2009-2010 Catalog 2009-2010 Catalog - WyoTech Tour

ABILITY TO BENEFIT POLICYStudents who do not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent may still be admitted into certain diplomaprograms at the school as noted in the catalog. However, before the school can accept a prospective student who is seekingfederal financial aid and who does not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and is beyond the age ofcompulsory school attendance, federal law requires the school to determine whether the student has the ability to benefit (ATB)from training at the institution. Federal law requires that the school make the ability to benefit determination on the basis of theapplicant’s score on an ATB exam. The school will admit under the Ability to Benefit policy applicants who provide an officialscore report that meets or exceeds the passing scores as specified in the federal register on the COMPASS test. See ATB Testingsection below. Although students may be admitted under the ATB provision, the school recognizes the additional benefits of ahigh school diploma or its recognized equivalent to the student. For this reason, the school shall make available to all ATBstudents the opportunity to complete their GED and encourages their utilization of a GED completion program.GED PREPARATORY PROGRAMWyoTech provides to all students admitted under the ATB provision information on preparatory programs convenient tothe students for completion of their GED, local testing sites and schedules, and tutorial opportunities. WyoTech takesreasonable steps, such as scheduling, to make the program available to its ATB students.ATB Testing – COMPASSThe computer-based COMPASS test by ACT has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education for the assessment ofATB students. Passing scores of the COMPASS test are Numerical Skills/Prealgebra: 25; Reading: 62; and Writing Skills: 32.Retesting Requirements – COMPASSAn applicant who has failed the COMPASS test may be offered a chance to retest when one of the following conditions aremet:1. The applicant’s performance was influenced by factors other than ability, such as illness, cheating, interruption,improper administration of the exam, failure to time the exam properly, or other factors that may have affected theapplicant’s performance, or2. A significant change in the applicant’s ability has occurred, such as the student has taken instruction to improveskills, or has participated in tutorial sessions on test taking and basic mathematical and language skills.A student may not retest, unless the factor that affected performance has been resolved or the action taken to improve theapplicant’s ability has been completed.Retaking the COMPASS TestStudents who fail the first administration of this exam and qualify for a retest as outlined above may retake the exam at anytime, except for applicants for diploma programs in California schools, who must wait seven (7) calendar days. The student mayretake the exam up to three (3) times before being denied admission. Applicants who have been denied admission for failure topass the entrance exam after three (3) retests (four attempts total) on the COMPASS test must wait until ninety (90) days havepassed from the last taking of the exam before reapplying for admission.ATB Testing – CPAtForms B and C of the Careers Program Assessment Test (CPAt) by ACT have been approved by the U.S. Department ofEducation for use in qualifying non-high school graduates for Title IV Federal financial assistance under the Higher EducationAct of 1965. Passing scores on the CPAt are Language Usage 42, Reading 43, and Numerical 41.Retesting Requirements – CPAtAn Applicant who has failed the CPAt may be offered a chance to retest when one of the following conditions is met:1. The applicant’s performance was influenced by factors other than ability, such as illness, cheating, interruption,improper administration of the exam, failure to time the exam correctly, or other factors that may have affected theapplicant’s performance; or2. A significant change in the applicant’s ability has occurred, such as the student has taken instruction to improve skillsor has participated in tutorial sessions on test taking and basic mathematical and language skills.A student may not retest, unless the factor that affected performance has been resolved, or the action taken to improve theapplicant’s ability has been completed.Retaking the CPAtStudents who fail the first administration of this exam and qualify for a retest as outlined above may retake the exam usingthe alternative form of the exam with no waiting period. If the retest occurs before a full thirty (30) days have passed since theprevious testing, an alternate form (i.e., form on the approved ATB test list other than the one most recently administered) mustbe used for the retest. If a minimum of thirty (30) days have passed since the administration of a particular form, the examineemay be retested using the same form. However, no form may be administered to a student more than twice in a ninety (90) dayperiod. A student may retake the exam up to three (3) times (4 attempts total) before being denied admission.6