COMPASS Test

Once a high school student has chosen a college and been accepted, the work of formulating a course of study begins. The student and a counselor or advisor from the school are responsible for devising a schedule to meet the student's academic goals that also fulfill the requirement of the student's major. The COMPASS exam is a standardized, computer-based test for matriculating college students. Many colleges and universities give entering students a portion or portions of the exam in order to place them in appropriate courses. The exam was created and is administered by ACT, a nonprofit organization that specializes in academic assessment.

The COMPASS is given in what is called a computer-adaptive format. This means that the computer gives students harder questions as they successfully answer more basic ones. Conversely, students who answer incorrectly are posed simpler questions. Rather than giving students a passing or failing score, this exam identifies core strengths like analytic reasoning or reading comprehension skills. A school administrator analyzes strengths and weaknesses, and students are given recommendations for courses that address these areas. For instance, if a student has a subpar ability in reading comprehension, he or she may be assigned to a class that bolsters this necessary skill. Students may be encouraged to play to their strengths in the choice of a major.

The COMPASS is given in a few separate sections. It is possible to take a COMPASS test in reading, writing, and math. Furthermore, there is a written essay portion and a separate exam for ESL (English as a Second Language). The ESL portion is divided into three parts: listening, reading, and grammar. All of the tests use a multiple-choice format, except for the written essay, which gives a prompt that the student must respond to in an argumentative essay. Students would be advised to preview question types and, perhaps, take a practice test to improve their performance on the exam.

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