ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the history of college placement testing. It describes the limitations of placement tests, the consequences of placement errors, and the movement toward changing systems of placement. Higher education institutions need mechanisms to assess the college readiness of incoming students. Selective institutions use admissions requirements to screen students, accepting or rejecting them on the basis of their test scores and applications. Colleges and college systems are seeking ways to improve entry assessments while minimizing costs and administrative challenges. Based on recent research on assessment practices, options include employing alternative measures, the use of multiple measures, and broader conceptions of placement. Noncognitive assessments seek to measure students' psychosocial characteristics, such as motivation, learning strategies, academic tenacity, or sense of belonging. In a waiver system, one or more criteria are used to waive placement testing requirements and allow students to place directly into college-level courses.
