Montcalm Community College
COMPASS Assessment Preparation Guide
www.act.org/compass/sample/index.html
www.math.com
The tests that you are about to take are part of a system named COMPASS ( Com puter-Adaptive P lacement A ssessment and S upport S ystem) which is used to place you in classes that match your abilities. It is a college requirement that all three parts of the test are taken although some courses do not require a COMPASS score. It is important to keep these scores with you for registration and counseling purposes. These scores will place you in courses that will help you develop the necessary skills for success in your future classes. Therefore, it is very important you realize the reason for taking this assessment and do your very best.
COMPASS is a placement test, which is different than most tests you have taken in the past. Unlike most tests you have taken before, you can't fail this test. Only correct answers are counted; there is no penalty for wrong answers. Scrap paper, pencils, and calculators are supplied by the testing center. The assessment test is not timed. Allow an average of one and a half hours to complete. You may take breaks during the test.
This test measures your knowledge in three skill areas:
Reading Skills (Vocabulary & Reading Comprehension) Finding the Main Idea Locating Explicit Information Making Inferences
Writing Skills (Writing Diagnostic Scores ) Punctuation Spelling Capitalization Usage Verb Formation/Agreement Relationships of Clauses Shifts in Construction Organization
Mathematics Skills (Mathematics Placement Measures)Numerical Skills Algebra College Algebra Trigonometry Geometry Integers Fractions Decimals Exponents Ratios and Proportions Percentages Averages Substitution Setting Up Equations Basic Operations/Polynomials Linear Equations (One & Two Variables) Exponents Rational Expressions Linear Equations (Two Variable)
• Read the general instructions slowly, and carefully follow them.
• Educated guesses are worthwhile because only correct answers are counted; there are no penalties for wrong answers.
• Make changes in answers cautiously; be sure the change is justified and not due to nervousness.
• Close your eyes and take five deep breaths from your abdomen just prior to the test.
• Eat a healthy breakfast the morning of the test. Your mind is like a muscle; it needs fuel to work at peak levels.
• After the test, an appointment may be scheduled with a counselor to help you schedule appropriate classes. The counselor will guide you to sign up for classes that are not so difficult as to cause trouble in passing or not so easy that you might lose interest the class.
• The counselor can help plan the best sequence of courses in order for you to graduate with the highest grade point average (GPA) in the most efficient time frame.
• Your individual needs can be identified and dealt with in the most beneficial way.
Typically, even people who are not familiar with computers find COMPASS easy to manage. Your test proctor will always be available to answer questions about the computer. You will need to type in your name, social security number, and other personal identification at the beginning.
When typing your birth date, you will need to use the format understood by the computer. For example, if your birthday is November 5, 1966, enter 11/05/66 using the top row of numbers directly above the letters on the keyboard.
Some questions ask you to choose from a list. If you do not see your choice, choose other from the bottom of the list.
If you have any questions or problems regarding the operation of the computer, contact the test proctor for help.
Q: What is the purpose of this test?
A: The purpose of this test is to assess your abilities in reading, writing, and math in order to ensure you have the necessary skills for success in your present and future classes.
Q: What if I fail the test?
A: Placement tests cannot be failed. Only your correct answers are counted; you are not penalized for incorrect answers. Therefore, it is to your advantage to make educated guesses for questions you do not know.
Q: How long does this test take?
A: This test is untimed. Each test takes approximately half an hour. Schedule a one and a half hour block of time out of your day when you've scheduled a testing time.
Q: What should I bring with me to the test?
A: On the day of the test, you should know your social security number or bring your card.
Q: Will my test results be confidential?
A: Yes, your results will be used for counseling, placement, and research only.
Q: What is the cost of this test?
A: There is no fee for initial testing. However, there is a $3.00 charge per test if retesting.
Q: What if I don't know how to use the computer?
A: The proctor will give instructions on the use of the computer and be present for questions unrelated to the test answers. The computerized test also has an introductory portion that guides you through use of the computer.
Following are a few questions that are representative of the questions on the actual test. Some questions are more difficult than others It is practically impossible to get every question right.
There are now at least ninety million cars in the United States , and their number is increasing daily. The closeness between the American and his car is well known all over the world. Yet the fact that our cars are poisoning the air we breathe is like finding that friends are stealing from you. How are cars poisoning us? They poison us through the fuel they use. Our car engines really don't work that well, and a lot of waste leaves the exhaust pipe and enters the air. The wastes steal a bit of our health every time we breathe. (1) The worst kinds of waste are carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and lead. (2) Carbon monoxide is the waste that leaves the exhaust in the greatest amounts. (3) It is a gas that has no taste and smell. (4) It is also invisible, and deadly! (5) It keeps us from getting enough oxygen from the air. When the brain tells the heart that there isn't enough oxygen, the heart pumps harder. Too much of this overwork can weaken the heart, especially during the course of many years, and possibly lead to heart disease.
1. According to the passage, how many cars are there in the United States ?
a. 500 million
b. About 1,000
c. 90 million
d. one billion
e. one million
2. Which sentence best states the properties of carbon monoxide? (see numbered sentences in paragraph.)
a. sentence 1
b. sentence 2
c. sentence 3
d. sentence 4
e. sentence 5
3. What is an effect of carbon monoxide on humans?
a. It prevents them from getting enough oxygen from the air.
b. It forces the hear to pump harder.
c. The heart becomes overworked.
d. It may lead to heart disease.
e. All of the above.
4. Which of the following best states the author's opinion of cars?
a. Cars are poorly made and produce a great amount of waste that is hazardous to
humans.
b. There are few cars in the world to cause problems.
c. Cars are well made and a necessity to society.
d. Cars help to clean the air we breathe.
e. None of the above.
Sample Essay 1 Answers
1. C 2. C 3. E 4. E
This portion of COMPASS asks you to locate and correct errors in several passages like the one below. The actual test is multiple choice. Errors may include faulty sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, grammar or organization. When you highlight a sentence, COMPASS presents several alternative sentences. You may select any of the alternative sentences or choose to leave the sentence in its original form. The sample paragraph below contains errors.
Quiz yourself by finding the errors in each sentence. (Hint: 6 sentences are O.K.)
(1) There are now at least ninety million cars in the United States , and there number is increasing daily. (2) The closeness between the American and his car is well known all over the world. (3) Yet the fact that our cars is poisoning the air we breathe is like finding that friends are stealing from you. (4) How are cars poisoning us. (5) They poison us, like we do rats and roaches, through the fuel they use. (6) Our car engines really doesn't work that well, and a lot of waste leaves the exhaust pipe and enters the air. (7) These worstest kinds of waste are called carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and lead. (8) Carbon monoxide is the waste that leaves the exhaust in the greatest amounts. (9) It is a gas that has no taste and no smell. (10) Its also invisible and deadly! (11) It keeps us from getting enough oxygen from the air. (12) When the brain told the heart that there isn't enough oxygen, the heart pumps harder. (13) Too much of this overwork can weaken the heart, especially during the course of many years, and possibly lead to heart disease.
Writing Skills Answers
1. there should be their
2. O.K.
3. is should be are
4. . should be ?
5. O.K.
6. doesn't should be don't
7. These worstest should be the worst
8. O.K.
9. O.K.
10. Its should be It's
11. O.K.
12. told should be tells
13. O.K.
Arithmetic
Averages
1. What is the average (arithmetic mean) of 8, 7, 7, 5, 3, 2, and 2?
a. 3 7/8
b. 4 5/8
c. 4 6/7
d. 5
e. 6 4/5
2. Kathy is making toys for the next arts and crafts sale. Each toy costs Kathy
$1.80 to make. If she sells the toys for $3.00 each, how many will she have to
sell to make a profit of exactly $36.00?
a. 12
b. 20
c. 30
d. 60
e. 108
Fractions, Integers, Ratios and Proportions
3. How many yards of material from a 24-yard length of cloth remain after 3 pieces, each 5 yards long, and 5 pieces, each 1.5 yards long, are removed?
a. 1 ½
b. 4 ¼
c. 4 5/6
d. 10 ¼
e. 10 5/6
Decimals, Ratios, Proportions, and Percentages
4. Jessica charged $500 worth of goods on her credit card. On her first bill, she was not charged any interest, and she made a payment of $20. She then charged another $18 worth of goods. On her second bill a month later, she was charged 2% interest on her entire unpaid balance. How much interest was Jessica charged on her second bill?
a. $8.76
b. $9.96
c. $7.60
d. $7.24
e. $6.63
Arithmetic Answers
1. C 2. C 3. A 4. B
Algebra
Setting Up Linear Equations
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
be earned on the fourth test?
a. 85
b. 86
c. 87
d. 92
e. 93
Basic Operations, Setting Up Linear Equations, and Substitution
2. Which of the following expressions represents the product of 3 less than twice
x and 2 more than 3 times x?
a. 6x 2 + 25x + 6
b. 6x 2 + 5x + 6
c. 6x 2 + 5x 6
d. 6x 2 5x 6
e. 6x 2 5x + 6
Basic Operations, Setting Up Two Variable Linear Equations, and Exponents
3. If x = -1 and y = 2, what is the value of the expression 2x 3 3xy?
a. 8
b. 4
c. 1
d. 4
e. 8
4. Simplify (r 2 5r + 6) / (r 2 4) =
a. r 3 / r + 3
b. 4 2 / r + 2
c. r 2 / r + 3
d. r 3 / r + 2
e. r + 3 / r + 2
Two Variable Linear Equations, Polynomials, and Substitution
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 + 1 ¼
e. y = -x + 4
Algebra Answers
1. D 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. E
Revised 2/26/2008