Skip to page navigation Skip to page content HCC Webmail | Site Index | Directory | Contact Us |

Placement Testing

Students who have been accepted to Honolulu Community College for the upcoming semester and have not successfully completed previous college courses in English or math should take the placement test at their earliest convenience. The placement test determines the level of English and math courses students are prepared to enter. The test is computerized and not timed. There is no charge for the test. Students are given their results immediately upon completion of the test along with additional information on course registration.

Testing Schedule

Each student receives a testing schedule with his or her letter of acceptance to HCC. Students may call 845-9217 for a recording of the most current testing dates and times. No appointment is necessary. The testing center is closed on Sundays and holidays. During peak testing seasons, placement testing is scheduled on some Saturdays and early evenings.

Testing Location

The Testing Center is located in Building 7, Room 313. The building’s outside elevators go to half floors and require walking down one flight of stairs to the third floor. Handicap access to the third floor is available through an elevator inside the library which is located on the ground floor of Building 7.

Testing Requirements

Students must bring an HCC acceptance letter or HCC counselor permission slip, a photo ID, and need to know their banner ID number or they will not be able to take the placement test.

Testers are monitored by security cameras at all times during testing. Cell phones, pagers and other inappropriate electronic devices are not allowed. No communication between testers is allowed in the testing room.

Hand held calculators and other devices are not allowed in the testing room. Neither are dictionaries or other reference materials. During the math test, students will be allowed to use the onscreen calculator only. Scratch paper is provided and collected at the end of the test.

Students are asked not to bring children with them to the testing site for safety reasons and out of courtesy to other testers.

Students With Disabilities

Students with disabilities may request special testing accommodations by calling 845-9272. Advance notice of at least two workdays is respectfully requested.

Retesting

A permission slip from an HCC counselor is required to retest. Students who have placement tested may not retest for four months. During that time it is advisable for students intending to retest to review English and math and become familiar with test taking strategies and procedures. Review information is available below.

Sample Test Questions

Sample test questions are available at the ACT web site. These sample items illustrate the types of questions students will encounter in placement testing for Mathematics, Reading, Writing Skills and ESL.

ACT, Inc.
http://www.act.org/compass/sample/

Mathematics Placement
http://www.act.org/compass/sample/math.html

Reading Placement
http://www.act.org/compass/sample/reading.html

Writing Skills Placement
http://www.act.org/compass/sample/writing.html

English as a Second Language (ESL) Placement
http://www.act.org/esl/sample.html

Mathematics Topics in the COMPASS Math Placement Test

Numerical Skills/Pre-Algebra

  • Basic operations with integers
  • Basic operations with fractions
  • Basic operations with decimals
  • Exponents
  • Ratios and proportions
  • Percentages
  • Conversions between fractions and decimals
  • Multiples and factors of integers
  • Absolute values of numbers
  • Averages (arithmetic means)
  • Order concepts (greater than; less than)
  • Estimation skills
  • Number theory
  • Counting problems and simple probability

Elementary Algebra

  • Substituting values in algebraic equations
  • Setting up equations in given situations
  • Basic operations with polynomials
  • Factoring polynomials
  • Solving polynomial equations by factoring
  • Formula manipulation and field axioms
  • Linear equations in one variable
  • Exponents
  • Linear inequalities in one variable

Intermediate Algebra

  • Rational expressions
  • Exponents
  • Systems of linear equations in 2 variables
  • Quadratic formulas
  • Absolute value equations and inequalities

Coordinate Geometry

  • Linear equations in 2 variables
  • Distance formulas in the plane
  • Graphing conics (circle, parabola, etc.)
  • Graphing relations in the plane
  • Graphing systems of equations & functions
  • Midpoint formulas

Trigonometry

  • Trigonometric functions and identities
  • Right-angle trigonometry
  • Trigonometric equations & inequalities
  • Graphs of trigonometric functions
  • Special angles (multiples of 30 and 45 degrees)
  • Polar coordinates