Assessment and Orientation

Phone: Folsom Lake College (916) 608-6573 or El Dorado Center (530) 642-5649

Assessment

Reading, writing and mathematics skills are essential tools for learning and understanding any subject. Therefore, it is important to know your level of performance in these areas. Assessment will identify your educational strengths and weaknesses and will help you plan a course of study at Folsom Lake College or El Dorado. There is no passing or failing of assessments.

Your counselor will look at more than just test results when helping you prepare your Student Educational Plan. They will also look at your high school record, educational and employment experiences, current work schedule, and motivational level. It is most efficient to complete assessments before meeting with a counselor and before registering. The Assessment Center at El Dorado Center Student Services Offices and the main office at Rancho Cordova Center can provide information about test dates and times and provide review materials for the tests. Certain students may be exempt from assessment testing (see below).

Exemptions: The matriculation process, which includes assessment, is strongly recommended to any student who wishes to receive a certificate, an A.A. or A.S. degree and/or transfer to a four-year university. You can, however, be exempted from participating in orientation, assessment, counseling/advisement if you have:

• Completed an associate degree or higher.
• Satisfied at least two of the following and do not wish to participate:
  • Identified a goal of upgrading job skills.
  • Enrolled in fewer than six units.
  • Concurrently enrolled in another post-secondary institution have no degree or occupational objective.
• Assesment may be a required prerequisite for certain courses

Orientation

Assessment results are available on the next day (M - TH) after 5:00 pm or Friday 3:00 pm. in the Student Service office. At the orientation you will be instructed on how to read your assessment results. Interpretation of the results or questions concerning your test scores should be handled by a counselor. Orientation will also include: overview of graduation and transfer requirements, introduction to completing an educational plan, helpful advice on reading the schedule of classes and college catalog, explanation of student rights and responsibilities as well as special services available to students, steps to follow during registration, and discussion of expectations students may have of the college experience. Research shows that students who participate in matriculation steps are more successful than students who do not.

Alternatively, students may take the online orientation quiz.

For more information on Assessment or Orientations:
www.flc.losrios.edu/student_services/assessment/index.html