Early Start Program (ESP) Preparation for College-level Math and English

Image: Photos of SF State Advising Center and Building

Get an Early Start for Fall 2013!

Early Start information for Freshmen Parents


New Enrollment Requirement for your Fall 2013 First-time Freshman!

Please review this information with your student that is interested in applying to, and preparing for, SF State for Fall 2013!

 

SF State and the Early Start Program (ESP)

Fall 2013 freshmen who are not ready for college-level math must begin remediation no later than the summer before their first term at SF State. Freshmen who score at or below 137 on EPT must complete a 1 unit class online at SF State to plan for Fall Freshman composition.

Students will be notified throughout the process of application, admission, and registration if they must satisfy this requirement.  This page is devoted to how you can support your student by understanding the policy, deadlines and registration process.

(back to top)


What Can Family Members Do to Help Their Student Prepare for Early Start?

  • Family members should understand how the early start initiative affects their student.
  • Family members can help remind students to register and prepare for Entry Level Math Test (ELM) and English Placement Test (EPT).
  • Family members can help students keep track of important deadlines for attending SF State in the fall. See our time line to get started!

(back to top)


Understand the process for the Early Start requirement,  based on the Entry Level Math test (ELM)  and the English Placement Test (EPT):

  • If your student took the Early Assessment Program (EAP) in junior year of high school as part of the STAR test, results could either exempt your student or demonstrate that she must take the CSU's  placement tests, ELM and EPT.
  • High scores on SAT or ACT, or AP English or Math tests passed in junior year of high school can exempt students from needing ELM/EPT.
  • English Placement Test (EPT) and Entry Level Math (ELM) exams are offered and should be taken in the recommended months of February or March 2013.  
  • Upon registration and payment for ELM and/or EPT, students should be urged to prepare for the placement tests. The higher the ELM and EPT score, the fewer math and English courses your student will take in college.
  • Scores will be electronically received  by each campus.

(back to top)


If Required, How Can Students Satisfy the Early Start requirement?

Early Start at SF State: online course(s) Recommended!

  • Students planning to attend SF State are required to take the 1 unit Early Start English course at SFSU - it is an online course. A substitute class elsewhere is not accepted.
  • Early Start math courses can be taken online or in person at SF State campus or another CSU campus. These 3 unit classes will have the added bonus of accelerating your students math courses, if passed.

(back to top)


Early Start at other CSU's

Early Start at other CSU's registration links and information will be available on this site in Spring 2013.

Summer Early Start courses (including some online sessions) will be offered at all CSU campuses. 

Interested in community college?

Students may also enroll in an approved Community College course. SF State will not arrange for your student to enroll in the course, so it is up to your student to directly work with your local college. Bear in mind, the classes may be hard or impossible to add, so do it early in spring, and not wait until summer to get a college class!

If students do not take a summer Early Start class, they may be dropped from SF classes and not allowed to attend our campus. We are serious about this requirement and want serious students attempting to meet our standards.

(back to top)


How much will Early Start courses cost?

If your student takes a 1 unit Early Start class, then the fee is $184.
If your student takes a 3 unit class, the fee is more - but the benefit is your student bumps up in math to the next (or higher) level!

California residents who apply for financial aid and have an "Estimated Family Contribution" of $5,000 or less will be eligible for a full fee waiver for the one-unit courses.

(back to top)


SF State's Advice to Future Students' Family Members:

  • Ask your student to show you EAP test results and discuss what they mean.
  •  If your student was "conditionally ready" in math, make sure you both understand how important it is to succeed in math senior year.
  • Encourage your student to  register for the ELM/EPT early in spring semester of their senior year, if students have not received an exemption on the EAP. 
  • Urge your student to study test prep materials available to help maximize  test scores.  (Note: students can ONLY take the EPT once and the ELM twice.) 
  • If possible, encourage your students to prepare for and re-take the ACT or SAT to qualify for an exemption.  ACT and SAT tests must be taken no later than December for admission purposes, but may be re-taken for Early Start and exemption purposes.
  • If your student must participate in Early Start, help him register for an SF state online course, starting as early as possible.
  • File Accept Admissions Offer on March 1, and register for an orientation based upon whether or not your student must first take an ESP class.  

(back to top)


SF State Home