Matriculation Services Unit
Assessment & Testing
ASSESSMENT CENTER
The Assessment Center provides placement testing services to all new matriculating, continuing, and returning students. Office hours are Monday to Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Friday: 8:30 a.m. - Noon and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The office telephone number is (310) 233-4072.
Citlally Santana, Student Services Assistant
APPOINTMENTS:
Assessment appointments are made at the Assessment Center Office Room 120, by calling (310) 233-4072 or online at http://www.lahc.edu/sars/assessment/eSARS.asp Please check our testing calendar at http/studentservices/matriculation/testingcalendar.html for testing dates for each month. 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:
Students must show a valid picture identification card and know their student identification number (88- _ _ _- _ _ _ _), given at the Admissions & Records Office at the time of admissions application, 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.
PRACTICE (Sample Questions):
The following website is designed to view sample questions: http://www.act.org/compass/sample/index.html
For ENL click on Writing Skills and Reading
For ESL or ATB-ESL click on Listening, Reading and Grammar/Usage
For Math click on Mathematics
For ATB click on Writing Skills, Reading, and Mathematics (Numerical Skills/Pre-Algebra)
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. This allows students to take their time completing the test.
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 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 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 135 & 151 in the 2008-2010 LA Harbor College Catalog).
ABILITY TO BENEFIT (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 assessment is 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:
The ATB/ATB-ESL test can only be taken two times per semester. Students must wait at least 30 days before being able to retake the test.
MATH COMPETENCY TEST:
(For Nursing students and for graduation requirement)
This test administered twice a year, once in September for the Fall semester and once in February for the Spring semester. At least one year of high school Algebra should have been completed recently before the student attempts the test.
RETESTING:
The Math Competency test may be taken once a semester (Fall/Spring).
NURSING (READING TEST):
The Nursing Reading test is no longer required as part of the application process for the LAHC Nursing program.