How do we order ACATs? How do we choose an ACAT version? What does the cost of the ACAT include? Can we return unused booklets for a credit? Are there other costs or fees that we need to know about? What else do I need to know before placing an order? How do we get a sample ACAT for review? Can we buy the test and just use some of the questions? Can we change the areas that appear on our test? Can we use different tests for different groups of students? Who uses the ACAT? How long does it take to get our scores back? Do we get individual student scores on pretests? What information will be contained in my score report? What are the "Standard Scores" on my score report? What are the "Raw Percent Correct Scores" on my score report? There are students missing from my score report. Where are they?

How do we order ACATs?

• You can place an order using our secure web order form, by downloading a printable order form and sending it to us, or by calling our toll-free number (866-680-2228). You must provide a valid payment method for your order to be processed.
• If this is your department’s first ACAT order, you will need to provide information about which discipline, curriculum, and options (if applicable) you have selected. The selection can be changed as departmental needs evolve but may only be changed once during any administration year (June through May) without incurring a setup fee.  Information about the ACATs available for each discipline can be accessed through the menu on the left. (top)

How do we choose an ACAT version?

• There are several ways to do this. The first is to model the test after the requirements of your major. This will provide the best assessment of the degree to which students are meeting the content mastery goals implicit in your requirements. Another approach is to test the broadest range of areas which can be included. Often departments will be able to identify content areas which, while not constituting separate courses, are being learned.
• Psychology, Biology, History, Business, and Criminal Justice programs must choose the number of areas which will appear on their ACAT (curriculum) and specify what those areas will be (content areas).
• Finally, a pragmatic approach dictates the length of the test by the manner in which it will be administered. A test to be given during a single class period, for example, may only contain 4 or 5 areas. In all cases, the instrument should be structured to provide the kind of information most likely to be used by the department. For assistance with making your selection, please call us toll-free (866-680-2228). (top)

What does the cost of the ACAT include?

• The fee includes materials for one examinee, administration instructions, scoring, and score reports.  The current list of fees, by discipline and use type, is below.

ACAT Price List
For Administration June 2009 through May 2010

ACAT Price List
For Administration June 2010 through May 2011

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Can we return unused booklets for a credit?

• Because pencil and paper ACATs are custom printed and are unique to each institution, we do not give credits or refunds for unused materials. Unused ACAT Online authentication codes, however, can be renewed for a nominal fee. All materials, used and unused, are the property of PACAT Inc. and must be returned according to the instructions provided.  (top)

Are there other costs or fees that we need to know about?

• A number of special services are available to assist departments with meeting their assessment reporting and analysis needs. A table of services and the fees associated with each is presented below.

Note 1: PACAT Inc. maintains archives of score reports beginning in 1989.
Note 2: The fee applies to each discipline and/or institution code combination for which diskettes are requested. For example, institutions using multiple institution codes to track different cohorts of students can expect to pay a separate fee for each code. Each discipline requested is also dealt with as a separate fee. Therefore, an institution with two codes requesting data concerning each of three disciplines can anticipate paying the fees for six diskettes/CDs.

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What else do I need to know before placing an order?

• By placing an order, you will be agreeing to the following terms.

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How do we get a sample ACAT for review?

• Requests must be submitted on a Sample Request form which includes an agreement to provide appropriate security for the sample. You can download a printable form or request one by telephone (866-680-2228). Once completed, you can send the request form to us by mail or fax
  (931-552-9167). PACAT does not charge for samples. A sample may be retained for up to 90 days after which it must be returned to PACAT. Samples are provided for the sole purpose of departmental review and may not be used or dispensed as study guides. Copies must not be made for any reason. We reserve the right to fully verify requests before providing sample ACATs.
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Can we buy the test and just use some of the questions?

• The test and its contents remain the property of PACAT Inc. Because the ACAT is a nationally standardized instrument, we are unable to customize it at the level of individual questions. Customization is done by including the requested content area components. (top)

Can we change the areas that appear on our test?

• Because of the way that different versions of the test are identified electronically for scoring, the computers cannot differentiate among ACAT versions used by the same department during a single testing year. Departments changing a test configuration should clearly indicate this on their purchase order and provide a complete list of areas to appear on the new test including areas not being changed. A department wishing to change its test configuration during the testing year but after administering it at least once during the same year will be charged an administrative fee for managing the change. Please refer to the list of special fees for the amount.
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Can we use different tests for different groups of students?

• Departments wishing to use multiple versions of the ACAT will be given multiple institution codes.  We must be notified in advance that a department wishes to exercise this option. The department should also provide 2 or 3 word descriptions of the student groupings that will be used to identify their institution codes. (top)

Who uses the ACAT?

• The ACAT is in use at 4 year institutions nationwide. Participating departments cover a broad range, some graduating fewer than 5 majors a year and others graduating several hundred. Both public and private institutions are participants. A representative list of recent participants may be viewed by clicking here.
• A limited number of ACATs (agriculture, biology, general business, criminal justice) are calibrated for use at 2 year institutions. (top)

How long does it take to get our scores back?

• ACATs are scored weekly. All answer sheets received prior to the close of business on Thursday will be included in score reports released the following Tuesday. Special scoring which does not conform to this schedule can be accomplished upon request for a fee.
• ACAT Online scoring will be conducted in the weekly cycle following receipt of notification of completion and a final roster from the institution.
• Score reports can be sent by US Postal Service or by email at the request of the department. (top)

Do we get individual student scores on pretests?

• The ACAT as a pretest is designed to assess only an overall cohort. If individual scores are made available, there is a possibility of introducing an inadvertent bias towards students who perform poorly on the ACAT.  With this exception, the same score report as that for graduating seniors is sent to departments.  Departments wishing to apply for an exemption that will allow them to receive individual scores on pretest should contact us to discuss the required assurances. (top)

What information will be contained in my score report?

• A variety of information can be included in your report to meet your data needs. You will receive 2 reports following the receipt of examinee responses for each administration. You will also receive 2 reports in mid-June containing your cumulative results for the June - May year. The reports can be customized individually and sent either to the same individual or to two different individuals. A sample score report can be downloaded as a PDF file for viewing. (top)

What are the "Standard Scores" on my score report?

• The standard scores provide a means by which to compare your students' performance to that of a multi-year national sample. A standard score has a fixed mid-point or average, in this case 500. That does not change from one year to the next. The standard scores also have a fixed standard deviation of 100 points. The standard deviation allows us to determine percentiles. For example, 68% of the students in the national sample will score within 1 standard deviation of the average. Put another way, 68% of the scores on the test should fall between 400 and 600.
• Each content area has its own multi-year reference group consisting of all students taking that particular content area subtest regardless of the overall test configuration used. The ACAT assumes that the content taught in a specific area is more or less independent of the required breadth of the curriculum offered. Because of this, in some disciplines, you will notice that the reference group size is different for each content area.
• There is also an overall standard score and percentile on the report. This is the measure of the overall performance of your students compared to all students in the multi-year sample group taking a test with the same number of content areas. This score can be interpreted as a comparison to departments with similar curricular requirements for breadth. The applicability of this score depends to some degree on how closely a department's choice of test length and content matches their curriculum. (top)

What are the "Raw Percent Correct Scores" on my score report?

• Some departments want to know how well their students are doing as a percent correct, much like the score that would result from taking an in-class exam. Care should be taken in interpreting these scores, however. The ACAT assumes that 70%-80% of the students in a department have learned 70%-80% of the material presented on the test. This will produce "ideal" scores of between 49% and 64% correct. While these might be considered low on an in-class exam designed to meet the goals of an individual course, they are well suited to a nationally administered instrument trying to assess much broader goals.
• The raw scores are weighted on an item by item basis before being converted to standard scores. Therefore, it is not possible to derive one from the other given only the information contained within the score report. (top)

There are students missing from my score report. Where are they?

• First of all, look at the top of the report. If is says that it is an interim report, it will contain only the scores only for the most recent group of students. The final report, released during the first half of June should contain scores for all students tested during the June-May testing year.
• Some students fail to provide adequate information on their answer forms. Students must provide their names and a student ID number. Failing to provide a proper booklet number or test form number may also prevent scoring. In these cases, you should receive a "Scoring Exceptions Report" with your score report. This will list all answer forms which could not be scored and the reason why they could not be scored.
• Finally, if none of the above applies to your situation, please call us toll-free (866-680-2228) and have ready the student's name and ID number used for the test administration. Occasionally, students incorrectly mark their discipline and/or institution codes and we will have to search for them manually. (top)