What College Placement Tests Are All About

Community colleges and universities are concerned with the academic success of every student. A solid fit between the entering student and first semester class level, is an essential factor in the student’s academic adjustment to college. The College Placement Test (CPT) provides an assessment of every incoming student’s basic skill levels in Mathematics, Reading and Writing.

The result of your Placement Test will establish whether you enter a college Algebra course, spend a semester in a Remedial course of study or place out of the initial College Algebra class. The CPT will impact the time it takes to achieve a degree, with direct consequences as to the total cost of your college education.

College Math Placement Test

A major element of College Placement Tests is the Math Test. Your exam result will depend on your grasp of the high school math courses that you have taken and the thoroughness of your College Math Placement Test prep. You have the affordable opportunity to fully prepare for your CPT Math Test through the math placement practice test, review of mathematical functions and concepts, in-depth study guide and testing strategies all provided by TestPrep-Online.

Working on a sample College Math Placement Test will give you a clear view to the types of questions and testing format that you will face on the math portion of your CPT. Answering the practice questions of a sample Math Placement Test benefits you in three distinct ways:

  • Familiarity with the content and level of difficulty found on Math Placement Tests
  • Highlighting your math strengths and weaknesses for further study before taking the CPT
  • Reviewing the arithmetic and algebraic functions that you will need to know for this math test

Content of the CPT Math Test

Different versions of the College Placement Test have been developed by various states, colleges and private companies. However, the format and test subjects remain constant in Math Placement Tests.

  • The tests are generally administered by computer and are untimed.
  • You can expect the Basic Math Placement Test to cover arithmetic and pre-algebra skills.
  • An Algebra Test is generally given as a separate portion of the basic test.
  • Some incoming students will be given an Advanced Mathematics Placement Test, which includes college algebra, geometry and trigonometry.

The three levels tested are:

  • Basic Skills – Sequence of basic math operations
  • Application – Applying the basic functions to varying situations
  • Analysis – Comprehension of ratios and more complex mathematic functions

Basic Arithmetic and Pre-Algebra Skills

This section of the CPT assesses the math skills needed as prerequisites to College Algebra I. The primary functions covered include:

  • Integers
  • Decimals
  • Fractions
  • Integer Exponents and Square Roots
  • Percentages
  • Ratios
  • Averages

Algebra Placement Test

This exam is focused on three areas:

  • Elementary Algebra
  • Coordinate Geometry
  • Intermediate Algebra

The Algebra Placement Test involves a wide range of functions from substituting values into algebraic expressions to linear equations in two variables.

Preparation Is the Key to a Positive Testing Experience

The CPT should be taken seriously as it will play an important part in the selection of your initial courses as you begin your college education. A thorough preparation has the potential to optimize your Math Placement Test result. TestPrep-Online has worked to provide study tools and a practice test that is geared to fully prepare you for the College Math Placement Test.

 

 

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