Entrance Exam (Type E)

General Instructions

The Entrance Exam file is used to report data related to the college readiness of students entering postsecondary institutions in Kentucky. This data helps assess the readiness of incoming students in line with the standards set forth by 13 KAR 2.020 and the Unified Strategy for College and Career Readiness (Senate Bill 1, 2009). These guidelines provide the reporting requirements for the assessment of students' readiness and the placement of students in appropriate courses.

Applicable to:

All Institutions

Cohort Definition

The Type E file contains one record for each undergraduate degree-seeking student who enrolled for the first time at an institution during the academic year. This includes:
- First-time in college students
- First-time transfer students
This file includes all students defined in the previous summer, fall, and spring semester Type 1 files.
Exclude non-degree students (classification 05), Post-Baccalaureate Undergraduate Degree-Seeking students (30), and dually enrolled students (classifications 19 and 20).

Exemptions from Testing Requirements

Transfer students or first-time students with college-level coursework taken in high school may be exempt from placement testing if they meet one of the following criteria:

Successfully completed supplemental/corequisite or developmental courses at a Kentucky public institution, meeting learning outcomes for readiness.
Successfully completed supplemental/corequisite or developmental courses at any institution, which the reporting institution deems to meet system-wide learning outcomes.
Successfully completed a college-level course (any institution) that demonstrates college-level proficiency in subjects like math, English, or reading.

All scores should be reported as superscores. A superscore combines the highest scores across multiple attempts, either from a single exam administration or a combination of administration. If your institution recalculates the total score based on superscores, the recalculated total should be reported to CPE.

Each student must have at least one score reported in math, writing, and reading, either from an exam score, institutional placement, or an exemption flag.

Data Reporting Requirements

The following data should be reported on the Entrance Exam file:

ACT Scores: Subject and composite scores used for placement (reported as superscores).
SAT Scores: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, Math, and Total scores (reported as superscores).
Statewide Placement Exam Scores: Scores for statewide standardized exams used to determine college readiness.
Commercial or Institutionally Developed Exam: Indicate if a non-statewide placement exam was administered by the institution (KYOTE, Accuplacer, EdReady). These exams are administered on campus to supplement or in lieu of ACT or SAT scores, and the results are used to refine the level of placement suggested by the ACT or SAT alone.
Course-Level Placement: For exams administered (if applicable), report on the resulting course-level placement.
Exemption Status: Whether or not an entering student is exempted from the state placement testing requirement based on standards established by 13 KAR 2:020. Exemption status is to be reported by subject with an “E” if exempt and “N” if not exempt. Students can only be marked with a “E” if they have successfully completed previous coursework (dual credit) in the specific area. Exemptions should not be given for any other reason

Statewide Benchmarked Placement Exams

The following benchmarks apply to the Entrance Exam File. Students' scores must meet or exceed the following benchmarks for readiness:

Area	ACT	SAT	KYOTE	GED College Readiness	Accuplacer	ALEKS	Ed Ready Diagnostic
English (Writing)	18	490*	6	165	250		70
Reading	20	490*	20	165	250		70
Math (Quant Reasoning)¹	19	510	22	165	250	30	55
Math (College Algebra)	22	540	14	175		46	65
Math (Calculus)²	27	640	15	N/A		76

¹ This is based on concordance with ACT score of 19

²This is based on concordance with ACT score of 27

*The chart was updated in March 2024 to reflect that College Board no longer provides subscores. An EBRW score of 490, based on CPE analysis, is the appropriate benchmark.

Type E: File Formats & Field Values

Type E
Start	Width	Header Name (Database Header)	Type (Formatting)	Definition
1	1	Form - E (form)	Alphabetic (1 char)	Indicates the type of data record. Must be the first field in every detail record. Enter E for records. Cannot be blank
2	8	Institution ID (fice)	Numeric (8 digits)	Your institution’s 8-digit FICE code. Must include all leading or trailing 0s if applicable and cannot be blank. Refer to Table 1 for FICE codes.
10	9	Social Security Number (ssn)	Numeric (9 digits)	Enter the student’s Social Security Number or another valid identification number. The number must not start with "9", contain all the same digit (e.g., 111111111), or be all zeros (e.g., 000000000). If an SSN is not available, enter the institutional ID, SEVIS, or ITIN. Do not leave this field blank. Use the same ID as previously submitted. If an SSN becomes available later, notify CPE to update the records.
19	25	Last Name (last_name)	Alphanumeric (Max 25 chars)	Enter the student’s last name. The field cannot be blank or contain only spaces. Must be left justify. Allowed characters: letters, spaces, periods (.), apostrophes (’), and hyphens (-). Ensure accurate spelling and consistency with previously submitted records.
44	15	First Name (first_name)	Alphanumeric (Max 15 chars)	Enter the student’s first name. See Student Last Name for formatting guidelines.
59	2	ACT Math Score (ACT_math)	Numeric (2 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
61	6	Test Date of ACT Math (ACT_math_date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the ACT test was taken.
67	2	ACT English Score (ACT_English)	Numeric (2 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
69	6	Test Date of ACT English (ACT_English_Date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the ACT test was taken.
75	2	ACT Reading Score (ACT_Reading)	Numeric (2 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
77	6	Test Date of ACT Reading (ACT_Reading_Date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the ACT test was taken.
83	2	ACT Science Score (ACT_Science)	Numeric (2 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
85	6	Test Date of ACT Science Score (ACT_Science_Date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the ACT test was taken.
91	2	ACT Composite Score (ACT_Composite)	Numeric (2 digit)	Enter the student’s compsite score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
93	6	Test Date of ACT Composite Score (ACT_Composite_Date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the ACT test was taken.
99	3	SAT Critical Reading Score (SAT_Reading)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
102	6	Test Date of SAT Critical Reading Score (SAT_Reading_Date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the SAT test was taken.
108	3	SAT Mathematics Score (SAT_Math)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
111	6	Test Date of SAT Mathematics Score (SAT_Math_Date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the SAT test was taken.
117	3	SAT Writing Score (SAT_Writing)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
120	6	Test Date of SAT Writing Score (SAT_Writing_Date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the SAT test was taken.
126	4	SAT Total Score (SAT_Total)	Numeric (4 digit)	Enter the student’s total score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
130	6	Test Date of SAT Total Score (SAT_Total_Date)	Date (mmyyyy)	Enter the date the SAT test was taken.
136	3	KYOTE College Readiness Math Score (kyote_readiness_math)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
139	3	KYOTE College Algebra Domain Score (kyote_college_algebra)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
142	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
145	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
148	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
151	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
154	3	KYOTE College Writing Score (KYOTE_Writing_Score)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
157	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
160	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
163	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
166	3	KYOTE College Reading Score (KYOTE_Reading_Score)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
169	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
172	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
175	3	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
178	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
179	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
180	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
181	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
182	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
183	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
184	10	Student’s Institutional ID (inst_id)	Numeric (10 digit)	Your institution’s unique ID for the student. Do not include periods (.), apostrophes (’), hyphens (-), or underscores (_).
194	1	Math Exemption Flag (math_exempt)	Alphabetic (1 char)	If a student is exempt from the state placement testing requirement for a specific subject, as defined by 13 KAR 2:020. Use “E” to report an exemption and “N” if not exempt. A student may only be marked as exempt (“E”) if they have successfully completed prior coursework (e.g., dual credit) in the corresponding subject area. Exemptions must not be granted for any other reason.
195	1	Writing Exemption Flag (write_exempt)	Alphabetic (1 char)	See Math Exemption Flag.
196	1	Reading Exemption Flag (reading_exempt)	Alphabetic (1 char)	See Math Exemption Flag.
197	6	Academic Year (sem)	Numeric (6 digit)	Must be 2 consecutive years between 2000 and today. Example: 202425
203	15	Middle Name (middle_name)	Alphanumeric (Max 15 chars)	Enter the student’s middle name. Must be left justify. Allowed characters: letters, spaces, periods (.), apostrophes (’), and hyphens (-).
218	5	Name Suffix (name_suffix)	Alphanumeric (Max of 5 char)	Enter the student’s name suffix (e.g., Jr., II, III). A period may be included. Can be blank and must be left justify.
223	3	GED Math Score (GED_Math_Score)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
226	3	GED Language Arts Score (GED_Language_Arts_Score)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
229	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
230	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
231	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
232	1	Blank (blank)	Leave blank (Spaces)	No data should be entered in this field.
233	2	SAT Writing Language Score (SAT_Writing_Language_Test)	Numeric (2 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
235	2	SAT Reading Score (SAT_Reading_Test)	Numeric (2 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
237	2	SAT Math Score (2) (SAT2_Math)	Numeric (2 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
239	3	ALEKS Math Score (ALEKS_Math)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified and zero to fill. Can be blank if unknown.
242	1	English Ready Flag (English_Ready)	Alphabetic (1 char)	If a student has met the requirements and is college ready is this subject enter Y for Yes and N for No if they are not.
243	1	Math Ready Flag (Math_Ready)	Alphabetic (1 char)	If a student has met the requirements and is college ready is this subject enter Y for Yes and N for No if they are not.
244	1	Reading Ready Flag (Reading_Ready)	Alphabetic (1 char)	If a student has met the requirements and is college ready is this subject enter Y for Yes and N for No if they are not.
245	3	Accuplacer English Score (Accuplacer_English)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified. Can be blank if unknown.
248	3	Accuplacer Math Score (Accuplacer_Math_Reasoning)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified. Can be blank if unknown.
251	3	EdReady English Score (EdReady_English)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified. Can be blank if unknown.
254	3	EdReady Math Score (EdReady_Math)	Numeric (3 digit)	Enter the student’s test score. Must be right justified. Can be blank if unknown.

Last Updated: 6/17/2025

General Information

Collections

Tables

Appendices