The COMPASS Placement Tests assess a student’s’ skill level in
the areas of reading comprehension, writing, and mathematics.
Results help determine appropriate placement for enrollment.
The COMPASS test is not timed and is administered on a
microcomputer. Students do not need any computer experience to
take the tests. The scores are available immediately after
testing is completed. COMPASS is not a pass/fail examination; it
is a tool used to determine present skill levels.
FEE:
There is no charge for the first test. However, if a student
wishes to re-test, there is a $5 fee for each test the student
wishes to take.
REGISTRATION:
No registration or appointment is needed. The COMPASS
assessments are given on a walk-in basis.
TESTING TIMES:
The Testing Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30
a.m. – 5:00 p.m. However, the Testing Lab will close at 4:00
p.m. each day and test musts be started no later than 3:30 p.m.
The Testing Lab is NOT open at night or on the weekends.
Testing for the entire battery will take approximately 1-1/2
hours. Please arrive in time to finish testing before the
Testing Center closes.
TESTING POLICIES:
-
A valid photo ID must be presented prior to
testing.
-
All cell phones and electronic devices must
be turned OFF while in the Testing Lab.
-
There is a built in calculator for the math
test. Examinees may NOT use their own
calculator. There will also be scratch paper and pencil
provided.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE COMPASS EXAMS
Sample questions for the exams are located on the COMPASS
website. The questions will illustrate the same types of
questions on the placement tests. There are also some test
taking tips and strategies available.
The sample questions may be located at
www.act.org/compass
MATHEMATICS TEST
The mathematics section tests the student’s knowledge of
three levels of math: pre-algebra, algebra, and college algebra.
Pre-algebra items range from basic math and skills to skills
required for an entry level algebra course.
Algebra items include elementary and intermediate algebra.
College algebra items measure algebra knowledge of operations
with functions and factorials.
The test results will place the student into one of the four
levels of math courses: Basic Math, Beginning Algebra,
Intermediate Algebra, or College Algebra.
WRITING (ENGLISH)
The Writing section evaluates editing skills by checking
passages for errors. Students will identify an error and then
select the appropriate revision. The errors may include sentence
structure, grammar and usage, and punctuation.
The results of the Writing test will place the student in
English Fundamentals or College Composition I.
READING
The Reading section will assess referring and reasoning
skills. Referring items ask about information that is explicitly
stated in the passage. Reasoning items will measure skills of
critical understanding and specific meanings and inference.
The results will place a student into a Developmental Reading
course or indicate no remediation is necessary.
