College Placement Assessment (Accuplacer)

 

To run through a few Sample Questions Click Here

 

What is the Accuplacer? 

The Accuplacer is a Computerized Placement Tool designed to provide placement and advising information for students entering college. San Juan College uses the Accuplacer to help students get into the classes where they are most likely to succeed. In other words, the Accuplacer determines the course placement where you will begin taking classes.  A counselor/advisor will go over your scores with you after you complete the assessment and help you create a degree plan and get ready to register for classes.

Remember: Your scores determine which classes you may take.

If you need special accommodations to take the Accuplacer, please contact the Advising and Counseling office at 566-3404 to make arrangements.

The Accuplacer takes approximately one and one-half hours to complete, however, the assessments are not timed and you may take as long as you need.

Who needs to take the Accuplacer assessment?

The Accuplacer is required for all incoming students, unless they have already taken and passed college level English and math at another college. Students can also waive the Accuplacer with a high ACT score.  Please see page 20 of the 2011-2012 catalog for more information on using ACT scores at San Juan College.

Where do I take the Accuplacer?

You will take the Accuplacer in the San Juan College Advising and Counseling Center, Room 4106, in the Educational Services Building also known as the Clock Tower Building. 

If you are an online student, go to http://www.sanjuancollege.edu/onlineadvising for more information or contact our Advising and Counseling Center Online Academic Advisor at onlineadvisor@sanjuancollege.edu.  

What if I am a distance student?

Distance students are students who do not live in the geographical area of our San Juan County campuses.  If you are a distance student in need of the Accuplacer, please visit our online student advising page for additional information. The deadline for distance students to complete the Accuplacer for the spring 2012 semester is December 1, 2011.

If you are faxing Accuplacer scores from another school, please ask your school to fax these to (505)566-4408.

 

What will I be assessed in?  The Accuplacer has three parts:

  • Reading Comprehension – twenty multiple choice questions related to reading skills, such as identifying the main idea and making inferences.
  • Sentence Skills (English) – twenty multiple choice questions related to sentence structure and grammar…how sentences are put together and what makes a sentence complete.
  • Mathematics (Arithmetic and Elementary Algebra) – multiple choice questions that measure your understanding of math. Questions that range from arithmetic to college-level mathematics are included. You will begin with the easiest section, and depending on your math skills you may advance to more challenging Algebra questions.

How can I best prepare for the Accuplacer?

There are several options available to help you prepare to do your best on the Accuplacer. You can begin by picking up an “Accuplacer Sample Questions” packet available in the Advising and Counseling, or you can look at our online version. If you are not able to answer the questions in the packet correctly, you may want to visit the SMART Lab. The SMART Lab is located in the Student Success Center, room 1600 in Student Center building. The SMART Lab offers the interactive PLATO software in Reading, English, Math, and other subjects. Plato is also available online.  Please call the SMART Lab at 566-3587 for more information.

Can I retake the Accuplacer if I don’t like the scores I received?

Students may challenge their first Accuplacer scores one time at no charge. A review of the subject area is strongly encouraged before you retake the Accuplacer. Reviews can be done through the SMART Lab, by visiting online Accuplacer online brush-up sites, visiting online video tutorials such as Kahn Academy, at or by studying on your own. Students are allowed to challenge the Accuplacer one time only at no charge.  A minimum two week waiting period is required for the challenge test to be free.  Students must pay a $15 fee to take additional challenge tests. 

Additional Resources

Testing Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.  

Advising and Counseling Center
Educational Services Building - Room 4106
San Juan College
4601 College Blvd.
Farmington, NM 87402
(505)566-3404
fax (505)566-4408
Accuplacer@sanjuancollege.edu