CPT - Preparation Information

You are encouraged to prepare for the CPT so that the test accurately reflects your placement in English, reading, and mathematics.

There are four ways to prepare for the CPT:

1) The CPT materials on sale in the Bookstore; the materials include practice tests and tips sheets that have been developed by Valencia faculty. 

2) CPT Review Sessions

3) Visit these links for sample questions and additional information.

Reading and English:
Self-paced  review sessions are offered throughout the semester on a walk-in basis in the Writing/Communications Support Center. You must purchase the CPT Workbook in the Bookstore* and bring it with you to the review session.

Mathematics:
Self-paced review sessions are available on a walk-in basis through the Math Support Center on each campus. Check each campus Math Support Center for hours of availability. You must purchase the CPT Workbook in the Bookstore* and bring it with you to the Math Support Center. Campus staff will assist you in determining which materials you should review based on your competency level.
*At the Winter Park Campus, CPT materials may be purchased in the Business Office when the Bookstore is not open.

Purpose of CPT Review Sessions
The CPT Review Sessions are designed to assist you in preparing to take the CPT assessment. The purpose of the CPT is to accurately place you in the appropriate courses and to improve your opportunity for learning. The CPT Workbooks were created to help students review the major skills that are assessed on the CPT in order to achieve the most accurate placement into courses in English, reading, and mathematics. IF YOU HAVE NOT LEARNED THE SUBJECT MATTER COVERED IN THIS REVIEW SESSION AT ANY EARLIER TIME, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN IT FOR THE FIRST TIME THROUGH THIS REVIEW.

Students Eligibility for Review Sessions
New students are eligible to take the CPT review sessions to prepare for the CPT assessment. Students who have taken the CPT and who believe their skill level is higher than indicated by their initial CPT placement may complete the CPT review sessions one time in each subject area in order to be eligible to retake the CPT in that subject area.

After you complete the CPT review session and retake the CPT, you are not eligible to take the review a second time. You are eligible to retake the CPT only if you have not started a college preparatory course in the specific subject area. If you have started a college preparatory course in a subject area, you are not eligible to take the CPT review for that subject area. 


CPT Retakes
There must be at least 1 day between CPT retakes. Students may take the CPT twice in a two year period.  You are eligible to retake the CPT only if you have not started a college preparatory course in the specific subject area.  After completing the CPT review, you will be given a certificate by the instructor to submit to the Assessment Center. You must present this certificate to the Assessment Center before being allowed to retest in the subject area in which you completed the review session. Students who complete the review sessions must retake the CPT BEFORE CLASSES BEGIN FOR THE FOLLOWING SESSION. If you are a new student and have not yet attended a New Student Orientation program, you will find out your assessment scores and appropriate course placement in New Student Orientation. If you are a returning student or a new student who attended the CPT review sessions after New Student Orientation, you can find out your assessment scores and appropriate course placement by meeting with an advisor at the Advising Office.

ACCUPLACER ( CPT - Student Guide)
The Computerized Placement Test (CPT) was developed by the College Board, with the help of committees of college professors. It provides information about the level of skill in reading, English, and mathematics that is required for success in college. By assessing your ability levels in these areas, the CPT helps to determine the English, mathematics, and reading courses most appropriate for you at this time.

Fees for the Tests
You must have an application on file to take the CPT. There is no additional charge for the test.

Special Arrangements for Students with Disabilities
If you have a disability or temporarily disabling condition that will prevent you from taking the test under standard conditions, inform the Test Administrator before taking the test. These requests should be made directly to the Test Administrator at your college.

Testing Regulations
Textbooks, notebooks, dictionaries, calculators, or other papers of any kind (except scratch paper provided by the Test Administrator for use with the mathematics test) are not allowed in the testing room. Further, anyone who gives or receives help during the test, or uses notes or books of any kind, will not be allowed to continue the test. Following the test period, no test materials or notes may be removed from the room. Valencia may cancel any test score if there is reason to question its validity. Before canceling a score, the college may offer you the opportunity to take the test again.

Confidentiality
Your test scores and the information you provide when taking the tests will be used by Valencia for counseling and placement purposes. It may also be used by Valencia and The College Board or Educational Testing Service for research purposes. Your test information will not be used for any other reason without your permission. If the data is used for research purposes, special precautions will be taken to ensure that your identity is kept confidential.

Adaptive Testing
Each test is designed using adaptive techniques. This means that the computer automatically determines which questions are presented to you based on your responses to prior questions. This technique "zeroes-in" on just the right questions to ask you without being too easy or too difficult. The greater your demonstrated skill level, the more challenge will be the questions presented to you.
Each test is untimed so that you can give each question as much thought as you wish. However once you have verified your answer, you cannot return to that question.

The Order of the Tests
The Computerized Placement Tests include Reading Comprehension, Sentence Skills, and Elementary Algebra. On occasion, the Arithmetic test, or College-Level Mathematics test will be given.

Guessing
You should understand that this is an adaptive test. Questions are chosen for you on the basis of your answers to previous questions. Because the test works this way, you must answer every question when it is first given. You cannot omit any questions or come back later to change an answer.

You may change your answer on a particular question, but you must do so before continuing on to the next question. Once you go on to the next question, the answer is accepted and you cannot return to the question.

If you do not know an answer to a question, try to eliminate one or more of the choices. Then pick one of the remaining choices.

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