The CUNY Assessment Tests are critical in measuring your readiness for college success. These high-stakes tests evaluate your competency in areas of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Your results on the CUNY Assessment Tests can determine admission to four-year colleges.

Your results on the CUNY Assessment Tests can determine whether or not you can enroll in credit-bearing courses directly, or if you must first take non-credit courses in reading, writing, math, or ESL.

The three CUNY Assessment Tests are given in Reading, Writing, and Math.

Students who do not achieve the required scores on SAT, ACT, or New York State Regents Exams can satisfy the college readiness requirements by passing the CUNY Assessment Tests in Reading, Writing and Mathematics, with the following scores:

Reading Test score of 55 or higher

Writing Test score of 56 or higher

Elementary Algebra (Math 5) score of 57 or higher

Reading: The CAT in Reading is an untimed, multiple choice, computer-based test of reading comprehension.

Writing: The CAT in Writing is a 90-minute written essay test in which students are asked to respond to a reading passage that they see for the first time when they sit for the test.

Mathematics: The CAT in Mathematics is an untimed, multiple choice, computer-based test composed of two sections: Elementary Algebra (Math 5), which is used to satisfy the college readiness requirement, and College-Level Math (Math 6), which is used for placement into more advanced college level math courses. Some questions on the math tests allow for calculator use; there will be a built-in calculator automatically available on the computer-based test when it is permissible.