TASC Online Academic Resources

Links to Testing Resources

The TASC Testing Center provides the following testing services: The Center provides a free make-up exam service for Three Rivers students in both traditional and online courses. Click here for a Makeup Test Request Form. The TASC Testing Center also serves as a testing center for students taking distance learning (online) courses at other schools. The TASC Testing Center may also meet the requirements of the home institution to serve as a test-proctoring facility for others as well (ie. licensing board exams, entrance exams, etc.).

The Counseling and Student Development Department provide the following testing services: Placement testing (Accuplacer) in Reading, Writing, and Math for incoming students to determine the appropriate starting course level for each student. CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) to earn college-level credits for past life experience. DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support). Originally a way for military personnel to earn college credit for past experience, this program is now available to others as well. For more information on these tests contact the TRCC Testing Coordinator, Cathy Lewis, by email or by phone at (860) 885-2312.

Online Testing Resources:

    Test-taking Strategies

For help with test-taking strategies, go to TASC's online workshop. Brush up on how to prepare for tests, what general types of test you may face, and general test-taking tips.

    Accuplacer Test

After being admitted to the college, all new first-time students are required to take a placement test. To better prepare for this test, you may want to try some practice tests online before taking the actual Accuplacer Test, the test used here at TRCC.

Several sites containing practice tests are listed below and many more can be found by logging on to any search engine and searching for "Accuplacer practice tests."

Math Only:

• http://www.mc.cc.md.us/Departments/mathrv/placement/placetest.html

• http://www1.wsc.ma.edu/math/accuplacer/problems.asp

• http://www.nv3.commnet.edu/BCASERTA/MATHREVIEW/

• http://framingham.edu/CASA/elemalg.htm

• http://www.frcc.cccoes.edu/~math_bc/Accuplacer/accuplacer.html

• http://www.huntington.edu/math/eggleton/Practice%20Tests/contents.htm

Reading/Writing/Math:

• http://www.tasp.nesinc.com/practice.htm

• http://www.stlcc.cc.mo.us/fv/assessment/text/sample.htm

• http://wcb.neit.edu/asc/prctctst.htm

• http://www.necc.mass.edu/departments/assessment/study_guide.htm

    

Compass/ESL is a different placement test used by some schools. Practice tests are available on the ACT website and should help in preparation for the Accuplacer Test. The Compass test also includes a section for ESL (English for Speakers of other Languages) students.

• http://www.act.org/compass/sample/. 

    

At the other end of your time here at Three Rivers you may decide to help with teaching others. Many people assist teachers by working with children in specific academic areas. These people are known as paraprofessionals (or "paras").  If you have not earned your Associate's degree (or completed two years of college), Connecticut requires its paras to take the Parapro test. We were unable to locate any sites with FREE Parapro practice tests, but the links below will lead you to sites with more information on Parapro testing.

• http://www.ets.org/parapro/

• http://www.cfepe.org/esea.htm

    

You may instead decide to continue on to earn your bachelor's degree. You may also decide that you want to become a teacher. If you want to teach at either the primary or secondary level, you will have to take the Praxis exam as required in Connecticut (and most other states). We were unable to locate any sites with FREE Praxis practice tests, but the link below will lead you to the Praxis site that sells study guides.

•  http://www.ets.org/praxis/prxorder.html

    

If you then want to continue on to earn your master's degree, some schools require you to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Help with preparing for the GRE and GMAT, along with practice tests, can be found at:

• http://www.gre.org/pracmats.html#gentest
• http://www.mba.com/mba/takethegmat#toolstohelp
• http://www.wtamu.edu/academic/anns/mps/math/mathlab/gre/math_help.htm.

A new site, "My GRE Tutor", contains tutorials, practice problems in all areas, a vocabulary builder, and actual timed sample tests. The site was developed by current and past grad students with the aim to keep it simple and FREE! There are currently only two practice tests, but it sounds like more will be coming - check it out!