Testing Center and Course Placement

Dakota County Technical College is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (Minnesota State) and, as such, we are required to assess new, incoming students' academic readiness. The test approved by Minnesota State to do this assessment is The College Board’s ACCUPLACER. ACCUPLACER scores are an important tool used by advisors to place students in courses that match their skill level and give them the best opportunities for success. The test is used within DCTC’s admissions and enrollment process. DCTC uses the Reading Comprehension, Arithmetic, Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics, and Advanced Algebra and Functions portions of the ACCUPLACER. What portions a student needs to take is based on what DCTC program/major they are pursuing.

DCTC may consider waiving all or parts of the ACCUPLACER. See below for minimum requirements to place into English and Math courses.

English & Reading Placement

Math Placement

ACCUPLACER Preparation Resources

Whether taking the ACCUPLACER the first time or retaking it, students are STRONGLY encouraged to prepare for the test as much as possible. Refer to the various preparation resources listed below to assist in the quest for better test scores. A prepared student can see a significant increase in their test scores and may help avoid having to take extra developmental courses thus saving time and money.

Retest Policy/Test Exemption

The retest policy allows students to retake all or parts of the test at a time of their choosing and, preferably, with adequate preparation. However, a student can only retest only once during a 6-month period and must wait a minimum or 24 hours after the initial test date. Students retesting at DCTC must pay a $5 retest fee at the Tuition Office before taking the test. Students are encouraged to check if they are eligible for a test exemption based on ACT, SAT, or MCA scores, prior degree(s) or prior college coursework.

Test Results/Placement

Students will receive their Individual Score Report immediately upon completion of their ACCUPLACER test. In most cases, students will speak with an advisor right away to have their scores interpreted. How a student does on the ACCUPLACER generally does not affect admissions to the college and to its programs. ACCUPLACER results help determine appropriate course placement in reading, writing and math courses.

Get the course placement grid for English, Reading, and Math

Acceptable Identification

The Testing Center requires that you provide an acceptable form of photo identification to access your previous test scores and to take the ACCUPLACER test (no exceptions).

View forms of acceptable identification

Follow instructions below to use guided self-placement to determine your course placement in Math, Reading, and English:

• Math Placement Guide
• Reading and English Placement Guide

Complete the Guided Self-Placement Contract(s), mandatory for this placement method:

• Math Guided Self-Placement Contract
• Reading Guided Self-Placement Contract

Deciding on a Course Placement

As you read through the course descriptions in the Math and Reading Placement Guides above, please consider both your general knowledge of these subjects, which is certainly important, as well as your study routine. Will you have enough time and energy, after fulfilling your work, family, and outside obligations (including the other courses you'll be taking), to give your selected math or reading course the time it will need? Sometimes it's a good idea to take these courses when you'll have a smaller overall load, if possible.

Study Habits Matter

Experience shows that both general math and reading knowledge and good study habits are equally important. Some students may pass a course placement test and think, "Great, this class will be a cinch" - except they don't budget enough time* per week for learning the new things which invariably come up. Trying to get by on wits alone, some students end their semester with D grades, or worse. Other students have strong enough work habits (and give themselves enough quality time) that they "easily" overcome a low score on a placement test to end with an A or B. (A positive attitude can also help.) Therefore, placing yourself into one of our math or reading courses is not limited to taking a test to find your perfect spot. You don't necessarily need to remember everything to be successful in a particular course; what's important is that you'll be able to pick it up again, as needed, and apply it confidently to new material, keeping up week by week.

Work with Your Advisor

Please give the above course descriptions a close read. We hope you will find something both enjoyable and well-suited to your goals and abilities. You may also want to work with your academic advisor prior to registration if you have questions or need further guidance in selecting the appropriate course(s). Good luck with all your classes!

*Most instructors set the pace of their courses according to the Carnegie definition of a credit. For a student who is appropriately placed, each credit represents three hours of work per week. A 4-credit course, therefore, should generally be viewed as a 12-hour weekly commitment (minimum).

The ATI TEAS (Test for Essential Academic Skills) is a required test for students submitting application to DCTC's Practical Nursing Diploma degree. The ATI TEAS exam measures basic essential skills in the academic content areas of READING, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, and ENGLISH/LANGUAGE USAGE. These entry level skills were deemed important for health science program applicants by a panel of subject matter experts. The TEAS is required of all DCTC Practical Nursing applicants and a score of 60% or higher is needed for acceptance into the program. TEAS exam scores are valid for two years from the date of the exam.

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

The DCTC Library has study guide e-books and books for the ATI TEAS exam. Access is controlled off-campus by StarID login or stop by the DCTC library to rent study guide books.

• McGraw-Hill Education 5 TEAS Practice Tests, 4th ed.
• McGraw-Hill Education TEAS Review, 3rd ed.

LEARNINGEXPRESS LIBRARY

Free practice exams are available on the LearningExpress Library. Students will be required to create a username and password in order to utilize the site. Once logged in, search for TEAS in the search bar tab and several practice tests are available.

To sign up for the TEAS Prep class please contact our Testing Center at testing@dctc.edu or 651-423-8657.

ATI TEAS Test Accommodations

Extended Testing Time

Students can request having a longer period of time to complete the TEAS if they have a documented disability that warrants such an accommodation. Students should contact accessibility@dctc.edu to have their accommodation approved and documented. If approved, the nursing director, will set the accommodation at time and a half (1.5) OR double time (2.0). Students must request these accommodations at least one week in advance.

Paper/Pencil Test

The ATI TEAS is primarily administered as an online test. However, a paper/pencil version of the test is available to students who have a documented disability and have had this accommodation approved. Students should contact accessibility@dctc.edu to have their accommodation approved and documented. If approved, the nursing director will order and have shipped the paper/pencil version. Students must request these accommodations at least one week in advance.

Upcoming TEAS Exam Dates Proctored by DCTC

Register for TEAS at DCTC

Click on the button above to register for one of the sessions listed if you are a DCTC Practical Nursing applicant. Follow the prompts on the screens and be prepared to set up an ATI account (if you have not done so already) and to pay the non-refundable test fee.

Register for TEAS at Another College/University

Students can certainly take the TEAS at another test site more convenient for them. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to register for the TEAS Exam.

Any questions on the TEAS exam process or to sign up for the TEAS Prep class can be directed our Testing Center at testing@dctc.edu or 651-423-8657.

The HESI test is a requirement for all students in the Veterinary Technician program. Students in this program must complete their first semester of classes with a C- or better and have received a cumulative score of 60% or higher in the HESI exam before they can start their second semester of classes.

The use of cellphones during this exam is strictly prohibited.

The HESI exam will consists of the following subject areas:

Reading Comprehension: Provides reading scenarios in order to measure reading comprehension, identifying the main idea, finding meaning of words in context, passage comprehension, making logical inferences, etc.

• 55 Questions, 60 minutes

Grammar: Contains basic grammar, including parts of speech, important terms and their uses, commonly occurring grammatical errors, etc.

• 55 questions, 50 minutes

Math: Focus of math skills needed for health care fields, including basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions, decimals, ration and proportion, household measures, general math facts, etc.

• 50 questions, 50 minutes

Anatomy and Physiology: Provides coverage of general terminology and anatomical structures and systems.

• 30 questions, 25 minutes

Student must receive an overall score of 60% or above.

Upcoming HESI Testing Dates Proctored by DCTC

Students must contact our Testing Center at testing@dctc.edu or 651-423-8657 to receive instructions on scheduling the exam.

• How to add HESI Student Access to your Evolve account
• How to create an Evolve account

Important notes for testing:

• You will need to have your Evolve username and password in order to test (you will be prompted for this after starting your exam session).
• The startup process will take between 10-15 minutes and does not deduct against your actual exam time.

HESI: Admission Assessment Exam Review, 5^th Edition

HESI: $45.00
https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/product/9780323582261?role=student
ISBN: 978-0323582261

LearningExpress Library

Free practice exams are available on the LearningExpress Library. Students will be required to create a username and password in order to utilize the site. Once logged in, search for HESI in the search bar tab and several practice tests are available.

Extended Testing Time

Students can request having a longer period of time to complete the HESI exam if they have a documented disability that warrants such an accommodation. Students should contact accessibility@dctc.edu to have their accommodation approved and documented. If approved, the Vet Tech program director will set the accommodation at the time and a half (1.5) OR double time (2.0). Students must request these accommodations two weeks in advance.

For questions on the HESI exam process or to sign up for the HESI Prep Class please contact our Testing Center at testing@dctc.edu to confirm your interest. The class will be limited to the first 24 students that respond.

The College Level Examination Program® (CLEP) offers students the opportunity to receive college credit for what you already know. The 90 minute exams, which cost $90 each, are administered at 1,700 test centers, and 2,900 colleges and universities.

I'm ready to take a CLEP Exam. What do I do?

1. Decide which exam is right for you.
2. Register online through the CLEP website.
3. Call the nearest test center to schedule your exam.

Administration Fee: $20 (paid to the test center)
CLEP Exam Fee: $90

Dakota County Technical College does not proctor CLEP Exams. The closest testing center is Inver Hills Community College. Please contact Inver Hills Community College by emailing Inver Hills Testing Center at testingcenter@inverhills.edu or call 651-450-3650 to reserve a date and time.

View the CLEP Exam Equivalencies Chart

• All materials disallowed by the test directions should be left outside the testing room.
• No food or drink is allowed in the testing room.
• Cheating is prohibited. If you are caught cheating: your test will be confiscated, you will be asked to leave the testing room, and your instructor will be notified.
• Notify Testing Center staff if you need to use the restroom; no breaks are allowed for lunch; phone calls may be made only in an emergency.
• If your test has a time limit, you are responsible to watch the time and return the test to Testing Center staff on schedule.
• You are not allowed to leave the testing room with the test or test-related materials.

If you wish to use an approved accommodation for testing in the Testing Center, you must make arrangements with your instructor in advance and have the test sent to the center. You will need your accommodations, e.g., a reader, scribe, private room or extra time, set up with Accessibility Services in advance.

After working with Accessibility Resources, you may schedule your test through one of these methods:

• testing@dctc.edu
• 651-423-8657
• In-person Room 2-141

Accessibility Services Testing Form

If you wish to take a make-up test in the Testing Center, you must make arrangements with your instructor in advance to have the test sent to the center.

After working with your faculty, you may schedule your test through one of these methods:

• testing@dctc.edu
• 651-423-8657
• In-person Room 2-141

Please call the Testing Center at 651-423-8657 or email testing@dctc.edu to make sure your testing information has been received. Please call at least 24 hours in advance and have your class or course information available.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

There is no fee if you are testing for a Minnesota State institution.

Non-Minnesota State Institutions or Organizations

This testing is being offered on a limited basis at the discretion of the proctor's availability and the technical requirements of the examination.

A processing fee of $20 per test must be paid cash, check or card at the time of your test.