place into your first math class at WCC. This tool is not a test and typically takes 5 minutes or less to complete. 

Students who are part of Whatcom's International Programs should work directly with an International Programs advisor to determine their placement.

If you are not part of Whatcom's International Programs, but attended high school outside the U.S., please see the next section on Non-U.S. High School Background.

Students who earned a high school diploma in another country will need to consult with a Math Department faculty member.  Please e-mail MathPlacement@whatcom.edu with the following information.

• Your name
• Your student ID number
• What country you earned your high school diploma in
• When you graduated from high school
• Whether or not you have English language transcripts available for your high school coursework (this is not required, but helpful if you happen to have them)
• The English language name of the highest math class you completed in high school (this is also not required, but helpful if you happen to know it)

A faculty member from the Math Department will contact you by e-mail to arrange the next steps.

If you prefer, you're welcome to use our online math placement tool to place into your first math class at WCC. This tool is not a test and typically takes 5 minutes or less to complete. 

Whatcom Community College honors the Placement Reciprocity agreement provided by the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges.

For all entering students at any Washington community and technical college, system policy provides that:

1. A student who qualifies for a specific level of pre-college math, English, or reading, either through course completion or local placement determination*, will have that course placement level honored at another Washington CTC if the student so requests, even if the courses may not be exact equivalents.

2. A student who qualifies for entry into college-level math, English, or reading, either through course completion or local skills placement determination, will be considered to have met the entry college-level standard at every community and technical college.

3. Students requesting reciprocity must initiate the process within one year of their initial placement assessment. 

To proceed with placing in math or English with the reciprocity agreement, email Lexus Criswell, Associate Director for Orca Central Operations, at lcriswell@whatcom.edu.