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NLU's Learning Support provides the following assessments and testing for undergraduate and graduate applicants and students.
Undergraduate Student Assessments
Graduate Student Assessments
| Testing Accommodations Applicants and students who wish to request special testing accommodations for a physical or learning disability issue should make arrangements by calling 312-261-3188 or emailing pploegman@nl.edu. |
COMPASS® Math and Writing Placement Assessments
The COMPASS® math and writing placement assessments are untimed, computer-based assessments that gauge students’ math and writing skills. NLU uses the assessment results to determine the appropriate level of placement in a math course and any possible need for placement into a developmental writing course.
The COMPASS® math assessment 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.
University policy requires all undergraduate students to take the math 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 Preparation Materials and Info below).
Students should follow up with their academic advisors within three to four business days for placement results.
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Testing Dates and Locations: see Assessment & Testing Schedule
Registration: Registration is required for the COMPASS Math and Writing Placement Assessments no later than one business day before the scheduled testing time at the desired campus. Please click on the Assessment & Testing Schedule link above for testing dates and times at the Chicago, Elgin, Lisle, North Shore, and Wheeling campuses.
- To register, email the following information to learn@nl.edu : first and last name; student ID number (if known); daytime telephone number; test name; test date; test location.
- Within one business day, you will receive an email confirming the location and time of the test. If you don't receive a confirmation email by the end of three business days, you should again email learn@nl.edu or call 312-261-3659.
Cost: none
Students should bring: Photo ID, NLU student ID number, 2 sharpened pencils, allowable calculator
Preparation Materials and Info:
Criterion Writing Assessment
The Criterion is a computer-based writing assessment that provides evaluation of students' writing skills. NLU uses the assessment 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) one 45-minute essay on an issue in response to a prompt
2) one 30-minute argument essay in response to a prompt
This is an online, timed writing assessment; 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.
The Office of Admissions and Records receives the scores within three to four business days and reports them by letter to graduate candidates.
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Testing Dates and Locations: see Assessment & Testing Schedule.
Registration: Registration is required for the Criterion Writing Assessment no later than one business day prior to the scheduled testing date at the desired campus. Please click on the Assessment & Testing Schedule link above for testing dates and times at the Chicago, Elgin, Lisle, North Shore, and Wheeling campuses.
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To register, email the following information to learn@nl.edu : first and last name; student ID number (if known); daytime telephone number; test name; test date; test location.
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Within one business day, you will receive an email confirming the location and time of the test. If you don't receive a confirmation email by the end of three business days, you should again email learn@nl.edu or call 312-261-3659.
Cost: $55.00, which will be applied to students’ accounts once their scores have been processed. Payment is not needed on day of test.
Students should bring: Photo ID
Preparation Materials and Info:
English Competency Test
The ECT is an undergraduate writing assessment with which students demonstrate their ability to write with minimum college-level writing skills. These skills include competency in organization, unity, coherence, grammar, and mechanics.
The ECT is a 60-minute timed essay exam. In response to a prompt, students compose the essay on a computer using Microsoft Word.
The ECT is offered once per academic quarter. Students should consult their academic advisors to determine if successful completion of this test is required by their programs prior to graduation.
Students will receive their ECT results by email within two to three weeks of the test date. They can also follow up with their academic advisors for their scores.
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Testing Date and Locations: Spring Quarter ECT - Thursday, May 30, at 5:00pm on the Chicago, Lisle, and North Shore campuses
Registration: Registration is required for the ECT no later than one business day before the scheduled testing date.
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To register, email the following information to Grover.Wake@nl.edu ; first and last name; student ID number; daytime telephone number; test name; test date; and test location.
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Within one business day, you will receive an email confirming the location and time of the test. If you don't receive a confirmation email by the end of three business days, you should again email Grover.Wake@nl.edu or call 312-261-3083.
Cost: none
Students should bring: Photo ID (school or state) and NLU student ID number
Preparation Materials and Info:
Miller Analogies Test
The Miller Analogies Test (MAT) is a high-level mental ability computer-based test requiring the solution of problems stated as analogies. It consists of 120 partial analogies that are to be completed in 60 minutes. Fluency in the English language, a broad knowledge of literature, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, and fine arts, and the ability to reason out relationships may contribute to performance on the MAT. There is no foreign-language edition of the MAT. No one is permitted to use a dictionary or any other reference aid when taking the test.
The Miller Analogies Test is waived for applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
NOTE: NLU only proctors the MAT for current NLU students and NLU applicants.
| ADA Accommodations Prospective test-takers needing special accommodations must have requests approved by Pearson Assessment, Inc. prior to scheduling the Miller Analogies Test with NLU. Contact www.milleranalogies.com and follow the Disability Accommodations link or phone 800-622-3231. After Pearson Inc. approves the request, contact millertest@nl.edu to schedule a private testing session, as allowed, 2-3 weeks in advance of the desired test date. |
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MAT locations, dates, and times:
Chicago Campus
- Wednesday, 05/22/12, 5:00pm, Room 4024
- Wednesday, 06/05/13, 5:00pm, Room 4044
- Wednesday, 06/19/13, 5:00pm, Room 4024
Lisle Campus
- Thursday, 05/23/13, 5:00pm, Room 113
- Thursday, 06/06/13, 5:00pm, Room 113
- Thursday, 06/20/13, 5:00pm, Room 113
Wheeling Campus
- Monday, 06/03/13, 5:00pm, Room 344
Registration: REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
- Only available for current NLU students or NLU applicants.
- To register, test-takers should email the following information to millertest@nl.edu -- first and last name, social security number, date of birth, daytime telephone number, and the test date and test location desired. Incomplete registration requests cannot be processed.
- Within two to three business days, test-takers will receive a confirmation email, which is required before they can take the test. If a confirmation email is not received by the end of three business days, test-takers should again contact millertest@nl.edu.
- Registration closes 48 business hours prior to the scheduled test or when the session is full, whichever comes first.
Cost: $80, payable at the time of test by check or money order made payable to National Louis University (credit/debit cards are NOT accepted).
Time: Even though the test is timed for 60 minutes, allow at least an hour and a half for the entire process of signing in and testing.
Students should bring:
- Two forms of identification (a photo ID and one other form)
- Retake ticket if applicable
- Payment
- Complete names and addresses of institutions where scores are to be sent if they do not appear on the MAT Score Recipient Codes list at www.milleranalogies.com (You may request that scores be sent to three institutions.)
Preparation Materials and Info:
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal
The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is the graduate admission test to the College of Arts and Sciences at National Louis University. The Appraisal is required for anyone seeking enrollment to the Department of Counseling and Human Services graduate and certificate programs. 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 Admissions.
The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is a 50- minute timed 80-item test that measures the student's ability to draw inferences, recognize assumptions, engage in deductive reasoning and evaluate arguments. The exercises include problems, statements, arguments, interpretations, and data similar to those that are encountered on a daily basis at work, in the classroom, and in newspaper and magazine articles.
The Office of Admissions and Records receives the scores within three to four business days and reports them by letter to graduate candidates.
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Testing Dates and Locations: see Assessment & Testing Schedule
Registration: Registration is required for the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal no later than one business day prior to the scheduled testing date at the desired campus. Please click on the Assessment & Testing Schedule link above for testing dates and times at the Chicago, Elgin, Lisle, North Shore, and Wheeling campuses.
- To register, email the following to learn@nl.edu: first and last name; student ID number (if known); daytime telephone number; test name; test date; test location.
- Within one business day, you will receive an email confirming the loctation and time of the test. If you don't receive a confirmation email by the end of three business days, you should again email learn@nl.edu or call 312-261-3659.
Cost: $55.00, which will be applied to students’ accounts once their scores have been processed. Payment is not needed on day of test.
Students should bring: Photo ID
Preparation Materials and Info.:
The Watson-Glaser is a measure of cognitive ability. This means that preparation is limited. The best way to be prepared is to come to the assessment focused, rested, and engaged.
The assessment itself is made up of several short passages and 80 questions. The assessment measures one’s skills in thinking, reasoning, and intelligence. The questions measure one’s ability to understand:
- a strong versus a weak argument
- relevant versus irrelevant data
- whether or not a conclusion follows from given data
- whether or not there is sufficient information to make a conclusion
- what assumptions were made
