El Centro College - Assessment Center

Accuplacer

The Accuplacer Assessment is a state approved alternative to THEA. With Accuplacer, you can meet TSI requirements.

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requires assessment, remediation when necessary and advising of students who attend a public college or university in Texas. The program assesses a student's basic academic skills - READING, WRITING, and MATH. The results are used when advising students.

The Accuplacer test is adaptive. Because the ACCUPLACER test is adaptive, you do not have to answer as many questions as you would on a traditional paper and pencil test. The computer test automatically determines which questions are presented to you. Questions are chosen for you on the basis of your answers to previous questions. You must answer every question when it is first given. You cannot omit any question or come back to change an answer. You may change your answer on a particular question, but you must do so before continuing to the next question. Use the process of elimination to a question, but do not skip a question. This technique selects just the right questions to ask without giving you questions that are too easy or too difficult.

ACCUPLACER Entrance Exam

The ACCUPLACER consist of 6 parts with an average test time of 5 hrs.

Reading: 20 questions, no time limit.
Essay: 300-600 words, 60 minute time limit.
Sentence Skills: 20 questions, no time limit.
Math: Elementary Algebra test of 12 questions- no time limit

A score of 69 or higher on Elementary Algebra will branch into the College Level Math placement test. (20 questions, untimed)
A score of 68 or lower on Elementary Algebra will branch into the Arithmetic placement test. (17 questions, untimed)

Computer Skills Placement (CSP): http://csplacement.com/

70 questions, 70 minute time limit. This section will cover:

Online Accuplacer Assessment Practice Test

From http://www.dcccd.edu, click on Admissions and Registration.
- Click on Take an Assessment Test (number 3 on the page).
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Practice Test.
- Select Accuplacer.
Direct link to Take the Accuplacer

Schedule Your Test Date

Bring a Testing Referral form from your Advisor in Counseling.
Bring a valid photo I.D.
The first testing session is free.
Retakes once a semester are $10 per subject.
Scores are immediately available.
See a Counselor again after testing.

Multiple Use for Accuplacer

General Admission
Dual Credit/High School Students
Certificate Programs
Non-degree Seeking Students
Reading Comprehension Exams (RCE)

All of the colleges in the DCCCD use the same exams, standards and requirements for enrollment and placement. All colleges also allow one attempt and one retest on the Accuplacer each semester. To take the retest, you must provide the Director of Counseling a valid reason for retesting; not doing as well as you wanted does not necessarily meet the mandates for retesting. A special referral form is available to request retesting. You must wait for at least 48 hours after your original test before you can retest. However, you must retest within 14 days after your initial exam.

It is important that you do your best on your first Accuplacer, because you may not be allowed to retest until the semester following your initial exam.