Know
Universities and colleges rely upon placement testing to determine just how ready
incoming students are for college. Using these tests, these schools can identify what
classes are best suited for a student. The placement test is particularly important for two
year colleges, since they often have a non-competitive admission policy. In other words,
lots of people get accepted into these schools but may sometimes not be prepared for
some of the college work they will encounter. Schools try to match these students to
classes where they will succeed and strengthen some of their weaknesses, which prepares
,them for succeeding in more advanced classes. One of these placement tests is the
ACCUPLACER exam.
The ACCUPLACER exam using computer adaptive assessments to gauge a student’s
abilities. Computer adaptive assessment refers to computers that adapt their difficulty level
in response to the performance of a student. If a student demonstrates higher levels of
skill, the test will adapt and become more difficult. If a student is struggling, the test will be
adjusted to a lower difficulty. The test will eventually settle on a difficulty level that is
appropriate to the student. The advantage of the ACCUPLACER exam is that it can offer
immediate results that can precisely gauge the student’s performance level. This helps to
place a student immediately rather than wait for a long delay. The ACCUPLACER can also
recommend certain types of support that will help the student perform at a higher level and
strengthen the academic areas that they’re weakest in.
Over the years, ACCUPLACE has become increasingly popular as a diagnostic tool.
Millions of ACCUPLACER tests are administered every year in secondary and
postsecondary institutions, and the test even helps connect students to opportunities in
college and when they progress into their careers.
ACCUPLACE gauges a student’s reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Once it has done
this, it identifies what courses the student’s knowledge aligns with. If the student’s
knowledge and skills are strong in English but weak in math, the exam may recommend
more advanced English courses but remedial mathematics courses. The classes that are
recommended depend entirely on the student’s performance. The test also identifies gaps
in their knowledge. Even if a student performs relatively well, they may demonstrate
specific weaknesses that recommend specific interventions to address. The test
recommends different interventions that are designed to improve the student’s skills.
Parts of the ACCUPLACER