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The Accuplacer computerized placement tests (CPTs) were developed by the College Board, with the help of committees of college professors, to provide information about your level of skill accomplishment in reading, english, and mathematics that is required for success in college.
By assessing your ability levels in these areas, the CPTs help to determine the reading, english, and mathematics courses most appropriate for you.
Five tests are available in the CPTs program. The tests include reading, sentence skills, arithmetic, elementary algebra and college-level mathematics. These tests are available only to students for whom english is their first (primary) language.
The Computerized Placement Tests are administered on a computer. You will read the instructions and questions on the computer monitor and will select your answers using the keyboard or the computer mouse.
When you have completed all the tests, you may see a report of your scores on the screen and you may receive a printed report of your scores. When you have completed the testing, follow the instructions of the Test Administrator.
If you are given a copy of your Individual Score Report it will include your Total Right Score.
The Total Right Score shows how many of the questions you could expect to answer correctly if you took a test made up of 120 questions. Any test score is an estimate, not an exact measure of your skills.
On the day of the test, you should be sure to take your social security number (not your school tech I.D. number), a pencil or pen to use on scratch paper, and a photo I.D. You will not be able to test without photo identification. No calculators can be used on the tests.
Textbooks, notebooks, dictionaries, calculators, or other papers of any kind (except scratch paper provided by the Test Administrator for use with the mathematics tests) are not allowed in the testing room. Further, anyone who gives or receives help during the test, or uses notes or books of any kind, will not be allowed to continue the test. Following the test period, no test materials or notes may be removed from the room. The college may cancel any test score if there is reason to question its validity. Before canceling a score, the college may offer you the opportunity to take the test again. Coats, backpacks, drinks of any kind, and other items brought to testing will need to be stored in the testing room.
Your test scores and the information you provide when taking the tests will be used by the college for counseling and placement purposes. It may also be used by the college and the College Board or Educational Testing Service for research purposes. Your test information will not be used for any other reason without your permission. If the data is used for research purposes, special precautions will be taken to ensure that your identity is kept confidential. Any data received by ETS will be held for no more than three years. If you have any questions about the confidentiality of the data you have provided, or about your test scores, you should see the college's Test Administrator.
You will take the tests using a computer. You will communicate with the computer by using either the keyboard or the mouse to enter your answers to the tests and to supply other information. The test instructions are easy to understand. Entering information also is very easy. A Test Administrator will always be present should you have any questions or problems. The Test Administrator has the ability to resolve any difficulties that may occur.
Because you take the CPTs on a computer, you don't have to answer as many questions as on traditional paper and pencil tests. The number of questions on the eight tests range from 12-20. The questions will appear one at a time on the computer screen. Most questions are multiple-choice and all you will need to do is use the space bar or mouse to select the desired answer. When you have completed the question and verified your answer, a new screen will appear with your next question.
Each test is designed using adaptive techniques. This means that the computer automatically determines which questions are presented to you based on your responses to prior questions. This technique "zeroes-in" on just the right questions to ask you without being too easy or too difficult. The greater your demonstrated skill level, the more challenging will be the questions presented to you.
Each test is untimed so that you can give each question as much thought as you wish. However, once you have verified your answer, you cannot return to that question.
The CPTs include reading comprehension, sentence skills, arithmetic, elementary algebra, and college-level mathematics. The order in which the tests are given is determined in a number of different ways.
Your college's test administrator will set the order before testing. A series of background questions is presented before the actual tests begin.
You will enter your name on the first screen. Use the ENTER Key to move from Last Name to First Name and then to Middle Initial. Pressing the ENTER Key again will take you to the next computer screen.
The next screen asks for your Student ID and your Date of Birth. Press ENTER to move to the Date of Birth and type your birth date using a dash (-) or slash (/) to separate the month, day, and year. It is especially important that this information be entered correctly. If you make an error while typing you may utilize the BACKSPACE Key to erase the error.
You will be presented with a series of screens asking background questions. Some typical background questions are:
You will use either the keyboard or the mouse to enter your answers.
If you are using the mouse to enter your answers, you will click on your choice and then click on the NEXT button on the bottom of your screen. To confirm your answer, click on the CONFIRM button, this will also move you to the next screen.
If you are using the keyboard to enter your answers, you will use the space bar to move to your choice of answer. You will press the ENTER Key to select the desired answer. You will then press ENTER again to confirm your choice and move to the next question on the next screen.
A message will display when the tests are about to start.
Every test will be proceeded by several sample questions that will familiarize you with the types of questions in that particular test. These sample questions are not scored. When you have completed these, you will continue with the actual test questions.
You should understand that this is an adaptive test. Questions are chosen for you on the basis of your answers to previous questions. Because the test works this way, you must answer every question when it is first given. You cannot omit any question or come back later to change an answer.
You may change your answer on a particular question, but you must do so before continuing on to the next question. Once you go on to the next question, the answer is accepted and you can not return to the question.
If you do not know an answer to a question, try to eliminate one or more of the choices. Then pick one of the remaining choices.
If English is your first language, then these sample questions are for you.
