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Campus Based Testing

We are available to facilitate appropriate placement in courses and programs, to coordinate or invigilate exams for other educational institutions, and to administer entry assessments for admission to TRU programs.

What we offer

  English as a Second or Alternate Language testing (ACCUPLACER)

The testing system consists of four parts:

1. Reading skills

The Reading Skills part of LOEP tests the student's comprehension of short passages. The sub-test contains brief passages of 50 words or less and moderate length passages of 50 to 90 words. There is a variety of passage content such as the arts, human relationships, physical science, history/social sciences and practical situations.

Half of the Reading Skills sub-test contains straightforward comprehension items (paraphrase, locating information, vocabulary on a phrase level, and pronoun reference). The other half assesses inference skills (main idea, fact vs. opinion, cause/effect logic, identifying irrelevant information, author's point of view, and applying the author's logic to another situation).

2. Language Use

The Language Use sub-test measures grammar and usage. It contains questions in two formats: completing a sentence by filling in a blank with the word or phrase from the choices given, and choosing a sentence that best combines two discrete sentences that are given.

The skills covered are subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, forms of irregular verbs, appropriate verb forms in structures, noun-noun agreement, noun forms, pronouns, modifiers, comparatives, prepositions, connectives, parallelism, and sentence fragments/run-ons.

3. Sentence meaning

Sentence meaning assesses the understanding of word meanings in one- or two-sentence contexts. The sentences are drawn from the content areas of natural science, history/social studies, arts/humanities, psychology/human relations, and practical situations.

The areas tested are: particle verbs (or phrasal verbs), basic and important idioms, adverb/adjective phrases, basic nouns, verbs and adjectives (particularly terms of beauty, age, greatness, size), adverbs of frequency, sequence of adverbs (before, after, during), prepositions of direction and place (from, to, at, for, etc), comparatives, connectives, and commands.

4. Writing sample

WritePlacer provides a direct measure of the writing skills of students who are not native speakers of English.For this test, examinees are asked to provide a writing sample in response to a specific prompt. Examinees have 1 hour to complete the writing sample. Each response is evaluated based on the following features of writing:

  • Vocabulary
  • Sentence Structure
  • Focus
  • Organization
  • Development and Support

An oral interview follows these written sections.

Procedure

  • Students must register to write the English Placement assessment through the Assessment Centre.
  • Testing takes place in the Assessment Centre (OM 1487) or a computer lab in the Old Main building. The exact room number is posted on the day of the test. Students are to report to the testing room at 8:45 A.M. on the testing day.

Scent-free notice: The Assessment Centre is a scent free work environment. Since many people are extremely sensitive to perfumes, colognes, aftershaves and other scented products, we request that no one wears them at anytime in the Centre. If a candidate does not comply with this policy, they will not be tested and they will be responsible for rescheduling their exam. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we need to ensure the safety of all using this space.

  • Students are to bring picture ID and student number.
  • The testing session lasts approximately 3 hours.

Testing dates

Testing takes place on Wednesdays. Please contact the Assessment Centre to reserve a seat by email: assess@tru.ca

Purpose

Assessment tool for student placement in EAP courses and programs at TRU.

Fee

$45 + GST

More Info

College Board ACCUPLACER

 Typing tests

The TRU typing test is an online proctored 5-minute typing test that assesses a candidate's typing speed and accuracy. It can be proctored virtually via Zoom.

Typing test appointments are 20 minutes to allow log in with ID, set up and three 5-minute test attempts (highest score will be used).

Purpose

Entrance requirement for:

Please note, we do not offer typing tests for employment purposes.

Sign up

Typing Test Registration

Fees

A $30 (+ GST) entry assessment testing fee must be paid when booking the test. Please note this fee is non-refundable.

Procedure

  • Schedule an appointment online to write the TRU entry assessment typing test in person or remotely.
  • Complete the entry assessment typing test on established date.

Williams Lake students

Contact us at wlassess@tru.ca to take the typing test in Williams Lake.

 Private testing for TRU OL exams and other post-secondary institutions

TRU provides on campus private testing services for individuals wanting to write TRU OL exams or exams from post-secondary institutions other than TRU.

Fees

Supervision Fees:

The exam supervision fee is $50 + GST per three-hour sitting, with additional fees for longer sessions. Please note this fee is non-refundable.

Postage Fees:

There is a $15 postage fee if the institution requires the completed exam to be returned by courier anywhere in Canada. This fee will vary for locations outside Canada.

Procedure

  • If you require private testing services, please complete the private testing request form.
  • Once we receive this form, we will contact you via email to arrange a test date with you. Preferred test dates are not guaranteed due to our availability.
  • If it is possible for us to supervise your exam, you will need to pay the private testing fee to secure your appointment. Instructions for doing so will be sent to you via email. This fee is non-refundable.
  • Once your appointment is confirmed:
    • Other institution exams: you are responsible for arranging for the testing material to be sent to our office well in advance of the test date.
    • OL exams: we will contact the OL Exams department to have them send us your testing material.
  • The staff will notify you by email with important test day information once the testing materials arrive.

Contact Information

  • Exams & Testing Services, Old Main Building, Room OM 1487
  • Thompson Rivers University
  • 805 TRU Way
  • Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8
  • Email: assess@tru.ca
  • Phone: 250-828-5470
  • Map of Campus
  • TRU Visitor parking
 Make up Exam Testing

General Information

We offer supervision services for TRU makeup tests on a limited basis at no cost to the department or student. Faculty members can arrange for these in-person testing sessions on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Length of Makeup test sessions

Sessions are available throughout the semester. During the first 13 weeks, most sessions are 75 minutes in length although a few two-hour sessions are available. During the final exam period, three-hour sessions are available.

Guidelines

  • Schedule in advance: All sessions must be booked at least 48 hours beforehand.
  • Paper-based exams: Exams for paper-based sessions can be uploaded when scheduling the appointment or delivered to Old Main 1487 at least one day before the exam during office hours.
  • Accommodated exams: This service is not available for any accommodated testing sessions. If accommodations are required, arrangements must be made throughAccessibility Services.

Instructions for makeup exam testing with Exams & Testing Services

  1. Approval and timing: Faculty member reviews and approves a request by a student for a makeup exam and discusses the test timing with the student.
  2. Scheduling: The faculty schedules the session using the Faculty-Only Makeup Exam Registration Form available on one.tru.ca. This form is located on the Quick Links page, under Other Links
  3. Exam day requirements: On exam day, the student reports to the Old Main 1487 at least 15 minutes in advance with a TRU issued, or government issued photo ID.
  4. Faculty availability: Faculty should be available during your exam to answer any questions unless other arrangements are made with the Exams & testing Services.
  5. Exam pickup: Faculty must pick up your completed paper-based exam within 48 hours and show photo ID when collecting the exam.
  6. Cancellations: Please inform the Exams & Testing Services staff if there are any cancellations.

If faculty have any questions about this service, they can contact Exams & testing Services by emailing assess@tru.ca. The office is in the Old Main Building (Room 1487).

 ACCUPLACER Testing for TRU Admission

At Thompson Rivers University, the Accuplacer is used for admission to some TRU programs and for TRU English language assessment purposes.

Register to write the ACCUPLACER on-campus in Kamloops (Wednesday mornings at 9:00am) or at home using a virtual proctoring service (additional fee starting at $29.50 USD) using our online registration form. You can also write your ACCUPLACER on-campus at our regional campuses.

Click here to register

ACCUPLACER is an integrated system of computer-adaptive assessments designed to evaluate students’ skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. To determine what ACCUPLACER tests and scores are required for each program, go to the FAQ at the bottom of this page and click on "What scores do I need on the ACCUPLACER?" All tests are multiple choice and untimed except for WritePlacer, which has a one-hour time limit. Basic calculators are permitted for all testing.

Programs that use ACCUPLACER for Admission

  • Automotive Service Technician
  • Carpentry
  • Culinary Arts
  • Electrical
  • Heavy Mechanical
  • Instrumentation and Control Technician
  • Health Care Assistant
  • Horticulture
  • Industrial Mechanic (Millwright/Machinist)
  • Plumbing/Piping
  • Power Engineering
  • Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic
  • Retail Meat Processing Welding

Test descriptions

The ACCUPLACER System is designed to provide placement, advisement, and guidance information for students entering Thompson Rivers UniversityA detailed description of each of the six main tests is provided below. More information, sample questions and a free study app are available at the College Board ACCUPLACER website.

English Tests

Reading Test

Each student taking this test will be presented with a series of 20 multiple choice questions. Questions are either discrete (standalone) or part of sets built around a common passage or passages. Four broad knowledge and skill categories are assessed:

  • Information and Ideas (reading closely, determining central ideas and themes, summarizing, understanding relationships)
  • Rhetoric (analyzing word choice rhetorically, text structure, point of view, purpose, arguments)
  • Synthesis (analyzing multiple texts)
  • Vocabulary
Writing Test

Each student receives 25 multiple choice questions. In answering the questions, test takers must determine the best revision or editing decision in a particular case (or that no change should be made to the passage as originally presented). Two broad knowledge and skill categories are assessed:

  • Expression of Ideas (development, organization, effective language use)
  • Standard English Conventions (sentence structure, usage, punctuation)
WritePlacer Test

For this test, examinees are asked to provide an on-demand writing sample in response to a specific prompt. Examinees have 1 hour to complete the writing sample. Each response is evaluated based on the following features of writing: focus, organization, development and support, sentence structure & mechanical conventions. Holistic scoring is used to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the writing sample as evidenced by how well a piece of writing communicates a whole message. Each writing sample is evaluated based on its overall impression, not on the basis of the individual writing characteristics in isolation. Additional information about the WritePlacer test and writing samples are available on the College Board website

Math Tests

Arithmetic Test

This test consists of 20 multiple choice questions that focus on computation, order of operations, estimation and rounding, comparing and ordering values in different formats, and recognizing equivalent values across formats. The following knowledge and skill categories are assessed:

  • Whole number operations
  • Fraction operations
  • Decimal operations
  • Percent
  • Number comparisons and equivalents
Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS) Test

This test consists of 20 multiple choice questions that assess the following knowledge and skill categories:

  • Rational numbers
  • Ratio and proportional relationships
  • Exponents
  • Algebraic expressions
  • Linear equations
  • Linear applications and graphs
  • Probability and sets
  • Descriptive statistics
  • Geometry concepts for Pre-Algebra & Basic Algebra
Advanced Algebra and Functions Test

This test consists of 20 multiple choice questions that assess the following knowledge and skill categories:

  • Linear equations
  • Linear applications and graphs
  • Factoring
  • Quadratics
  • Functions
  • Radical and rational equations
  • Polynomial equations
  • Exponential and logarithmic equations
  • Geometry concepts for Algebra
  • Trigonometry

FAQ

When does the ACCUPLACER testing take place?

Testing sessions take place every Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. at TRU Kamloops, excluding holidays.

What scores do I need on the ACCUPLACER?
At TRU, the minimum scores required on the ACCUPLACER entrance tests are as follows:
Program Reading Writing WritePlacer Arithmetic Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra & Statistics (QAS) Advanced Algebra & Functions
Automotive Service Technician 240 — — 260 245 —
Carpentry 240 240 — 260 245 —
Culinary Arts 230 — — 245 — —
Electrical 240 240 — 260 245 —
Health Care Assistant 240 240 4 — — —
Heavy Mechanical 230 — — 245 235 —
Industrial Mechanic
(Millwright/Machinist)		 240 — — 245 235 —
Instrumentation/Control Technician 250 250 — 260 245 —
Piping/Plumbing 240 — — 260 245 —
Power Engineering 240 240 — 260 245 —
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning 240 240 — 260 245 —
Retail Meat Processing 230 — — 245 — —
Welding 240 — — 245 235 —
Note: these scores are based on a variety of validity studies and may change after subsequent studies.
Scores as they relate to TRU English and Math levels:
ABE Course Level Reading Writing WritePlacer Arithmetic Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra & Statistics (OAS) Advanced Algebra & Functions
First Year English 250 250 5 — — —
English 0600 240 240 4 — — —
English 0500 230 230 3 — — —
English 0400 220 220 2 — — —
First Year Math — — — 270 250 235
Math 0600  — — — 260 245 220
Math 0500 — — — 245 235 —
Math 0400 — — —  230  220 —
Note: these scores are based on a variety of validity studies and may change after subsequent studies.
How do I interpret the scores?

The Reading; Writing; Arithmetic; and Quantitative Reasonings, Alegbra & Statistics (QAS) test scores are reported on a scale from 200 to 300.

The WritePlacer Score is reported on a scale from 0 - 8 with a description for each score. A score of zero indicates that the response was off topic, in a language other than English, too short to be evaluated, or in some other way not able to be scored.

How can I prepare for the ACCUPLACER Next Generation?
How much does the ACCUPLACER cost to write?

A $39 (+ GST) entry assessment testing fee must be paid online at the time of registration.

How do I register for the ACCUPLACER? What happens next?

Register to write the ACCUPLACER and pay the testing fee through our online registration page. We will attempt to accommodate your preferred test date, but it is not guaranteed.

On your test date, you must bring valid hardcopy government-issued or TRU photo ID.

Scent-Free Notice: Our Centre is a scent-free work environment. Since many people are extremely sensitive to perfumes, colognes, aftershaves and other scented products, we request that no one wears them at any time in the Centre. If a candidate does not comply with this policy, they will not be tested and they will be responsible for rescheduling their exam. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we need to ensure the safety of all using this space.

After completing the entry assessment tests, you will be given a copy of your unassessed results.

The chairperson or lead instructor of the appropriate program will assess your scores and forward the results to Admissions.

The entry assessment test scores are valid for one year.

What if I need to rewrite the ACCUPLACER?

You may rewrite any of the ACCUPLACER test sections after your initial attempt. It is highly recommended that you spend several weeks reviewing the subject matter before attempting to rewrite. The fee for a rewrite is $25 (+ GST).

Contact

  • Phone: 250-828-5470
  • Email: assess@tru.ca
  • Location: OM 1487
  • Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., closed on statutory holidays

Testing at Regional Campuses

Students can make arrangements to write the TRU Entry Assessments (ACCUPLACER and typing) at any of TRU's regional campuses. For more information, please contact the appropriate regional campus:

Regional Campus Contact Person Email Phone Number
Lillooet Karime Jolly kjolly@tru.ca 250-256-4296
Williams Lake Assessment Services wlassess@tru.ca 250-392-8030
100 Mile House Kayla Nasby knasby@tru.ca 250-395-3115
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