The Accuplacer Test is one of the tools that Utah Valley University uses to place students in the best starting writing and math courses.
The Department of Basic Composition does not administer or have control of Accuplacer testing. If you have specific questions about the test, follow the links below or contact Testing Services.
In order to register for your first writing and math courses at UVU, you will need
a) ACT or SAT scores (usually submitted as part of your application
b) Transfer credit for college level Math and English
c) An Accuplacer score
So, if you have never taken the ACT or SAT, and don't have transfer credit for both Math and English, you will need to take the Accuplacer before registering for classes.
Take a look at the following webpage, "Help for Taking the Accuplacer," developed by Academic Standards, to learn more about what kinds of questions you'll see on the Accuplacer and how to prepare for them.
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Especially since the Accuplacer determines how many Math and English classes you will need to take, getting the best score possible can save you A LOT of time and money.
Academic advisers must follow UVU's guidelines in placing you into courses based on your Accuplacer score, so only getting a better score can change your placement. And, since the Accuplacer can be re-taken multiple times (for an additional fee), studying can make a big difference in getting the score that best reflects your abilities.
Luckily, Testing Services has developed a list of resources to help you prepare for the Accuplacer. Two of the most commonly used resources are:
In addition, here is some of the most important things you should know about the Accuplacer before taking it:
Your score on the Accuplacer test will determine which English and Math classes you can register for (this happens automatically). Here is a chart that explains how your Accuplacer score translates into your course placement.
You should not take your score as a statement about how smart, capable, or prepared you are as a college student. The Accuplacer only tests a very specific set of skills and knowledge, and all students test differently. Your experience in your first Writing Course will give you a much better idea of where you knowledge and abilities stand.
Standardized tests like the ACT or the Accuplacer, can’t always fully assess what a student really knows. If the ACT and/or Accuplacer places you in English 0890, but you believe you should be in English 1000, you have two options: you can retake the Accuplacer tests, hoping to get better scores, or you can take the departmental “challenge” test that consists of reading an article and writing an essay in response to that article.
If you wish to challenge your English placement, you must do so before a semester starts or within the first week of a semester. If you retake the Accuplacer tests and get higher scores, you may have to wait until the following semester to get into the higher class.
If you have been placed in English 1000 and believe you should be in English 1010, the only person who can help you is the academic adviser for the English & Literature Department, Dawn Chase (info).