Getting Started
Placement Test
Generally speaking, a placement test is designed to measure your academic skills. The point of taking a placement test is not to get the highest placement, but to get the most accurate placement.
Keep in mind doing well in high school can often be entirely different than and doing well in college. Even when classes in high school and college have the same name, the work and skill levels expected will be much higher in college. Please do not be discouraged if your placements are not as high as you expect.
Competency Test
A competency test challenges you to show you have the same skill level as students who complete the coursework for the target area.
Diagnostic Test
A diagnostic test determines if you have the skills necessary to enter a target course.
- All testing is done by appointment-only. We do not have the resources to support walk-in testing
- Students must have submitted the online application at least 1-2 working hours prior to testing.
- Students must show photo identification. State-issued ID/licenses are best, but passports, IDs from other colleges and high school IDs are acceptable.
- Students must not bring dictionaries or calculators - they are not allowed on the test.
- To ensure a distraction-free environment, children are not allowed.
- Food and drink are not permitted in the Assessment Center.
- Retesting: Students who go one year or more without enrolling or attempting to complete coursework in a given area (i.e., English) can appeal to retest in that area. Students can appeal to retest sooner than 1 year later if they can provide compelling evidence the initial placement level is not an accurate reflection of the student's ability or after proof of an appropriate academic intervention has occurred. The form to appeal for retesting is completed in Counseling office.
- Timing: All tests except the general English/Reading/Math assessment test are strictly timed. Most students complete the general English/Reading/Math assessment test in about 2 hours.
- The general English/Reading/Math assessment test can be halted and restarted another day - no same day returns.
- Test results are given to students promptly upon completion of tests. Test results are uploaded to a student's record within 1-2 working days.
