Placement Testing

Our goal is to place you in courses appropriate to your abilities and experience. By taking assessments in reading, mathematics, and English, we can determine by your scores which English or Mathematics courses are appropriate for you to register in

Your assessments . . .

-predict college readiness
-are seamless
-are untimed
-provide immediate results

The Assessment Center is located on the second floor (upper level) of the Library. You must show a government-issued, picture I.D. when you arrive on campus to take the assessments.

Details about assessment testing are given below as well as links to pages and websites showing sample questions (see Practice Assessment Tests).

What is assessment?

Inver Hills uses a computerized assessment inventory (given free of charge) developed by the College Board to provide information about your skill levels in reading, writing, and mathematics. All items on the assessment are multiple choice.

• The reading comprehension assessment measures your understanding of what you read.
• The sentence skills assessment measures your understanding of how sentences are put together and what makes a sentence complete.
• The mathematics assessment measures your understanding of arithmetic, elementary algebra, and/or college-level mathematics. Students will automatically be advanced to higher levels on the mathematics assessment based on their skill level and number of correct responses.

It is very important that you take the assessment seriously, and do your best. Assessment scores are valid for two years.

How will the assessment results be used?

The results are used to determine initial course placements in reading, writing, and mathematics. Some students may receive placements in developmental courses (numbered below 1000); these courses do not count toward a college degree (but they do count toward credit totals for financial aid eligibility, insurance, and academic progress). These developmental courses are designed to help you learn the skills required to be successful in college-level courses, and you must complete them within your first 30 semester credits.

Who must take the assessments?

Inver Hills requires that new students either (1) take the assessments before they attend orientation or (2) demonstrate they have completed courses or assessments previously that will indicate the level of courses they may register for, as outlined below. (Transcripts or test scores must be submitted.)

• You have completed the Inver Hills assessments in the past two years, and you are registering for the appropriate English and math courses based upon these assessments.

• You have completed the prerequisites at Inver Hills for the English and math courses in which you plan to enroll, you received grades of "C" or higher in the prerequisites, and you took the math prerequisite in the past two years.

• You completed an approved assessment inventory at another college in the past two years and your assessment results are on file at Inver Hills. Scores from approved assessment inventories should be mailed to the address below for evaluation. Approved assessment inventories consist of the CPTs, COMPANION, DTLS/DTMS or ASAP.

• You have completed approved prerequisites at another college for the English and math courses in which you plan to enroll, and you received grades of "C" or higher in the prerequisites. An official copy of your transcript with the prerequisites must be on file at Inver Hills, and the courses must be approved by the college in order for them to satisfy prerequisite requirements. In addition, math prerequisites must have been completed in the last two years,

Exception: Part-time students registering under the Limited Enrollment option who are not taking math and English classes are not required to take the assessment.

Where do I take the assessments?

Assessments are given in the Learning Center (second floor, Library building) and take approximately two hours to complete. You must have a government-issued picture I.D. with you when you come to take assessments.

When can I take the assessments?

No appointment is necessary. On regular class days of fall and spring semesters, the assessments hours are:

Monday-Thursday: Arrive between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Friday: Arrive between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Times may vary between terms, in the summer, or during other breaks. Please call 651/450-8687 for current assessment times.

Can I fail the assessments?

No, the assessments indicate your current skill level, not your potential.

Will the assessments affect my acceptance to Inver Hills?

The assessments will not affect your acceptance to the college. However, the results may affect acceptance into some programs at the college, such as Nursing, Emergency Health Services (EHS), or Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO).

Are there alternative formats for students with disabilities?

Yes. If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, please contact the Disabled Student Services Director. Phone: (651) 450-8628 v/tty; (651) 450-8369 tty.

Sample questions

The following resources provide examples of sample questions.

Inver Hills sample questions (a pdf document)

Mathematics assessment practice exams

(link opens a new browser window)
Introductory Algebra Readiness
Intermediate Algebra Readiness
PreCalculus/College Algebra Readiness
Calculus Readiness - No Trigonometry
Calculus Readiness - Trigonometry
Accuplacer information and Accuplacer sample questions

Sample test questions for ESL students (a pdf document)

MnSCU Policy on Readiness

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities has a College Readiness Policy related to satisfaction of prerequisites in English and mathematics courses. Inver Hills and other state colleges abide by this policy. The assessment processes at the college assure compliance.