Accuplacer Assessment FAQ
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Notice
Beginning July 1st, 2010, all new students seeking admission and placement into general education courses will be required to complete an additional Accuplacer assessment test called Sentence Skills. Certain exemptions apply - please see the Course Title and Placement Changes  notice for additional information.
After June 2011 ALL students including continuing program students are subject to the new test score and placement requirements.
Effective January 2011, students who place into Reading Skills (RDG 085), Fundamentals of English (092), and/or Prealgebra (MATH 090) are required to take a new College Success Foundations (CDEV 115) course. This 5 credit course is designed to help students develop skills that are critical for academic success. Students will learn about and practice personal responsibility, self-motivation, time-management, teamwork, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, self-advocacy and lifelong learning.
Classes and credits not eligible as Running Start Credits must be paid in full.
These include:
- Classes challenged (i.e. challenge test is not allowed by Running Start)
- Classes not approved by the high school on the Running Start Enrollment Verification form
- Credits in excess of credits approved as tuition free Running Start credits
- Classes not approved as part of the BTC program the student is admitted into
- Non college level classes (under 100 level, ie. MATH 099)
- Self-support classes
- Summer classes
FAQ
What is Accuplacer?
Accuplacer is a computerized test that helps determine your current skill level in the areas of reading, sentence skills and mathematics for program and course placement.
How does the Accuplacer test work?
This assessment system is easy to use; no computer experience is necessary. First you will be provided instructions for using the computer. Next, you will be asked questions about your education, for example, how many years you have studied various subjects or how long it has been since you have taken a math course. The test provides an accurate measure of reading, sentence skills and mathematics skill levels using a small number of questions. There is no time limit.
Accuplacer is an "adaptive" test. The computer program selects or adapts test questions for you based on your answers to previous questions. The questions are chosen to be challenging - that is, neither too easy nor too hard for you. Because the computer uses all your previous answers in choosing the next question, you must answer every question when it is first presented. You cannot omit a question or return to an earlier question to change an answer
What is on Accuplacer?
Everyone will take a Reading Comprehension, Sentence Skills and Arithmetic test.
For the following Degree/Certificate programs, if you score very high on the arithmetic test, an Elementary Algebra test will automatically be administered for course placement:
Students applying for financial aid who do not have a high school diploma or GED certificate will take the Reading, Sentence Skills and Math tests. This does not apply to high school students in the Running Start program.
How do I schedule my assessment? (back to top)
Contact the BTC Admissions Office at (360) 752-8345 to schedule an appointment for the Accuplacer assessment.
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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5:30 p.m. |
9:00 a.m. except the second Tuesday of each month
1:00 p.m.
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9:00 a.m.
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Beginning September 1, 2011 there will be a $20.00 fee for Accuplacer testing which includes one retest in each subject area. This fee is to be paid prior to testing and students need to bring a receipt to their scheduled test time.
Plan approximately 2 hours to complete the Accuplacer test. Post test advising is available during walk-in advising hours . A packet that helps interpret test scores and next steps in the application process will be provided to you at time of testing. One Accuplacer re-test is allowed within a 12 month period.
How do I prepare for the Accuplacer assessment? (back to top)
You may choose from a variety of resources that can assist in refreshing basic academic skills. Depending on your time schedule, learning style, or the level of assistance needed, choose the option that will work for you. You may also meet with a counselor or advisor to obtain their recommendation
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College Success Foundations Course Requirement 
