Matriculation Services Unit
Assessment & Testing
ASSESSMENT CENTER
The Assessment Center provides placement testing services to all new matriculating, continuing, and returning students.
Office hours:
Monday -Thursday: 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. &
Friday: 8:30 a.m. - Noon & 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Office telephone number:
(310) 233-4072
The Assessment Center does not send student test results to other institutions.
English, Math and English Second Language placement Tests
Assessment appointments are made online at http://www.lahc.edu/sars/assessment/eSARS.asp , by calling (310) 233-4072 or at the Assessment Center Office SSA Room 118. Please check our testing calendar below for testing dates for each month.
Appointments for the ATB test cannot be scheduled online.
Appointments for the Math Competency tests require a referral from the Math Department.
PLEASE NOTE that even if you are able to sign up for a test, you may not be eligible to take it due to different testing policies for the various tests we provide.
STUDENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND VALID PICTURE ID:
Students must show a valid picture identification card and know their student identification number (88- _ _ _- _ _ _ _), in order to take any test and to receive testing results. The valid picture identification documents that may be used to show at the time of testing or to receive placement results are State Identification or License, School Identification, Passport, or Government issued identification cards. For Ability To Benefit Tests only government issued picture ID documents will be accepted for entry to the test. New applicants will receive a confirmation email once online application has been submitted. You will receive your student ID number and registration appointment by email in five to ten business days. If you do not receive the emails in your email inbox, please check your spam/junk mail folder. Continuing students, if you do not remember or do not know your new student ID number, please go to the Student Information System. Select Student Information System, and logon to retrieve your student I.D. number by entering your social security or former student I.D. number that begins with ‘000’ and 4 Digit Pin number (by default this is your birth date, 4 digits, month and day)
PRACTICE for the English and math placement tests (Sample Questions):
For sample test questions visit the following website and click on desired test in bold: http://www.act.org/compass/sample/index.html
Math: Mathematics*
ENL: Writing Skills & Reading
ESL: Listening, Reading & Grammar/Usage
ATB-ESL: Listening, Reading & Grammar/Usage
ATB: Writing Skills, Reading & Mathematics (Numerical Skills/Pre-Algebra)
*Use of calculator is not allowed during placement test
The (COMPASS) test is adaptive. Adaptive testing is a process where test items are dynamically selected from a collection of test items. These items are based on student's response to previous questions.
Example:
If a student is presented with a question and answers it incorrectly he/she will be presented with a less difficult question. Conversely, if a student answers a question correctly, he/she will continue to receive questions each with increasing difficulty.
ENGLISH/ESL & MATH PLACEMENT TEST(S):
Prior to registration, new matriculating students who have submitted an application to attend LAHC are required to make an appointment to take the "ACT-COMPASS" assessment test. Any returning or continuing matriculating student who has never taken an assessment test is also required to take one (unless previously waived). Admissions & Records Office may waive this requirement for students who have an Associate Degree or higher. Students who have been assessed in English and/or Math at another college, or who have taken English or Math coursework at another college may have already met Harbor's Assessment requirements. These students can bring a copy of their assessment results, transcripts and/or grade reports to a counselor. High school transcripts are not acceptable for Math courses. English as a second language assessment is also available.
HOW LONG ARE THE TESTS?
The English/ESL and Math tests are computerized and are not timed. The average time per section is 32 minutes. Before the tests the student fills out demographics questions regarding personal information such as name, address, major, etc. This is the only time students have to type any information as the actual test is all multiple choice. The English test is composed of two sections Writing and Reading; the average time for the assessment is 1.5 hours. The ESL test is composed of three sections, Listening, Reading and Grammar/Usage; the average time for the assessment is 2 hours. The Math test takes an average time of half an hour. After taking a test students will go through an orientation which is followed by a quiz, which will take approximately half an hour. Students should never rush through these tests and should give themselves enough time in their schedules to complete them.
RETESTING:
If eligible, students may test once per cycle. The cycles run from February to September each year. Their assessment results will be valid for two years from the assessment date. Once a student enrolls in an English/ESL and/or Math class and receives a letter grade (or CR/NCR), the student is no longer eligible to re-test in that subject and must then follow the English/Math sequence (see pages 138 & 152 in the 2010-2012 LA Harbor College Catalog).
OTHER:
After you complete the Assessment Test, you will take the student orientation and a quiz. The orientation will provide you with an overview of available student support services, and academic and vocational programs.
To save yourself some time, you may also take the online orientation at http://www.lahc.edu/studentservices/matriculation/welcome.html before you take the Assessment Test. Please remember to complete the quiz at the end of the orientation, print the quiz results, and bring them to the Assessment Center.
You must complete the student orientation to get your Assessment Test results.
ABILITY TO BEN EFIT (ATB) & ATB-ESL TEST:
One of the criteria used to establish student eligibility in order to receive [Financial Aid] Title IV program assistance is that a student must have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent. Students who are not high school graduates (or who have not earned a General Education Development [GED] Certificate*) can demonstrate that they have the "ability to benefit" from the education or training being offered by passing an approved ability-to-benefit (ATB) test.---excerpt from "Funding Education Beyond High School The guide to Federal Student Aid. 2008-2009. U.S Department of Education Federal Student Aid.
HOW LONG ARE THE TESTS?
The ATB/ATB-ESL tests are computerized and are not timed. The average time per section is 32 minutes. Before the tests the student fills out demographics questions regarding personal information such as name, address, major, etc. This is the only time students have to type any information as the actual test is all multiple choice.
The ATB test is composed of three sections Writing and Reading and pre-algebra. The average time for the test 2 hours. Students must pass all three sections in one sitting to pass the test.
The ATB-ESL test is composed of three sections, Listening, Reading and Grammar/Usage, the average time for the assessment is 2 hours. Students must pass all three sections in one sitting to pass the test.
RETESTING:
Students must wait at least 30 days and participate in at least 20 hours of tutoring through the Learning Assistance Center (LAC) before being allowed to retest. A referral from the LAC verifying at least 20 hours of tutoring has to be submitted to the Assessment Center before any retesting appointments can be made.
Students who are taking the Math Competency for graduation or Nursing Program requirements will receive a Math Competency Certification from the Assessment Center and a note will be made in the Student Information System by Admissions & Records.
Students who are taking the Math Competency to fulfill math prerequisite levels (Math 112, 123A, 123B, or 123C) will fill out a Prerequisite Approval Form. The Math Department Chairperson will approve the form after the student passes the test. The form will then be submitted to the Matriculation Coordinator/Counselor to be entered into the Student Information System. At that point the student is eligible to enroll into the next level of math.
Eligibility to take the competency tests will be determined by the math department’s guidelines. An eligibility referral form must be obtained from the Math Instructional Assistant or the Math Department chairperson.
For students enrolled in the Fast Track Program, competency tests are available in Math 112, 123A, 123B, and 123C. (For specific dates and times, see the Assessment Center calendar).
Please click here to view full description of the math competencies.
The following links will help you prepare for the math competency test.:
http://www.saddleback.edu/faculty/lperez/algebra2go/index.html
http://www.mathplayground.com/mathvideos.html
Fast Track is a program designed to provide review for students wishing to take the Math Placement, Math Competency, or the Ability to Benefit tests. Fast Track consists of a single non-credit, zero-unit course Basic Skills 023CE offered through the Learning Assistance Center (LAC). Students interested in taking this review should come to the LAC to enroll. For some students, the Fast Track program may also expedite the completion of the math sequence. For more information on the matter, please contact Sally Fasteau in the LAC 114, fasteaus@lahc.edu (310) 233-4240 or Laurie Roberts in the LAC study area, rovertll@lahc.edu (310) 233-4149. Students may enroll in the Fast Track Program to review math skills before taking the math placement test. Enrolling in the Fast Track Program may also help those students who are eligible to retest to place in a higher math class.
NURSING (READING TEST):
The Nursing Reading test is no longer required as part of the application process for the LAHC Nursing program.