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About the Tests
Writing Test (for all students)
Practice Tests
About the Tests
For any of these exams, reviewing the Accuplacer Student Guide will help familiarize you with the format and types of questions you will find on the test.
A student’s standardized test scores and his or her intended major determine which tests will be required. The possible tests include:
This test must be taken prior to registering for Orientation. All students, regardless of their major, who have a critical reading SAT score less than 510 must take the Accuplacer reading test.
This test is designed to measure how well you are able to understand what you read. Some questions are sentence relationship-type questions, in which you must decide how two sentences are related. Other questions refer to reading passages of various lengths. Some passages are 75 words or less, while others are longer. This test contains 20 questions and takes approximately an hour.
A practice test is available for your use.
Mathematics Assessment Tests
The calculus, elementary algebra and nursing math competency tests must be taken prior to registering for Orientation.
Students who major in Engineering, Science, Math, or Sound Recording Technology will take an on-campus test developed by the University’s math department. The 20 question computerized exam is broken into four sections: Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry and Functions, Exponentials and Logarithms. This exam will last approximately one hour. A practice test is available for your use. Please note that a calculator is not allowed during this test.
Students who major in a health science major (with the exception of Nursing), humanities, social sciences, art and music (with the exception of Sound Recording Technology) take the Accuplacer Elementary Algebra test. The computerized exam is made up of 12 questions and will last approximately one hour. Please note that a calculator is not allowed during this test.
The Elementary Algebra test has three categories:
- Operations with integers and rational numbers includes computation with integers and negative rationals and the use of absolute values and ordering.
- Operations with algebraic expressions tests your ability with the evaluation of simple formulas and expressions; and the addition and subtraction of both 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.
- Equation solving, inequalities and word problems include solving systems of linear equations and quadratic equations by factoring, geometric reasoning, graphing and translating written phrases into algebraic expressions.
A practice t
For Nursing Majors: Basic Math Competency Test
The nursing program requires students to take and pass a math exam with a 90 or higher percentile rate to be eligible to earn a nursing degree. Those students who don’t pass the test must register for a math course tailored for nursing majors. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be required to take the math test again.
A proficient understanding of basic math concepts and skills is expected of all nursing students to safely calculate and administer patient medications as well as educate patients and families on how to correctly measure their medications.
In addition, other math calculations involve the intake and output of fluids, body mass indices, wound size, intravenous fluids, and the nutritional composition of foods to name a few. Basic math concepts and skills include arithmetic, rounding, fractions, decimals, ratios and proportions, percents, dosage calculations and conversions of both metric and household units as well as correctly reading the exam questions. A practice test is included for your use.
Writing Assessment Test
This test will be administered to all students during their first day of Orientation. Students with a documented learning disability should contact Freshman Testing prior to Orientation so the necessary accommodations can be made.
Students who were unable to attend June Orientation must make an individual appointment to complete their writing assessment.
The test will provide two prompts and ask students to choose one and write an appropriate essay. The exam lasts an hour. The University’s College Writing faculty evaluates each student’s writing sample and determines the student's placement into his or her writing course.
A sample essay, with reviewers' comments, is available for your review.