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ABOUT PLACEMENT TESTS
There are two placement exam options accepted at Bismarck State College, the ACCUPLACER exam and the COMPASS exam. These exams assess your skills in math and English for program and course placement purposes.
If you choose to take the ACCUPLACER Exam using a proctor, please have your proctor complete the online ACCUPLACER Proctor Agreement Form. Upon approval, the ACCUPLACER exam must be taken in a public setting such as a local high school, library, private testing company, or with a college counselor or a supervisor at your work.
Once the form is submitted, the Admissions Office will then contact your proctor by email with information about administering the ACCUPLACER exam for you.
If you would like to schedule a COMPASS exam on the Bismarck State College Campus, please go online to https://info.bismarckstate.edu/secure/requestforinformation/exam.asp.
COMPASS is a placement exam that may only be taken at a COMPASS testing center. Many colleges and universities across the country offer the COMPASS exam. You will want to contact a college or university near you to see if you can register for and take the exam at their institution. You may also call the national COMPASS Testing Company at 1-800-645-1992 to receive assistance in finding a COMPASS testing center near you.
ACCUPLACER is an online placement exam that is administered at many colleges and universities across the country.
What is COMPASS?
COMPASS is a computerized adaptive placement testing system that measures skills in math, reading and English. Because the exam is adaptive, there is no fixed set of testing questions. Each test is made up of a unique collection of items pulled from a database pool. Although the exam is not timed, students typically take 1hr - 2.5 hours to complete the full test battery. When all sections have been completed, an individual score report will be created immediately. The student will be able to view their scores and print a copy of their score report. While the COMPASS placement exam is computerized, computer skills are not necessary. COMPASS is user friendly and is designed for individuals with little or no computer experience.
Which specific COMPASS test should I take? To meet score requirements for an online energy program or to take a math course, the COMPASS Math Placement Exam must be taken. In order to take Engl 110, needed for all two year degrees, the COMPASS Writing Skills Placement Exam is required. Several of our on-campus technical programs also have a reading requirement which would require a student to take the Reading portion of COMPASS as well.
What is ACCUPLACER?
ACCUPLACER is a computer adaptive placement exam. Its purpose is to provide students with useful information about their academic skills. It is not pass/fail; instead scores will be used to help place students in the level where they will find the most success. Students will have their scores screened for proper placement in English, math, and reading and for admittance into limited enrollment Technical Programs.
Which specific ACCUPLACER test should I take? To meet score requirements for an online energy program or to take a math course, the ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra Exam must be taken. In order to take Engl 110 (needed for all two year degrees,) the ACCUPLACER WritePlacer Exam is required. Several of our on-campus technical programs also have a reading requirement which would require a student to take the Reading portion of ACCUPLACER as well.
Are there any testing regulations? ACCUPLACER must be administered in an educational, business, or public setting. For no reason is it ever allowed to be given in a student's home. ACCUPLACER must be administered and supervised by a proctor. Proctors will complete the Proctor Agreement Form found below prior to receiving passwords and testing information. The Proctor Agreement Form is not required if taking ACCUPLACER at a college or university testing center.
The use of calculators, notes, books, dictionaries, or other resource materials are not allowed. Scratch paper may be used, but must be provided by the proctor and destroyed upon completion. Cell phones are prohibited during testing. The student is allowed one retest if they are not satisfied with their scores.
Can I study for ACCUPLACER? Sample ACCUPLACER questions can be found online at: www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/accuplacer/preparation-sample.html
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