Bismarck State College requires all students who are 25 or older, and/or students with 25 or more semester hours of completed college credit to submit COMPASS placement scores, unless exemptions apply.

COMPASS is a computerized adaptive placement testing system that measures skills in math, reading and English. Because the exam is adaptive, there is no fixed set of testing questions. Each test is made up of a unique collection of items pulled from a database pool. With no time limit, typically students will spend around 11/2 - 21/2 hours to complete the full test battery. Even though the placement exam is computerized, computer skills are not necessary. COMPASS is user friendly and is designed for individuals with little or no computer experience.

The COMPASS placement exam focuses on math, reading and English skills.

Writing Skills Test:
This test presents examinees with an essay and requires them to first, find errors in grammar, punctuation, sentence structure as well as strategy, organization and style and then, correct the errors by selecting the appropriate text segment from among five alternatives.
Note: Spelling, vocabulary, and rote recall of rules of grammar are not tested.

Reading Skills Test:
The Reading test measures reading comprehension skills. This test presents a reading passage in which the examinee will be required to select the correct response to a question from among five alternatives. The student must be able to determine the meaning directly from the content of the passage, draw conclusions from the content of the passage and must also make comparisons and generalizations.

Math Skills Test:
This test covers a variety of items from numerical skills, to pre-algebra all the way up to advanced math, such as Trigonometry. The examinee will be asked to select a correct answer from a list of choices. Each student will begin the exam with numerical skills; if the student continues to answer the questions correctly the test will continue to progress into higher levels.

Scheduling a COMPASS Placement Exam
A student must contact the Testing and Assessment Office at 224-5658 or 1-800-445-5073 to schedule an appointment.

Testing Location:
Bismarck State College
Schafer Hall - Room 205

September - April
Every Monday and Wednesday - 2:00 p.m.
First Wednesday of each month - 5:30 p.m.
Last Thursday of each month - 9:00 a.m.

May - August
Every Monday and Wednesday - 1:00 p.m.
First Wednesday of each month - 5:00 p.m.
Last Thursday of each month - 9:00 a.m.

Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to your scheduled session and bring a photo I.D., calculator and fee receipt.

Cost for the COMPASS Placement Exam
Students will be required to pay a $15.00 fee prior to testing. The fee maybe paid the day of the exam in the Business Office, Schafer Hall - Room 132. A fee receipt must be presented at check-in.