Who takes the Placement Assessment?

Students entering SCC are required to take the Placement Assessment. This assessment tool is used to determine the student's academic skills level in keyboarding, reading, sentence (English) skills, and mathematics.

Students re-enrolling at the college after three years may retake the Placement Assessment upon the recommendation of the Admissions/Counseling staff.

Is the Placement Assessment timed?

The reading, sentence skills, and mathematics sections of the Placement Assessment are not timed; students work at their own pace. The only part of the assessment that is timed is the keyboarding skills assessment. The goal is 30 words per minute in three minutes with three or less errors. Students have three attempts to meet the goal.

Students take the assessment at a computer workstation with technical assistance provided by the Assessment Administrator.

On average it takes students 1 1/2 to 2 hours to complete the entire assessment.

What do I need to bring?

SCC supplies everything students need for the assessment: pencils and
scratch paper. Use of calculators and other electronic devices is not permitted during the assessment.

What if I am not comfortable using the computer?

Please call Angie Uhl-Kalev at (910) 642-7141, ext. 263 for assessment
alternatives.

Individuals with Disabilities

Individuals with a disability or with a temporary disabling condition who wish to receive accommodations for the assessment must provide appropriate documentation to the counselor prior to the assessment. For more information, call Angie Uhl-Kalev at 910/642-7141, ext. 263.

Where can I find other sample questions and/or assessment strategies?

ACCUPLACER Sample Questions are available at www.sccnc.edu.

ACCUPLACER SAMPLE PROBLEMS AND QUESTIONS

Students will find samples in the following areas: reading, sentence (English) skills, and mathematics. The mathematical areas will include arithmetic, elementary algebra, and college algebra. The intent of these samples is to give students an idea of the kinds of questions to expect when they take the Placement Assessment. The samples are not actual assessment questions.

In the keyboarding section of the assessment students are required to type two paragraphs. The goal is 30 words per minute in three (3) minutes with three (3) or less errors. Students have three (3) attempts to meet the goal.

There are two types of pottery that I do. There is production pottery—mugs, tableware—the kinds of things that sell easily. These pay for my time to do the other work, which is more creative and satisfies my needs as an artist.

1. The author of the passage implies that

a. artists have a tendency to waste valuable time
b. creativity and mass-production are incompatible
c. most people do not appreciate good art
d. pottery is not produced by creative artists

Sample Reading Passage 2

The Midwest is experiencing its worst drought in fifteen years.

Corn and soybean prices are expected to be very high this year.

What does the second sentence do?

a. It restates the idea found in the first.
b. It states an effect.
c. It gives an example.
d. It analyzes the statement made in the first.

1. John prefers contemporary art to the classics.
a. prefers
b. prefer
c. preferring
d. preferred to
2. Heather told Steve that their would give him the unabridged version of his morning when she had time.
a. their
b. she
c. he
d. It may
3. Danny complained of a blind spot on it’s eye.
a. it’s
b. its
c. his
d. their
4. All of the students dreads the quizzes the professor gave since he tested on obscure material.
a. dreads
b. dreading
c. will dreads
d. dreaded
5. The president has an hedge of protection around him when he makes public appearances.
a. has an hedge
b. had an hedge
c. has a hedge
d. will had an hedge
6. After a long practice, the girls’ softball team captain stated, “We’re famished!”
a. practice, the
b. practice the
c. pratice the
d. practice their
7. The child apprized her father’s authority and behaved herself in church.
a. apprized
b. apprised
c. apprise
d. apprize
8. Being a female jockey, she was often interviewed.

Rewrite, beginning with
She was often interviewed.....

The next words will be:

a. on account of she was
b. by her being
c. because she was
d. being as she was
9. It is easy to carry solid objects without spilling them, but the same cannot be said of liquids.
 
Rewrite, beginning with
Unlike liquids,…

       The next words will be:

a. it is easy to
b. we can easily
c. solid objects can easily be
d. solid objects are easy to be

10. David heard no unusual noises when he listened in the park.

       Rewrite, beginning with
       Listening in the park,…

       The next words will be:

a. no unusual noises could be heard
b. then David heard no unusual noises
c. and hearing no unusual noises
d. David heard no unusual noises

This portion of the ACCUPLACER ONLINE© Computerized Placement Assessment consists of the following:

Arithmetic primary content areas:

• Basic operations with integers, fractions, and decimals
• Exponents
• Ratios and proportions
• Percentages
• Averages

Elementary Algebra primary content areas:

• Substituting values in algebraic equations
• Setting up equations for given situations
• Basic operations with polynomials
• Factoring polynomials
• Linear equations in one and two variables
• Rational expressions
• Exponents

College Algebra primary content areas:

• Functions
• Exponents
• Complex numbers

The student may not be presented with questions from all of these areas. The assessment adapts to the student’s performance. The student will continue until all questions are answered.

1. What is the average (arithmetic mean) of 8, 7, 7, 5, 3, 2, and 2?
a. 3 4/7
b. 4 5/6
c. 4 6/7
d. 5
e. 6 4/5
 
2. Ben is making wooden toys for the next arts and crafts sale. Each toy costs Ben $1.80 to make. If he sells the toys for $3.00 each, how many will he have to sell to make a profit of exactly $36?
a. 12
b. 20
c. 30
d. 60
e. 108
 
3. How many yards of material from a 24-yard length of cloth remain after 3 pieces, each 3 1/2 yards long, and 5 pieces, each 2 1/4 yards long, are cut away?
a. 2 1/4
b. 4 1/4
c. 4 5/6
d. 10 1/4
e. 10 5/6
 
4. Phillip charged $400 worth of goods on his credit card. On his first bill, he was not charged any interest, and he made a payment of $20. He then charged another $18 worth of goods. On his second bill a month later, he was charged 2% interest on his entire unpaid balance. How much interest was Phillip charged on his second bill?
a. $8.76
b. $7.96
c. $7.60
d. $7.24
e. $6.63
 
5. A boy in a fashion design contest made a shirt for himself and a proportional one for a small doll. The boy was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and the doll was 13 inches tall. If the boy’s shirt sleeve was 30 inches long, how long in inches, was the sleeve of the doll’s shirt?  (ratios and proportions)
a. 28 1/6
b. 17
c. 15
d. 7 1/11
e. 6
 
6. Erin wants to reduce both the length and width of a picture by 1/3. If the original picture is 12 inches by 6 inches, what will be the dimensions, in inches, of the reduced picture? (basic operations with fractions)
a. 18 by 9
b. 12 by 4
c. 9 by 4
d. 8 by 6
e. 8 by 4
 
7. Carmen earned $1,600 last summer. She spent $224 on a new bicycle, invested $1,000 in a savings certificate, and put the remaining money in her savings account. What percentage of her earnings did she put in her savings account? (percentages)
a. 14.0
b. 20.6
c. 23.5
d. 30.7
e. 37.6

1. A student has earned scores of 87, 81, and 88 on the first 3 of 4 tests. If the student wants an average (arithmetic mean) of exactly 87, what score must she earn on the fourth test?
a. 85
b. 86
c. 87
d. 92
e. 93
 
2. Which of the following expressions represents the product of 3 less than twice x and 2 more than the quantity 3 times x?
a. -6x² + 25x + 6
b. 6x² + 5x + 6
c. 6x² - 5x + 6
d. 6x² - 5x - 6
e. 6x² - 13x - 6
 
3. If x = -1 and y = 2, what is the value of the expression 2x³ - 3xy?
a. 8
b. 4
c. -1
d. -4
e. -8
 
4. For all r not equal to +2 or -2,   r² - 5r + 6 / r² - 4  =?

division symbol ( / )
 a. r - 3 / r + 2
 b. r - 2 / r + 2
 c. r - 2 / r + 3
 d. r + 3 / r + 2
 e. r + 3 / r + 2
 
5. What is the equation of the line that contains the points with,

(x, y) coordinates (-3, 7) and (5, -1)?
a. y = 3x - 2
b. y = x + 10
c. y = -1/3x + 8
d. y = -3/4x + 11/4
e. y = -x + 4
 
6. A certain school’s enrollment increased 5% this year over last year’s enrollment. If the school now has 1,260 students enrolled, how many students were enrolled last year?
a. 1,020
b. 1,155
c. 1,200
d. 1,255
e. 1,323
 
7. A rectangle has an area of (21s² + 18st) square meters. If its width is 3s meters, what is its length in meters?
a. 7s + 6t
b. 7s + 18st
c. 18s + 15t
d. 24s³ + 21s²t
e. 36s³ + 54s²t
 
 

1. FOR i = the square root of -1, IF 3i(2+ 5i) = x +6i, then x =?
a. -15
b. 5
c. 5i
d. 15i
e. 27i
 
2. If F (4) = 0 and f (6) = 6, which of the following could represent f (x)?
a. 2/3x - 4
b. x + 2
c. x - 4
d. 32x + 6
e. 3x - 12
 
3. What are all the real values of x that are solutions for the inequality    x-2   ?  6?
a. -8  <  x  < -4
b. -8 <  x  < 4
c. -8  < x  < 8
d. -4  <  x  <  4
e. -4  <  x  < 8

Reading Placement Assessment:  Sample Passage 
1. b
 

Sentence Skills Sample Assessment

1. a    2.  b    3.  c    4.  d     5.  c
6. a    7.  a    8.  c    9.  c   10.  d
 

Arithmetic Sample Assessment

1. c   2.  c    3.  a   4.  b   5.  e   6.  e   7.  c
 

Elementary Algebra Sample Assessment

1. d    2.  d    3.  b   4.  a   5.  e   6.  c   7.  a
 

College Algebra Sample Assessment

1. a    2.  e    3.  e

Test Taking Tips

PRIOR TO ASSESSMENT

• Be prepared
• Be well rested
• Eat a healthy breakfast

DURING THE ASSESSMENT

• Take a deep breath
• Calm yourself
• Use positive self-talk
• Read the directions carefully
• Focus on yourself
• Block out others/distractions
• Stretch, if needed
• It’s OK to guess!!!!

Checklist

Have I . . .

- Completed a SCC application?
- Scheduled the placement assessment?
- Submitted official high school/GED transcript?
- Submitted official college transcript, if applicable?
- Applied for financial aid?