A survey was conducted among 489 public colleges in the Southern Regional Education Board states to determine cutting scores for placing students into regular versus remedial college classes. Results indicated a large number and variety of tests in reading, writing, and mathematics--almost 100 combinations of 70 different tests--were used to place students. Both locally-developed and standardized tests were used. Thirty-one different reading tests were reported, most frequently the Nelson-Denny Reading Tests, the American College Test, Multiple Assessment Programs and Services--Descriptive Test of Language Skills (MAPS-DTLS), and the verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test. Thirty different writing tests were reported, including the American College Test--English, a sample essay, and a locally developed test. For mathematics, 118 colleges used an in-house test. In addition, 36 testing instruments were named, including the American College Test--Mathematics, Scholastic Aptitude Test, and MAPS. An examination of the cut-off scores used by the different colleges indicated a wide range of standards. On a reading test, the percentage of students eligible for college-level placement ranged from 57 percent to 99 percent, and on a mathematics test, from 6 percent to 86 percent. (GDC)