ASSESSMENT & TESTING

For Undergraduate Students

• English Competency Test

• FastForward Writing Assessment

• Math Skills Assessment

For Graduate Students

• Criterion Online Writing Test

• Miller Analogies Test

• Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking

Assessment & Testing Schedule

The Center for Academic Development provides assessment and testing for undergraduate and graduate students. Some testing sessions are scheduled on a regular basis and others can be arranged by appointment by contacting your campus CAD.

Undergraduate Students

• Some undergraduates must complete the English Competency Test prior to graduation.

• The FastForward Writing Assessment is required of all undergraduates.

• Math Skills Assessment is required of all students who plan to take an NLU math course.

Graduate Students

• Students applying to some College of Arts and Sciences graduate programs may need to complete the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal.

• Students applying to the College of Management and Business graduate programs must complete the Criterion Online Writing Test.

• Students applying to the National College of Education's graduate programs may need to complete the Miller Analogies Test.

Description
> Online assessment of writing skills
> One 45-minute essay on an issue in response to a prompt
> One 30-minute argument essay in response to a prompt

Registration
> Phone: 800-443-5522 Ext. 3898
> Email: CyberCAD@nl.edu

Cost (payable at testing site)
> $45

Acceptable payment
> Credit cards
> Exact change
> Check or money order payable to National-Louis University

What to Bring
> Photo ID
> Payment

Testing Schedule

Criterion is a web-based service that provides evaluation of students' writing skills and is used by NLU as an entrance examination for graduate programs in the College of Management and Business and some programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The assessment consists of two writing samples, 1) an issue topic and 2) an argument topic. Each essay is scored on a six-point scale, and applicants need a 3.5 (average on both essays) or higher to pass the test. This is a timed assessment.

Students are allowed 45 minutes to write the issue essay and 30 minutes to write the argument essay. This is an online writing assessment, and students will use a computer to compose and submit their work. During the test, there will not be access to a dictionary, thesaurus, or spell checker.

Students who live more than 80 miles away from an NLU campus may be able to complete the Criterion test online. To request online testing, email CMBGradTest@nl.edu.

View Criterion program highlight sheet HERE

View more information about Criterion HERE

View Criterion sample topics HERE

View Criterion schedule HERE

TO TOP

Description
> Assessment of writing skills demonstrated in a typed essay
> One 60-minute essay in response to a prompt
> Allow 75 minutes for the entire testing session

Registration
> No registration required

Cost per test
> Free for NLU students

What to Bring
> Photo ID
> Pencil/pen and paper to write an outline (optional)

Testing Schedule

The English Competency Test is offered once per academic quarter. It is a 60-minute essay exam required of some National-Louis University undergraduates. Students should consult their academic advisors to determine if successful completion of this test is required prior to graduation.

The essay gives undergraduate students an opportunity to demonstrate minimum college-level writing skills. These skills include competency in organization, unity, coherence, and mechanics.

The essay is composed on a computer, and dictionaries or electronic spellers may be used.

The CAD offers free tutoring to help students prepare for the English Competency Test.

View ECT quick facts HERE

View ECT prep information HERE

View ECT schedule HERE

TO TOP

Description
> Assessment of writing skills demonstrated in a typed essay
> One 40-minute essay in response to a given prompt

Registration
> Contact CAD to request an appointment for the assessment if the writing assessment is not completed during a scheduled FastForward orientation session conducted by the NLU Advising Center.

Cost per asssessment
> Free for NLU students

What to Bring
> Photo ID

Assessment Schedule

All incoming undergraduate students are required to attend a FastForward orientation session prior to beginning their programs. During the orientation, the students' writing abilities are assessed, and students receive a follow-up notification indicating that

a) their writing skills are satisfactory, or

b) they are required to obtain writing assistance from the CAD on a scheduled basis during their program, or

c) they must register for and successfully complete a writing development course.  The cost of this course, ACL200 Strategies for Effective Writing, is $500.

The purpose of the writing assessment is to identify students' writing strengths and weaknesses so that students can take advantage of the academic support that is available to help them meet their goals. Students may find it helpful to review basic essay-writing techniques before completing the essay assignment.

View more information about the writing assessment HERE

TO TOP

Description
COMPASS® Math Skills Assessment
> untimed, computerized math placement test
> test duration is approximatley one hour
> assesses student's skill level in the following areas:

• basic arithmetic
• pre-algebra
• algebra
• college math

Registration
> Contact CAD to request an appointment

Cost per assessment
> Free for NLU students when the testing takes place on an NLU campus
> Test administration fee applies when test is taken at an off-campus ACT® Testing Site
> $10 re-take fee

What to Bring
> Photo ID
> 2 sharpened pencils
> NLU student ID number
> Allowable calculator (see details HERE)

Assessment Schedule

University policy requires all students to take the Math Skills Assessment before enrolling in their first math course at NLU.

• Students are encouraged to plan ahead and take the assessment early in their programs.

• Students can prepare for the test by completing the Math Assessment Practice Questions for the course level they require (see link below).

The results of the Math Skills Assessment are used:

• to determine a) eligibility to register for a desired course, or b) the need to take one or more review mathematics courses prior to placement into a higher-level course;

• to help the student and academic advisor set short- and long-range goals and plan an appropriate schedule.

The test is computer-adaptive, which means that the number of questions presented during the assessment depends on the number of questions answered correctly.  As a result, test completion times will vary, but students should expect to spend approximately one hour taking the test.

View Math Assessment Practice Questions and Answers for placement into 100 and 200 level math courses HERE

View COMPASS® Math Skills Assessment Testing Policies HERE

TO TOP

Description
> One-hour, timed pencil and paper test
> 120 questions

Registration
> By phone: 800-443-5522 Ext. 5469
> By email: millertest@nl.edu

Cost
> $70

Acceptable payment
> Credit cards
> Check or money order payable to National-Louis University

What to Bring
> Two forms of identification (a photo ID and one other form, e.g. voter registration card, library card, credit card or bill)
> Retake ticket if you are retaking the test
> Payment
> Complete names and addresses of institutions where scores are to be sent if other than NLU. (You may request that scores be sent to three institutions.)

Testing Schedule

The Miller Analogies Test is one requirement for admission to a master's degree program in the National College of Education.

Applicants applying for a second master's degree are not required to take the Miller test.

View MAT practice tests HERE

View a MAT Study Guide HERE

View MAT Schedule HERE

Register by email for MAT HERE

TO TOP

Description
> 50-minute timed test covering 80 items

Registration
> By phone: 800-443-5522 Ext. 3280
> Contact CAD by email to request tesing for Lisle or Elgin

Cost
> $45

Acceptable payment
> Credit or debit cards
> Exact change
> Checks payable to National-Louis University

What to Bring
> Photo ID
> Two #2 pencils
> Payment

Testing Schedule

The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is used for determining admission to some graduate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences at National-Louis University.

This requirement is waived for persons already holding a master's degree. Scores from the Miller Analogies Test or the Graduate Record Exam will be considered in lieu of the Watson-Glaser if one of these tests has been taken within five years of the date of application. These scores should be reported to the Office of Graduate Admissions located at the Wheeling Campus.

The test measures the test taker's ability to infer, identify assumptions, reason deductively, and analyze arguments by presenting questions that address everyday issues.

Faculty of the respective graduate degree programs determine the score level for admission. Results of the test, which include a raw score and a percentile rank, are reported to the student and to the appropriate academic department.

The Office of Graduate Admissions receives the scores within a week to ten days and reports the raw score and percentile rank to graduate candidates by letter.

TO TOP