General Information                          

Testing Hours and Fees

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information
Assessment Services administers placement and admission tests.  Though both examinations are administered within the specified schedule, placement tests may be available during walk – in hours.

Offices are located in the Student Services Office in the Student and Community Life Center.
Phone: (803) 535-1224

•  Assessment Services administer placement and admission tests.
•  The preferred method to schedule a placement test is by appointment; however, prospective examinees may be accommodated during walk – in hours, if space permits.
•  The placement test that OCtech uses is COMPASS.  We encourage you to review your writing, reading, and math before you begin.  GED or SAT study materials are very helpful as are the sample questions on www.act.org/compass.  Click onto Sample Questions.
•  A COMPASS brochure is available in the Student Services Division.  You will receive your results as soon as you complete the test.  You will be referred to a counselor who will discuss them with you.
•   The placement test is not timed, though the average time of completion is 1.5 – 2.0 hours, the examinee may finish earlier or later.  The COMPASS is a computerized measurement of one’s abilities in Reading, Writing, and Math.  The ASSET, the paper and pencil version, is timed (25 minutes per section).  It is given only in extreme circumstances.
•  Children may not stay with you while you are testing.   Children may not be left unattended on the campus of OCtech.
•  A photo ID, such as driver’s license, is required for all testing.
•  A payment receipt and an appointment approval are required for placement retests and admission examinations.
•  Admission tests are administered by appointment.
•  Preparatory workshops are available for admission examinations.  You may contact a counselor to determine eligibility.

Food, Drink, Cellular Telephones, Pagers, etc. are prohibited in the Assessment Center.
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Hours and Fees
Assessment Services are located in the Life and Community Center, Building S, on the campus of Orangeburg – Calhoun Technical College.

The placement test, COMPASS, is administered during the below scheduled days and times. Appointments are preferred.  Prospective examinees may be accommodated during walk – in hours as space is available.  The ASSET measurement is given only in extreme circumstances.

Admission Tests such as N.E.T., H.O.B.E.T., etc.,(admission tests for Nursing and Health Science programs with limited enrollment) maintain the same scheduled days and times as the COMPASS. They are not administered during walk – in hours.

Testing appointments are preferred, however tests are administered on a walk – in basis only as space permits.

Scheduled Testing Times
Monday - Thursday   8:30 a.m.
                               1:00 p.m.
                               4:00 p.m.
Friday                      8:30 a.m.

The necessity for a retest on the placement examination is discussed with the examinee in post – assessment counseling.  An approval from an admission counselor is required to pay the fees for the retest, test for other colleges, a remote test, and all admission tests.

Testing Fees
The receipt for payment, the approval form, and photo ID are required to write fee based examinations.

COMPASS First Test                                   Free
COMPASS Retest                                       $5.00
COMPASS Test for Other Colleges               $10.00
COMPASS Remote Test                              $15.00
Admission Tests (N.E.T., H.O.B.E.T., etc.)    $25.00
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Frequently Asked Questions

What exams are administered?
Assessment Services administer the ASSET and COMPASS educational measurements for course placement.  Admission examinations are also given for specific program requirements.  These tests currently include the Nurse Entrance (NET) and Health Occupations Basic Entrance (HOBET) Tests.

What are the hours of Assessment Services?
Assessment Services are available on Mondays – Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m..

Do I need an appointment to take a test?
An appointment is preferred to take the COMPASS and required to take admission examinations.  The ASSET is only administered on campus in rare circumstances.

What do I need to take the placement test?
An official photo ID (driver’s license) is required to take all examinations.  An approval and receipt of payment are required for the placement retest and admission tests.

How long does the placement test take?
 The COMPASS is NOT timed.

How may I prepare for the placement test?
The placement examination contains questions on reading comprehension, writing skills, and mathematics.  The G.E.D. and/or S.A.T. preparatory guides are helpful as well as the sample questions in the COMPASS brochure at OCtech.  You may find additional samples at www.act.org/compass.

I do not have a photo ID, may I still take my test?
No.

May I bring my child with me to the Assessment Center?
No.

After my placement test, what do I do next?
You will meet with an admission counselor for post – assessment counseling.  He/She will discuss your results with you.

May I take the placement test more than once?
Yes.  An examinee may retest once within five years.

How do I get college credit for what I already know?
Your Program Coordinator and Dean may recommend experiential credit.
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