Assessment and Placement

At KCTCS Online, we only require college entrance exams from students who plan to pursue a degree, diploma or certificate. We ask our degree students for standardized test scores (ACT, SAT or COMPASS) to make sure that they have the skills to succeed at the college level.

If you want to earn a degree, but haven't already taken one of these tests, then we'll help you find the most convenient testing location. If your test scores are low, don't worry. We offer entry-level courses in reading, writing and math to bring you up to speed before moving on to your first module.

For more information about acceptable score levels, please review our academic policies.

Non-Degree Students

If you've enrolled in KCTCS Online solely for the purpose of upgrading your job skills or preparing for a new career, then you will not be asked for test scores.

However, you should note that some modules require a minimum COMPASS or ACT/SAT score as a prerequisite. So even if you are not pursuing a KCTCS Online degree, you may be asked to supply test scores to register for specific classes.

Advanced Placement & Prior Knowledge

As a fully accredited institution, we offer college credit for qualifying scores on Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams.

We also allow you to test out of specific modules through a policy called credit for prior knowledge. If you register for a module and can pass both the pre-test and the post-test, then we will award you full credit. This ensures that you won't waste time learning material that you've already mastered.