Chapter 12: Assessment Testing
Alise Lamoreaux
“Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings.”
– C.D. Jackson
Congratulations! You are accepted into college. Now what? Before you can begin signing up for classes, most colleges will require you to take Assessment Tests.
Some Things to Think About:
- What are the purpose of the assessments?
- Can a student fail the assessments?
- Where are the assessments given?
- What does a student need to do to sign up to take the assessments?
- How much does it cost to take the assessments?
- Can a student re-take the assessment test if he or she is not happy with the score?
- How long are the assessment test scores valid?
- Can a student study for the assessment test?
The Assessment Tests are entrance examinations that are often required as part of the admissions and matriculation process for many community colleges and other schools in the United States. Assessment exams are not scored on the basis of pass or fail. The Assessments test students in reading, writing, and math. The test results help place each student in the most appropriate level of classes. The goal is to place students into classes that are not too difficult or too easy.
Community colleges tend to rely on placement testing because students entering these colleges have a variety of backgrounds and skill levels. The test results may mean a student can skip introductory level classes or that students need to refresh or build skills in a specific area. However, if a student gets a low score on the tests, he or she may need to take extra classes to be able to register for a certain class in a specific program.
Across the college campus, in many different classes, a student will be asked to read and write on a daily basis as part of the class activities. Even a Speech class will require writing! As a result, many classes have a prerequisite requirement for writing.
Many students have not taken a math class recently, or been using more than basic math in their daily lives, and may need to refresh or build their skills to be able to handle the course requirements of college. Also, certain programs emphasize specific math skills in order for students to be successful in those programs of study. Culinary Arts students must be proficient with the math skills needed for menu planning and food cost analysis. Those are different skills than a Nursing student. A Nurse needs to be proficient in math related to dosage and other measurements. The purpose of the placement tests is to help students identify their abilities. It is important for students to take the placement tests seriously since the test scores will influence course selection. Scoring well on placement tests can save a student time and money.
Which Student in the Video Reflects Your Attitude About College Placement Tests?
Video: College Placement Test Video, Golden West College.
Can a Student Study for College Placement Tests?
Students often wonder if they should study for assessment tests. St