Policies: Admissions: Placement Testing

COMPASS© Placement Test FAQs
American College Testing
(Computerized Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System)

What is the Compass Placement Test?

The COMPASS (Computerized Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System) is a series or battery of tests that will measure a level of a student's reading, language usage and numerical skills.

Who is required to take Compass?

• The COMPASS skills assessment is required for all new Alpena Community College students who do not have a high school diploma or GED; for all new students who register for nine semester credits or more; and for all students who register for a course in English or Mathematics for the first time at ACC.
• Basic Skills Assessment Test, COMPASS, is not required for any student with a composite score of 20 or higher on the American College Test (ACT). However, students must release their ACT scores to ACC in order to waive COMPASS placement.
• It is strongly recommended for all students, regardless of course load or field of study.

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How will my results be used?

• Results are used to make recommendations concerning course placement in English, Math, possibly reading, and the possible need for basic skills instruction in The Learning Center.
• Consult the Placement Testing Schedule for dates and times of testing. Further additional testing may be required.

What will I need to take the test?

The COMPASS is taken on the computer.  We provide pencils, pens, calculators and scrap paper.  Cell phones are not allowed in the testing room.

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How will I get my scores?

• Immediately after you have finished taking this battery of tests, two copies of your results will be printed out. One copy will go into your files and the other will belong to you.
• After receiving your results, your scores will be loaded on to the ACC data base, and then you’ll be ready for registration.

What do my scores mean?

Your advisor will go over your scores with you and will explain placement.

How do I sign up to take the test?  What is the procedure?

1. First, the procedure is that students apply for admission to the college, (if you have your ACT scores, you may submit them for placement instead of taking the Compass).
2. Next, you should look at the Placement Testing Schedule and decide which time is right for you.
3. Finally, call the college for scheduling a testing appointment at the number listed below.

An appointment is necessary, since seating is limited. Please schedule an appointment by calling the ACC Switchboard at 989.356.9021. Additional times are available by appointment only.  Appointments for Huron Shores testing can be made through Jill Dorcey at 989.739.1445. ext. 444.  New students must submit an Application for Admission to the Campus Services Office before attending assessment.

Alpena Campus - Placement Testing Schedule
Subject to change.  Seating is limited.  Please call 989.356.9021 or e-mail souval@alpenacc.edu to schedule a testing appointment or for more information.

Huron Shores Campus - Placement Testing Schedule
Subject to change.  Seating is limited.  Please call The Learning Center at 989.739.1445 or E-mail dorceyj@alpenacc.edu to schedule a testing appointment or for more information.

*Please contact Huron Shores Campus for exact testing dates, times, and location.

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COMPASS TEST CONTENT (detailed information):

The COMPASS system assists students by gathering information about their educational needs and plans (demographics), and measuring their skills in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. COMPASS organizes the information and communicates the information to counselors and advisors who assist in advising and placing students in appropriate courses that match their skills and reflect their educational goals and plans. All or some of these sections may be administered to an examinee depending on their individual assessment needs.

Demographics: The demographics section consists of a number of questions to assist you and your counselor/advisor to make course and scheduling decisions. It consists of information about your past and future education, working hours, career desires, and related information. This section takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Instruction: Each examinee is taken through a series of exercises that familiarize the test taker with how to use the computer for testing purposes. No prior experience or computer knowledge is required. Each applicable function of the computer is explained, and the test taker has the opportunity to use each function until they are familiar with the computer. If problems completing the test arise, examinees are encouraged to ask proctors for assistance.

The Reading Placement Test: This section is not timed and examinees are encouraged to take their time.

The Passages: The emphasis of this section of the assessment is the examinee's ability to construct meaning from what is read. This section consists of a pool of reading passages with an average length of 215 standard words. The passages are:

- prose fiction that emphasize the narration of events and revelation of character

- humanities passages that describe or analyze ideas or works of art and craft

- social science passages with information gathered by research

- natural sciences passages that present a science topic along with an explanation of its significance

- practical reading passages that present information relevant to technical and vocational courses

The Questions: Each of the passages is accompanied by reading comprehension questions. The questions consist of multiple choice questions. The test taker can switch from the passage to the question an unlimited amount of times to determine the answer. The reading comprehension questions for each passage consist of:

- questions that ask about the main idea of a passage or paragraph

- explicit information in a passage (who, what, when, where, why, and how)

- sequential relationships (what comes first, second, etc.)

- cause and effect relationships

- comparative relationships (greater than, less than, etc.)

- explicit evidence presented to support a claim and stated assumptions

Questions in the section also ask the examinee to determine:

- the main idea of a passage with more than one paragraph

- the main idea of a paragraph

- details related to the main idea

- conclusions made from the facts given

- comparisons using stated information

- appropriate generalizations

- recognize fallacies, stereotypes, and points of view

- judge relevance and appropriate application of information

- distinguish between supported and unsupported claims

The Writing Skills Test: This section is timed.  Examinees are allowed 45 minutes to complete the test.

The COMPASS Writing Skills Test is designed to help determine whether a student possesses the writing skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a typical entry-level college composition course.

The Writing Skills Test utilizes e-Write©; a direct writing assessment for course placement into writing or English courses.  The e-Write© was developed by ACT, is administered via ACT’s COMPASS assessment software, is scored electronically (typically in seconds) by a scoring engine via the Internet, produces an immediate overall score (scale is 2–8) and five analytic scores that are automatically integrated into a student’s score report.

Mathematics Tests: This section is not timed and examinees are encouraged to take their time.

The COMPASS Mathematics Tests consists of five domains of mathematics including numerical skills/prealgebra (Arithmetic), algebra, college algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. The examinee may begin the test at anyone of three levels including Easier Items (prealgebra), Medium Items (algebra), and More Difficult Items (college algebra). The information below describes each domain and recommends where the examinee should begin the test.

Numerical Skills/Prealgebra: The Numerical Skills/Prealgebra Placement Test is the most elementary of the five Mathematics Placement tests. Typically, this test should be taken by examinees that have had a limited or an undetermined exposure to algebra, have performed poorly in previously algebra courses, or have not used their algebra training for a long time. Scores from this test will be used to place them below that level into a Prealgebra, Beginning Algebra, or appropriate "refresher" course. Students who score high on this test will be automatically routed to the Algebra Placement Test.

Items in the Numerical Skills/Prealgebra Placement Test range in content from basic arithmetic concepts and skills including basic operation with integers, fractions, decimals, exponents, square roots, scientific notation, ratio and proportion, percentages, conversion between fractions and decimals, multiple and factors of integers, absolute numbers, averages, range, order, estimation, number theory, counting, and simple probability. These concepts and skills are considered prerequisites for a first algebra course .

Algebra: Items in the Algebra Placement Test is most appropriate for students who have recently completed a Prealgebra or Beginning Algebra course and for students whose current level of performance suggests a lack of readiness for a college-level algebra course. In addition, students who score high on the Numerical Skills/Prealgebra Placement Test or those who scored low on the College Algebra Placement Test will be automatically routed to the Algebra Placement Test to clarify their current level of competence. Scores on this test are used with other available information to help guide decisions regarding placement in Beginning Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, or College Algebra courses.

Students who score high on the Algebra Placement Test will be automatically routed to the College Algebra Placement Test. Students who begin in the Algebra Placement Test and score low, will be automatically routed to the Numerical Skills/Prealgebra Placement Test.

College Algebra: The College Algebra Placement Test is most appropriate for students who have recently demonstrated proficiency in intermediate algebra courses. Students who score high in the Algebra Placement Test will automatically be routed to the College Algebra Placement Test. Items in the college algebra item pool test algebra knowledge and skills in a variety of content areas. Content includes functions, exponents, complex numbers, factorials, matrices, linear equations in three or more variables, logic and proof techniques, and roots of polynomials.

Students who begin and score low in the College Algebra Placement Test will be automatically routed to the Algebra Placement Test. Students who score fairly high on the College Algebra Placement Test will automatically be routed to the Trigonometry Placement Test. Scores from these tests are used in conjunction with other available information to help guide placement into intermediate algebra, college algebra, trigonometry, or calculus courses.

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PLACEMENT TESTING POLICY

Basic Skills Assessment Test, COMPASS, (Computerized Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System) is not required for any student with a composite score of 20 or higher on the American College Test (ACT). Students must release their ACT scores to ACC in order to waive COMPASS placement.  The COMPASS skills assessment is required for all new Alpena Community College students who do not have a high school diploma or GED; for all new students who register for nine semester credits or more; and for all students who register for a course in English or Mathematics for the first time at ACC. It is strongly recommended for all students, regardless of course load or field of study. The COMPASS battery measures the level of a student's reading, language usage and numerical skills. Further additional testing may be required. Results are used to make recommendations concerning course placement and the possible need for basic skills instruction in The Learning Center. Consult the Placement Testing Schedule for dates and times of testing.

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RETESTING POLICY

Retesting is appropriate when there is reason to believe that a score obtained from previous testing does not accurately reflect the examinee's true level of knowledge or skill. Typically, retesting is appropriate in two situations: (1) when factors other than the examinee's ability are believed to have influenced the previous testing and (2) when the scores obtained from earlier testing are no longer believed to reflect the student's current ability. A retest must be authorized or approved by an ACC counselor or academic advisor.

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