Schedule a Test/Exam
Please read all "Exam Guideline Acknowledgements" before selecting "I agree to follow the above guidelines.” Once you select "I agree to follow the above guidelines" and register for an exam, you have agreed to all guidelines and will be held to them.
Testing offers the following assessments on predetermined test days
Southwest is a Residual testing center for the ACT®. The results of this test will only be reported to Southwest. Students who want to have ACT® results sent to other colleges, institutions or agencies must take the National ACT® on one of the five national test dates. In addition, the Union Avenue Campus administers the National ACT® in April, June and December of each year.
Residual ACT®
Follow the steps below to register for the Residual ACT®.
- An Online Admissions Application to Southwest must be completed before taking the ACT®.
- You may also practice online at the ACT® Test Prep website.
- Register for the Residual ACT at the Macon Cove Campus
Students who attended other colleges and universities and are now seeking admission to Southwest, must first have an official college transcript sent from the previous institution to determine whether placement testing is needed. Students who graduated from high school within the past 5 years, and have not attended any other college or university, will be placed into courses based on either the high school grade point average (GPA) or SAT/ACT scores, whichever is higher.
ACCUPLACER is an integrated system of computer-adaptive assessments designed to evaluate students' skills in reading, writing and mathematics. For more than 30 years, ACCUPLACER has been used successfully to assess student preparedness for introductory credit-bearing college courses. ACCUPLACER delivers immediate and precise results. It offers both placement and diagnostic tests, to support intervention and help answer the challenges of accurate placement and remediation.
Sample Questions
Sample questions can be found at the ACCUPLACER sample question page.
ACCUPLACER Retest Policy
Retesting is allowed one time, five days before the first day of class when students do not place college level on any of the three tests. This will allow time for repeat advising should the student place at college level. There is a 48-hour waiting period between the initial test and retest to allow for study time. Retesting is not allowed once a student has received a grade (A, B, C, D, F, FA, I, N, P, S, U or W) in a reading, writing or math course. If a grade has been earned, the student must pick up where they left off.
ACCUPLACER can be used in one of three ways to challenge (or attempt to improve) previous scores (before starting classes).
Using ACCUPLACER to Improve Placement Scores
| Initial Placement Exam Taken | Ways to Challenge With ACCUPLACER |
|---|---|
| Initial Test Scores = Southwest ACT Residual | ACCUPLACER once for free |
| Initial Test Scores = ACT National/SAT | ACCUPLACER once for $20 fee |
| Initial Test Scores = ACCUPLACER (free) | ACCUPLACER once for $20 fee |
Test Cost
Non-Southwest students can take ACCUPLACER for $25, each time.
We accept ACCUPLACER scores from other Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institutions.
Register for Accuplacer in person testing
A student must be registered with Center for Access (Disability Services) and be approved for special testing arrangements by the Center for Access (Disability Services) coordinator each semester. Once approved, the Center for Access (Disability Services) registrant and each of their instructors are responsible for providing special testing arrangements. After the instructor receives the disability accommodation form, the instructor and student should discuss how to best meet the special testing need. Instructors can test in a separate classroom, during office hours, or at a designated, reduced-distraction location provided by each site. Site coordinators and instructors should work out any proctoring requirements and special test instructions.
Pay close attention to the types of ADA testing offered when scheduling online for the Macon Cove Campus. There are three types of ADA testing accommodations offered:
1. ADA Testing (Computerized)
Student has a computerized test and can test in regular testing lab with extended testing time.
Register for ADA Computerized Testing
2. ADA Testing (Paper & Pencil)
Student has a paper and pencil test and can test in regular lab with extended testing time.
Register for ADA Paper & Pencil Testing
3. ADA (Private Room, Scribe, Interpreter, Reader, etc.)
Student has a paper and pencil test or computerized test and has been approved for a private room, has a scribe, interpreter, reader, etc. and requires a private room setting.
Register for ADA PrivateRoom, Scribe, Interpreter, Reader, Testing
Please make sure you schedule the correct type of ADA testing needed so the Testing staff can arrange to accommodate as many students as possible. If you have questions, please call 901-333-4170.
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) helps you receive college credit for what you already know, for a fraction of the cost of a college course. Developed by the College Board, CLEP is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program. It is available at more than 2,900 colleges and universities. Pass any of the 33 CLEP exams to help you achieve your college and career goals.
Note: You must purchase a CLEP exam registration ticket (voucher) from College Board for each exam you plan to take.
Purchase a CLEP Voucher
My Account is a self-service feature that enables candidates to create and manage their own personal accounts, register and prepay for CLEP exams and purchase study materials all in one place.
All candidates (with the exception of certain test-takers with disabilities) must register and pay their exam fee through the My Account Registration Portal.
Testing does not create registrations or collect payment for exam fees ($89). Southwest does collect a $25 administrative fee before scheduling each CLEP exam.
Exam Registration Ticket
Once a you register and pay the exam fee using the My Account Registration Portal, you will be able to review and print the CLEP Exam Registration Ticket. In addition, you will receive an automated email confirming the registration and telling you to print the registration ticket, along with other pre and post test-day reminders. A CLEP Exam Registration Ticket is valid for six months. The expiration date will be printed on the ticket.
If you have questions regarding My Account or the CLEP Exam Registration Ticket, please call CLEP Services at 800-257-9558 or 609-771-7865 or email clep@info.collegeboard.org.
Please visit the College Board CLEP Exam Day Info page. Near the bottom review the acceptable forms of ID. Also, review prohibited items, such as hats (unless worn as a religious requirement), hoodies, watches, pencils, etc.
One form of government-issued identification will be acceptable for CLEP test-takers. A secondary form of ID will no longer be required. The primary identification must be valid and current, must bear the test-taker's full name in English language characters, and must contain a photograph and a signature.
DANTES helps eligible military members and their eligible spouses pursue educational goals by funding DSST exams (first attempts only) at military bases and institutions across the country.
All Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.) and Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree graduating students are required to take The ETS® Proficiency Profile test. This 40-minute test is completed online at the student’s convenience. Once a graduation application has been completed, the student will receive an email from Testing with instructions and deadline date.
The ETS® Proficiency Profile test measures proficiency in critical thinking, reading, writing and mathematics in the context of humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. It also measures academic skills developed in general education courses, as opposed to subject knowledge taught.
ETS® Proficiency Profile test questions are multiple-choice and are arranged in blocks of three to eight.
When you take the ETS® Proficiency Profile test, remember that your efforts count. The ETS® Proficiency Profile test helps both Southwest and the state of Tennessee decide how successful the college has been. Your work affects the Southwest's funding and more importantly, the college's reputation.
The better Southwest's reputation is the more valuable your degree becomes.
ETS® Proficiency Profile Sample Questions
The ETS® Proficiency Profile sample questions illustrate the skills measured, contexts covered and the difficulty of the questions. The answers are for reference only. They are not actual questions currently used on the test.
Students with a disability, who need special accommodations, should contact the Center for Access (Disability Services) for help.
Remember to check the Graduation/Commencement website for all updates.
FISDAP is a computerized test for Southwest emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic students. It assesses the students' knowledge from material covered in class and in the field.
Only Computer Based Testing (CBT) offered (No Paper)
The HiSET® exam includes five subtests that you can schedule to take in any order:
- Language Arts – Reading, 65 minutes in English and 80 minutes in Spanish (50 multiple choice questions)
- Language Arts – Writing, 120 minutes:
- Part 1 (60 multiple choice questions)
- Part 2 (1 essay)
- Mathematics, 90 minutes (55 multiple choice questions)
- Science, 80 minutes (60 multiple choice questions)
- Social Studies, 70 minutes (60 multiple choice questions)
Total test time (full battery) just over 7 hours
Days Offered: Wednesdays Only
HiSET Testing Requirements and State Eligibility Requirements
To take the HiSET exam in the state of Tennessee, you must meet the following requirements:
- Age: You must be at least 18 years of age without a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate to take the HiSET exam. If you are 17 years old you must have an age waiver signed by the Director of Schools before you can test. For information about exceptions to this policy, review the additional policies section below.
- Residency: You do not have to be a resident of Tennessee to take the HiSET exam.
- Identification: You must present identification on test day at the HiSET test center. Acceptable Forms: A valid driver's license, passport, military ID, or other form of government issued (national or foreign) identification. The ID must show your name, address, date of birth, signature and photograph. Outdated or expired IDs will not be accepted.
How to Register
Once you are ready to take the test, you can schedule your testing appointment:
- Online through your HiSET account https://hiset.org/
Identification Requirements
You will need to bring:
- Acceptable and valid ID as required by Tennessee. Make sure your name on your ID appears EXACTLY as it does on your profile you created in your HiSET account when you scheduled your HiSET exam.
Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from Southwest. Now that you have completed your graduation application, one requirement for those completing an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree is a major field exam (MFE). Failure to complete the exam will keep you from graduating as planned.
To save time, we have automated the major field exam process. You can now complete this exam at your convenience from campus or home. You do not have to pass the exam, but you do have to complete the exam. We do ask that you answer the questions to the best of your ability. Using a desktop or laptop computer (not your phone) via Firefox, please go to the PAWs learning environment on the Southwest website to complete this graduation requirement. The deadline to complete this graduation requirement is:
- December 5 for Fall graduates;
- May 5 for Spring graduates; and
- August 5 for Summer graduates.
If you are currently registered with the Center for Access (Disability Services) and require accommodations, please email Courtney Gipson or Amanda Prewitt before attempting to take this exam.
Steps for Taking the Exam
- Go to PAWS at https://elearn.southwest.tn.edu/d2l/login.
- Log in to PAWS using your Southwest email address and password.
- Click on the course selection tool icon (grid or waffle-like button with nine little squares) at the top of the page.
- Select Major Field Exam course.
- Confirm it is the correct test (that it matches your major). If not, call 901-333-4170.
- Follow instructions and complete the exam.
Should you need technical support, please submit a Digital Learning Helpdesk ticket at Student Request for PAWS Assistance.
To ensure information is documented, the Digital Learning helpdesk system is the quickest way to receive, document, and find a resolution for students inquiring about PAWS support. This request is only specific to PAWS technical support, all other language on the “Testing” webpage is controlled by the testing center, which means the “Major Field Exam” requests will be relayed to Digital Learning via the helpdesk by the testing office as needed.
Again, congratulations on your upcoming graduation! Please do not wait until the last minute to complete this requirement or miss the deadline.
We have exciting news! Southwest Tennessee Community College Testing Services will be launching the NEX (Nursing Entrance Exam) as the official pre-nursing entrance exam. The NLN PAX exam has been replaced with the NEX (Nursing Entrance Exam). “The primary purpose of the NEX is to provide educators with a standardized instrument for evaluating the academic ability of applicants to nursing programs.” Below are key components of the NEX.
• NEX consists of 3 sections: Verbal, Math, Science (60 minutes per section; calculator embedded within exam, only that calculator will be allowed)
| Section | Blueprint |
| Verbal | 50 scored plus 8 pretest/unscored items Reading Comprehension: 25 items, 5 passages Word Knowledge: 25 items |
| Math | 40 scored plus 5 pretest/unscored items Numbers & Operations: 12 items Measurements: 14 items Algebra: 7 items Data & Information: 7 items |
| Science | 55 scored plus 5 pretest/unscored items Biology: 20 items Chemistry: 5 items Anatomy: 11 items Physiology: 11 items Health: 8 items |
Previously, a minimum composite score of 100 on the PAX exam was required for consideration into Southwests’ nursing program. With the NEX, a minimum percentile rank of 50 is required for consideration. If you previously took the PAX exam and scores are less than 5 years old, with a minimum composite score of 100, you may use those scores for consideration into the nursing program.
Retest rules:
45-49 percentile rank; retest in 3 months
Below percentile rank of 45; retest in 6 months
-NEX Test scores valid for 3 years
-PAX Test scores valid for 5 years
Students scoring in the 45-49 percentile ranking must contact the Nursing Department (901-333-5425) for approval to retest in three (3) months instead of six (6) months. This approval letter must be received by the Testing Department (testing @southwest.tn.edu) prior to scheduling a three (3) month retest. Testing without Nursing Department approval will result in scores that are null/void.
Any nursing program admission questions should be directed to nursing@southwest.tn.edu or (901)333-5475.
Southwest will not accept PAX or NEX scores from another institution.
Contact Us
- 901-333-4170
- testing@southwest.tn.edu
- Director, Chateeka "Teeka" Farris
- 901-333-4589
- Test Administrator, Patricia Brown
- 901-333-4170
