Assessment Services

• There is a $5 charge for each section of COMPASS ($15 for the full set). This fee is waived for CWI or CSI students who have paid the $25 application fee.
• COMPASS is a computerized exam in three sections: Writing Skills, Reading, and Math. In addition, we offer the ESL COMPASS exams including: Grammar, Reading, and Listening for those not yet fluent in English.
• Time approximation: 45 min to an hour per section.
• You may take the three COMPASS assessments together or separately.
• COMPASS can be taken at no charge for students who are enrolling at CWI. One retake is allowed for all students, and a second retake may be approved if a student is within five points of being placed into a higher course or with the approval of an enrollment specialist or faculty member. Any additional retakes will require authorization from an enroll¬ment specialist or faculty member and be subject to a $5 fee per assessment. Students who are currently enrolled in math or English classes at CWI will only be allowed to retake COMPASS for the related course placement with the permis¬sion of a department chair over that discipline. Students who have taken COMPASS in the past and have not been enrolled for two semesters may also retake COMPASS at no charge to demonstrate current skill levels. Students who do not intend to enroll at CWI may also take COMPASS at CWI by paying a $5 fee per assessment. Testers must wait 24 hours between COMPASS retakes.
• COMPASS placement tests must be started at least one hour prior to closing for lunch or the end of the business day. At closing time, all tests will be paused (suspended), but students may return to the Assessment Center at a later date to finish.
• Your scores are available from the proctor as soon as you have completed the assessment.

If administered as an Ability to Benefit (ATB) exam, COMPASS may be used to prove eligibility for admission to CWI when a student will not be submitting a transcript from high school, GED or an accredited college or university with 14 (or more) transferable credits.

• ATB tests are available on a walk-in basis; however, an ATB COMPASS will only be started when there are three or more hours of regular lab hours before a scheduled closing.
• All three sections of the ATB COMPASS must be completed in one testing session.
• ATB Examinees may not leave the room for any reason during their exam. Leaving will terminate the exam for that student.
• Only government issued, valid photo ID is accepted when taking ATB. NO STUDENT ID CARDS.
• Calculators, pencils and paper are provided. We do not allow students to bring in pens, mechanical pencils, or their own scratch paper.
• Special requirements for retaking COMPASS as proof of Ability to Benefit are governed by the Federal Department of Education. Please contact an Assessment Center for more information.

College of Western Idaho will provide COMPASS testing for schools who meet the following requirements:

• If the high school currently has dual credit agreements with CWI and will use the COMPASS to place high school students in dual credit courses offered by CWI.
• If the high school is currently part of a grant program through the CWI.

College of Western Idaho will provide accommodations for students who are eligible:

• Accommodations for COMPASS will only be administered at a CWI Assessment Center.
• Students should go through CWI’s disability services process and must be able to provide current documentation. Please note that IEPs and 504 plans may not be sufficient for accommodations. For more information, please visit the CWI Student Disability Services page.

College of Western Idaho will not:

• Provide COMPASS testing to high school students in order to meet State of Idaho testing requirements.

High School COMPASS Testing Information Sheet

• There is no charge to CWI or CSI students for registering for the CSA. Non-students must pay a $21.50 exam fee.
• You may take the CSA assessments all at once or in sections, and you may retake them.
• Your scores are available on screen as soon as you have completed the assessment. You must score 70% or better on each section to pass the CSA. Your CSA login is effective for two consecutive semesters.
• To prepare for the CSA, please review the study guides.
• Students need to allow for enough time to complete an exam before we close. CSA exams must be started at least an hour prior to closing for lunch or the end of the business day.
• CSA exams can take up to 2 hours each.

To make-up an exam for a CWI course, please contact your instructor. He or she can make arrangements for your approved make-up test to be available at any of our two testing centers. After arrangements are made, please contact one of the testing centers to schedule an appointment by calling Ada County Campus at 208.562.2542 or Aspen Creek at 208.562.3267. There are no fees for make-up exams for CWI or CSI courses. Your current photo ID (Student ID or Driver's License) must be presented before each test.

Proctored exams are exams (usually course exams) required to be administered and supervised in a secure environment when it is not possible for a student to test in the presence of the instructor.

Fees & scheduling for proctored exams:

• To request a proctored exam, an instructor must fill out a Test Proctor Request Form and e-mail it to cwiproctor@cwidaho.cc or call 208.562.3000.
• There is no fee for proctored exams for CWI or CSI courses. Fee for proctored exams for outside institutions: $15 per exam.
• Please make fee payments at any One Stop Student Services location. Receipt must be shown prior to testing.
• All proctored exams must be scheduled with the lab of your choice 2 business days in advance prior to testing.
• When scheduling your appointment, we must allow for the full time-limit given by your instructor.

Items to bring for proctored exams:

• Valid Photo ID (expired ID is not valid).
• Forms of ID allowed are: Driver's License, State ID Card, Military ID Card, Passport, Permanent Resident Card, or CWI Student ID Card
• Receipt for proctor fee.
• Instructor provided/allowed materials.

Future offerings at CWI Assessment Centers may include:

• College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests
• Placement tests for specific CWI courses
• Industry certification exams