2013 Reports

Frequently Asked Questions About CCRC’s Assessment Validity Studies

Jaggars, Shanna; Stacey, Georgia West; Hodara, Michelle

In March 2012, CCRC released two studies examining how well two widely used assessment tests—COMPASS and ACCUPLACER—predict the subsequent performance of entering students in their college-level courses. The studies, Do High-Stakes Placement Exams Predict College Success? and Predicting Success in College: The Importance of Placement Tests and High School Transcripts, can be found at http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu. Both studies found that assessment scores are not highly predictive of subsequent student performance and that many students are misplaced in college-level and developmental classes based on their scores on these tests. This document is intended to address some of the frequently asked questions about the studies.