The Assessment Center is a part of the Academic Advancement's Academic Support Services (AA)

Assessment Center

The Assessment Center provides students with placement tests, test substitutions, distance education testing, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), GED and prior learning assessment. A picture ID is required for all testing.

Placement Testing / Distance Education Testing / CLEP (College Level Exam) / Prior Learning Assessment / Teas / PSB

To plan your classes effectively, the Assessment Center provides academic assessment of all prospective students. Specifically, prospective students are tested for reading, writing, and math skills for appropriate course placement. All incoming students must be assessed prior to enrolling into classes. Your assessment scores will assist advisors in making sure that you are placed into the appropriate classes - the classes in which you will be most successful.

You will need to schedule an assessment test if you are a new college student. You will take COMPASS, a computerized assessment method. The COMPASS test is an adaptive, untimed test. If you have taken the SAT or ACT within the past four years and achieved a verbal score of 460 and a math score of 460, your assessment may be waived. ACT scores of 19 or higher on the reading, English, and math portions will waive the assessment test.

If you meet the requirement in only one area, you may qualify for a partial test substitution. For example – if your SAT verbal score is higher than 460, but your math is lower, you may have the English portion of the test waived. You will then be required to take the math test.

You may qualify for a substitution if you have completed college level English and Math courses within the past ten years at an accredited college or university. You may also be waived of the assessment test if you have an Associate's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. A partial substitution will be granted if you have completed college coursework in either English or Math. You will then be required to the take a portion of the test.

You may come into the Assessment Center for a substitution. Please be sure to bring a copy of your SAT or ACT scores with you. The Assessment Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you have further questions, feel free to call the Assessment Center staff.

What is COMPASS?
The COMPASS test focuses on math, writing, and reading skills. It is unique in that it adapts to your abilities. COMPASS is not a pass-fail test. It was developed to help your academic advisor place you into courses that will benefit you.

Who takes COMPASS?
All students entering Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana will go through an initial assessment. For most students this is done by taking the COMPASS test.

Mathematics Test
The mathematics test includes questions using numbers, text, and graphics. Questions may be at the pre-algebra, basic algebra, or college algebra level and will adjust to your current skill level. Calculators and scratch paper are provided.

Writing Skills Test
The writing skills test presents essays that contain any number of errors and you are instructed to edit the essay and find all of the errors. After you finish editing the essay you will be given some questions to answer about the essay as a whole.

Reading Skills Test
The reading skills test will present you with an essay to read and give you questions to answer about the essay. You could have up to seven different essays with questions about each one. Be sure to read the entire passage before answering questions.

For samples of test questions please go to www.act.org
Under Assessments click › Compass®ESL/e-write. ON the left side of the screen click › Sample Questions
These questions are similar to those you will encounter on the Compass exam.

To Schedule Your Placement Test
Testing is offered on a walk-in basis. Students must arrive for testing by the last hour posted to complete the full exam. The hours for testing are as follows:

North Meridian Center :
Monday, Tuesday- 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Fairbanks Center :
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday- 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Thursday- 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Saturday- 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.

Rules in the COMPASS Lab

• A picture ID is required for all testing.
• No food or beverage is permitted in the lab
• Cell phones and pagers must be turned off.
• Purses, bags, and other belongings should be placed under your desk.
• Breaks are permitted between tests. Please limit them to 10-15 minutes.
• No children will be permitted in the lab at any time.

Do you think you will qualify for accommodations due to a documented disability?
Any prospective student who feels his/her disability may impact his/her performance on the assessment test should contact a Disability Support Services (DSS) staff member. The DSS phone number is 317-921-4981 at the North Meridian Center in Room 137, or 317-917-5975 in Room 150 at the Fairbanks Center , Lawrence Campus.

1. Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana-Central Indiana has two Testing Labs. Please review the location and hours below before choosing one Testing Lab.
2. You will need to submit to your home site or instructor the name of the one proctor site you have chosen: either the North Meridian Campus (Main Campus) or the Fairbanks Center for Health Professions (Lawrence Campus) with all its contact information.
3. Testing is done on a walk-in basis. It is not necessary to schedule an appointment. Before showing up to take your test, please call or email your designated testing lab to make sure your test is available. 

CLEP exams are taken to earn college credits for information that you already know. Upon successful completion, you can earn three to six college credits in a variety of subject areas. CLEP exams will allow you to skip general introductory courses and move on to more advanced courses that are more relevant to your major or prospective career.

CLEP offers 34 examinations in the following areas:
Composition and Literature
Science and Mathematics
Foreign Languages
History and Social Science
Business

CLEP Test Procedures
Please obtain a registration form and CLEP Information for Candidates booklet from the Assessment Center . Please read the booklet carefully and return the registration form to the Assessment Center at least one week prior to the test date. CLEP exams are offered Wednesdays only at North Meridian Center on a walk-in basis from 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Only one exam may be given per test session. Each exam is 90 minutes. Please plan on the entire test session lasting for 2 hours.

The total cost for a CLEP exam is $85.00. At the time of testing, a check payable to Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana in the amount of $15.00 (per test) must be submitted to the Bursar's Office. This service fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. On the day of testing, a fee of $65.00 (per test) must be paid to CLEP. Credit Card is the preferred method of payment—only American Express, MasterCard, and VISA are accepted. Checks and money orders will also be accepted and may be made payable to CLEP.

An acceptable form of identification (driver's license, social security card, birth certificate, etc) must be presented to the Testing Center staff upon entrance to the Assessment Center on the day of testing. Recommendations for students preparing to take a CLEP exam

• Review the exam description on the College Board Web site, www.collegeboard.com/clep or in the CLEP Official Study Guide (available online or in any public library).
• Review the outline of “Knowledge and Skills Required” for the exam. Outlines for all exams are provided in the Official Study Guide and for each exam in the individual subject study guides.
• Check with faculty to see what materials are being used in the equivalent course for the examination subject.
• Review textbooks and other resource materials used in comparable college courses. Other sources for CLEP preparation materials include public libraries and college bookstores.
• Determine familiarity with the topics and terminology in the course syllabus, the textbook, or other resources.
• Match the content outline and description of knowledge and skills from the Official Study Guide or the individual study guide to the table of contents of textbooks to be certain that areas of study match exam content.
• Review and follow recommendations in the “Preparing to Take CLEP Examinations” and “Taking the Examinations” sections in the Official Study Guide or individual study guides.
• Answer the sample questions in the Official Study Guide or individual guides and use the “Answer Key” to determine the number of correct responses and readiness to take the exam.
• Become familiar with the computer-based format of CLEP exams. The CLEP Sampler included in the Official Study Guide and on the CLEP Web site can help.

Prior Learning Assessment

Hours for PSB/TEAS testing:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Saturday testing for TEAS will be by appointment only and is offered the second Saturday of the month. Call 917-5975 or 921-4606 for appointment.

The Math Learning Center

The Mathematics Learning Center exists to provide one-on-one and small group assistance to students in any Ivy Tech mathematics course. Students from other disciplines who have math questions (business, statistics, physics, etc.) are also served.

Math Learning Center Hours:

North Meridian Center
Monday- Thursday: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 noon
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Fairbanks Center
Monday- Thursday: 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Hours may vary per semester.