How to Prepare for Placement Testing

A placement test evaluates the knowledge and skills you already possess. This knowledge is usually acquired over a long period of time. You cannot learn it overnight or in a few weeks prior to the test.

You cannot "fail" COMPASS. The tests in COMPASS are placement tests and their purpose is to place you into the Math or English class that best suits you. When you take a COMPASS test, you should try to do as well as you can so that you will be placed as accurately as possible.

If you don't try your best, you might end up in a class that is below your actual level of skill. Then you might waste a semester taking a class that's too easy for you. On the other hand, taking a class too difficult for you might also be a waste of time and money. If a class is too difficult, you might not be able to benefit from it, and you might end up having to take another class that is more suited to your skill level: you end up losing time and spending more money to take another class that you should have taken in the first place. It is VERY important that you try to do your best when taking a placement test so that you are not misplaced.

Resources

You may have the needed knowledge and skills but haven't used them for a long time. In that case, a little review might help.

Kapiolani Community College offers workshops that cover basic test preparation. These workshops include Kahikoluamea (College Prep) COMPASS Brush-up Workshops and the SOS (Secrets of Success) Workshops. See the Related Links section.

Tips for Success

Familiarize yourself with the kinds of items found in the placement test and learn how to approach the test situation. Books and computer programs can help. You can find books and programs on test preparation at most bookstores. They can also be found in the public libraries.

Before the test, get a good night's sleep. Going into a test nervous and exhausted will not help you do well.

Eat breakfast if you are taking the test in the morning. Or eat a snack half an hour before you take the test. Recent studies suggest that test performance improves if the test taker eats a light snack about half an hour before the test.

Come in to take the test during the time of day which is your peak performance time.

Allow yourself at least 2 hours to take the test. If you want to be safe, come in 3 hours before the Testing Center's closing time to take the test.

When you take a placement test, be serious. Some students become the victims of a psychological defense that goes something like this: they don't take the test seriously and (for example) write down answers quickly without thinking because if they don't do well, then they don't have to feel bad because they really did not try to do well. Whatever your attitude toward the test, the results of the test will determine which courses you can and cannot take. Flippant responses to the test end up costing you time, money, and work. You might end up having to take courses you would have preferred not to take and not being able to take courses you wanted. You might also end up paying hundreds of dollars more for those courses.

For more information about Math, Reading, and Writing Placement Tests, see the Related Links section.