Frequently Asked Questions
IF I HAVE A DISABILITY, CAN I MAKE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS?
CAN I BE EXEMPTED FROM THE ASSESSMENT?
WHAT KINDS OF QUESTIONS ARE ON ACCUPLACER?
HOW AND WHERE CAN I TAKE THE ASSESSMENT?
WHAT IF I DO NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR A GED?
CAN I RETEST TO IMPROVE MY SCORE?
Please bring your Social Security Number so that our records accurately reflect your scores.
The assessment is given on a computer and students use a mouse to answer questions. The test is composed of three sections: Reading , Writing, and Math. During the Math section, students are not allowed to use a calculator; however, we provide scratch paper for solving problems. Additionally, no books or notes are allowed during the assessment. The assessment is NOT timed, so you may pace yourself. After testing, your results are printed and your assessment coordinator will review the results with you.
IF I HAVE A DISABILITY, CAN I MAKE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS ?
If you have a documented disability and desire a testing accommodation, please contact Judy Richer, Disability Coordinator. On Monday, Wednesday or Friday, she can be reached at 1-800-933-0346 ext. 8128; on Tuesday or Thursday she can be reached at 1-800-247-6836 ext. 5150 or by e-mail at jricher@clcmn.edu
CAN I BE EXEMPTED FROM THE ASSESSMENT?
Generally, you will not need to take the assessment if you meet any of the following:
* You have a college degree and have sent your transcripts to CLC Assessment Coordinators (BRAINERD, Lynn Anderson, Central Lakes College, 501 West College Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401: STAPLES, Gayle Wonders, Central Lakes College, 1830 Airport Road, Staples, MN 56479).
* You have successfully completed a college level English and Math class with a 2.0 (C) or better, and have sent your transcripts to CLC Assessment Coordinators.
* You have taken the assessment within the last three years and CLC Assessment Coordinators have a copy of the results.
* You have taken the ACT test, scored 24 or better on each section and have sent the results to CLC Assessment Coordinators.
* You have taken the SAT test and have scored a 500 or above on both the Verbal and Mathematics section of the test, and have sent the results to CLC.
* If your intent is to enroll in one of the following programs: Computerized Small Business, Customized Training, Farm Business Management, or Small Business Management
* You intend to register for 6 credits or less and only one term. Those 6 credits may not include an upper division (1000 or 2000 level) Math or English course.
WHAT KINDS OF QUESTIONS ARE ON ACCUPLACER?
This test is designed to measure how well you understand what you read. Some questions are the sentence relationship type in which you must choose how sentences are related. Other questions refer to reading passages of varying lengths.
Two kinds of questions are given in this test. Sentence correction questions ask you to choose a word or a phrase to substitute for an underlined portion of a sentence. Construction shift questions ask that a sentence be rewritten in a specific way without changing the meaning. A variety of topics is included.
The arithmetic test measures your skills in three primary categories. The first is operations with the whole numbers and fractions. This includes addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and recognizing equivalent fractions and mixed numbers. The second category involves operations with decimals and percents. It includes addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as well as percent problems, decimal recognition, fraction and percent equivalences, and estimation problems. The last category tests applications and problem solving. Questions include rate, percent, and measurement problems, geometry problems, and distribution of a quantity into its fractional parts.
There are also three categories in the Elementary Algebra Test. The first category, operations with integers and rational numbers, includes computation with integers and negative rationals, the use of absolute values, and ordering. The second category is operations with algebraic expressions. It tests your skills in evaluating simple formulas and expressions, and in adding and subtracting monomials and polynomials. Both of these categories include questions about multiplying and dividing monomials and polynomials, evaluating positive rational roots and exponents, simplifying algebraic fractions, and factoring. The third category tests skill in solving equations, inequalities, and word problems. These questions include solving systems of linear equations, quadratic equations by factoring, verbal problems presented in algebraic context, geometric reasoning, the translation of written phrases into algebraic expressions, and graphing.
The College-Level Mathematics test assesses proficiency from intermediate algebra through pre-calculus. Five categories are covered. The first category, algebraic operations, includes simplifying rational algebraic expressions, factoring, expanding polynomials, and manipulating roots and exponents. The category, solutions of equations and inequalities, includes the solution of linear and quadratic equations and inequalities, equation systems, and other algebraic equations. Coordinate geometry asks questions about plane geometry, the coordinate plane, straight lines, conics, sets of points in the plane, graphs of algebraic functions. Applications and other algebra topics asks about complex numbers, series and sequences, determinants, permutations and combinations, fractions, and word problems. The last category, functions and trigonometry, presents questions about polynomial, algebraic exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions.
HOW AND WHERE CAN I TAKE THE ASSESSMENT?
You may take the assessment at any of the 2-year Minnesota State Colleges and University campuses that administers the ACCUPLACER test. If you take the assessment at a location other than CLC, please have a copy of the results sent to our Assessment Coordinators. You may also schedule an appointment to take the assessment with us by clicking on the Schedule an Appointment link.
WHAT IF I DO NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR A GED?
Any student without a high school diploma or a GED certificate is considered to be an Ability to Benefit student. Ability to Benefit students must meet minimum scores on the ACCUPLACER Test.
For more information contact:
BRAINERD, Norma Mietzner at 1-800-933-0346, extension 8121.
STAPLES, Gayle Wonders at 1-800-247-6836, extension 5114.
CAN I RETEST TO IMPROVE MY SCORE?
Yes, you can retest to improve your score. After the first retest, a retest is allowed every 90 days. There is a $15 retest charge. You will need to schedule your retest time with the assessment center coordinator. Your retest fee needs to be paid at the CLC bookstore and the receipt brought to the Assessment Center to show proof of payment.