A placement test is one that is used to determine a student’s standing in a variety of subjects as well as basic academic and career skills. Many homeschooling parents, for example, give their K-12 students placement tests in areas like reading, writing, language skills, and math. Grade 8 public school students often take placement tests in similar areas prior to advancing to high school, while most incoming students for any college or university must take some form of college placement tests to determine if they have at least entry-level skills for English, reading, and math. The results of the placement test serve as an initial assessment of a student’s eligibility for specific certificate or degree programs. Similarly, career placement tests assist high school and college students, as well as other individuals, in determining their aptitudes, interests, personalities, and skills for a variety of possible jobs.
An advanced placement (AP) test can give a student a leg up when it comes to starting college or university. Students in high school can take college-level AP courses in a variety of subjects and then take the AP exams in May. By July, students should have their test results, which will provide them with useful information for college acceptance and placement. Excellent AP test scores attract the attention of college admissions officers, and they can often earn students college credits and placement in advanced courses. As a result, AP tests provide a “win-win” situation for both students and the colleges or universities to which they aspire.
A computerized placement test (CPT) is a convenient way for students to meet the requirement of submitting placement test scores to potential colleges or universities. The CPT, despite being clearly computer-based, cannot be completed the student on their own; a proctor must administer and supervise the test. Although the CPT is not a timed exam, the student should budget three to four hours to complete it. The CPT results reveal a student’s current skill levels and knowledge in reading, sentence comprehension, math, and science.
Anyone thinking about going to college should prepare to take a college placement test. The test is available in a variety of formats, some of which are available globally and others which are specific to specific regions within a country. Some tests concentrate on a single subject, while others cover all of the fundamental or primary academic skills, such as reading, writing, and mathematics. Accuplacer® is a well-known college placement test that evaluates a student’s abilities and knowledge in areas such as reading comprehension, sentence skills, college math, and algebra. It is available worldwide. Accuplacer® placement test results assist academic advisors in determining the best course options for a student’s abilities.