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Test Center

Academic Skills Assessment

Requirements for Assessment
Retest
Test Overview
Test Preparation
Assessment at Other Colleges

Requirements for Assessment

ONE-STOP SESSIONS for all new first-time college students ages 16 through19.  Send in your application for enrollment, then make ONE APPOINTMENT for a session that includes academic skills assessment, orientation, one-on-one advising, SOLAR registration, and more.

Call 410-836-4301 to make your appointment.

New students over the age of 19

If you have applied for enrollment and received a welcome letter, you may walk in for academic skills assessment during the following times:

Degree and Certificate-seeking Students

All degree and certificate-seeking students are required to have an assessment of their current skill level in reading, writing, math, and basic computer skills unless they are exempt.  You are exempt:

• From all assessment if you already have earned an Associate or Baccalaureate degree

• From reading assessment if verbal (critical reading) SAT score is 550 or higher OR you have passed English Composition (Eng. 101) OR if ACT reading score is 21 or higher

• From writing assessment if verbal (critical reading) SAT score is 550 or higher OR you have passed English Composition (Eng. 101) OR if ACT English score is 21 or higher

• From math assessment if math SAT score is 550 or better, or if you have passed a college-level math course OR if ACT math score is 21 or higher

Assessment scores, SAT scores and ACT scores are valid for a period of two years.  If you do not begin the appropriate course sequence within the two-year time period, you must repeat the assessment.  Assessment results may restrict you from registering for college-level classes.  New students must meet with an academic advisor prior to enrolling for classes.  As you are completing the academic skills assessment, you will be asked to select a day and time to meet with academic advisors for an advising and
registration session. 

All non-degree seeking students planning to register for English Composition, Office Communication Technologies or a math course must have the related skill assessment.

Retests  

You may retest one time only not sooner than 24 hours after the initial test.  If you have begun a Transitional Studies sequence of courses, you may only retest with permission of your instructor or the Educational Studies dean.  In order to attempt the assessment for a third time, you must pay a fee of $25. For more information, contact the Test Center at 410-836-4352.  

Test Overview

For reading, writing, and math assessment, Harford Community College uses the ACCUPLACER™ battery of tests.  This is a computer-adaptive test.  The test consists of Reading, Writing, Algebra, and Arithmetic modules.  Depending on your experience with algebra, you may be given either or both of the math modules.  You may not use your own calculator; however, we give you a simple, four-function calculator to use.  The test, although untimed, usually takes about 1½ hours to complete.  Because the test difficulty adapts to the test-taker’s skill level, it is a very accurate way of assessing knowledge.

The ACCUPLACER™ test requires no real computer skill to complete.  All questions are answered by simply clicking the mouse on the correct answer.  Tests begin with sample questions designed to illustrate the types of test questions the examinee will see during the test.  Proctors are always available to assist students with questions or difficulties.  Most students like the fact that there is no time limit; most paper-and-pencil tests are timed.

Test Preparation

Students receive information about the academic skills assessment in the welcome letter packet.  Preparation for the test is not necessary as the test is designed to pinpoint skill level at the time of testing.  However, if you prefer to brushup for the test, you may look to several sources:  HCC’s academic preparation courses, commercially available SAT preparation guides, or  www.purplemath.com.  This site is a general algebra review site and is not specifically designed to prepare students for college placement tests.  There is also a site that the CollegeBoard has developed to help students prepare for the ACCUPLACER™ test:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/accuplacer/index.html

Sante Fe Community College in Gainesville, Florida has prepared an ACCUPLACER™ test preparation guide and has given permission for others to link to it.  HCC instructors have reviewed the site and, while no such site will serve as completely representative of an adaptive test drawn from a large pool of questions, they have agreed that this site is useful as an overview of the types of problems you may encounter on the ACCUPLACER™ test. 

Sante Fe Community College, Gainesville, Florida

Assessment at Other Colleges or ACT scores

Because of a statewide community college agreement, Harford Community College may accept assessment scores from other colleges.  Scores will be accepted only if they place the student at college level according to the Maryland statewide guidelines.  ACT scores may also be accepted.  Individual scores of 21 in reading, English, or math are accepted; we do not accept the ACT composite score.  If you believe that you may have valid scores from another institution or from ACT, you will be asked to provide documentation, such as a copy of the score report or a copy of your ACT scores.  For information on scores from other colleges or ACT scores, contact the Center at 410-836-4352.

Your HCC assessment scores may be transferable to other colleges within or outside the state.  HCC Test Center staff will forward your scores to your transfer institution after you supply certain information. 

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