Hey Peace,
I'm glad to see that someone else took the test. I got a 489, which is supposed to be a very good score according to the stats, but like I said, there was no feedback. I think they're probably busy with more urgent matters (commencement and stuff), and that we'll get to hear about it in a month or two. I'm not visiting the forum as often as I used to, but I'll make sure to update this thread if I learn anything new.
By the way, the email from Excelsior didn't clarify whether the top 10 percent test-takers were among Excelsior students only or from the whole pool of participating colleges and universities. Of course it would make more sense if they meant the former. Good luck to all of us.
P00057870, here's an excerpt from the email I got:
"MAPP (Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress), which measures your skills in reading, writing, critical thinking, and mathematics. We would really appreciate if you would take part in the MAPP, as results from this evaluation will be used for accreditation and program improvement purposes. Participation is voluntary and has no bearing on your student status."
You can find detailed information here:
MAPP: Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress
If the above link doesn't work, simply go to
ETS: Educational Testing Serviceâ Home and click MAPP on the homepage screen. Here are the Overview page contents:
"MAPP Test Overview
How do you measure student learning while making the best use of your institutionâs resources?
As the only integrated test of general education skills, the Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress (MAPP) test assesses 4 core skill areas â critical thinking, reading, writing and mathematics â in a single test that the Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) has selected as a gauge of general education outcomes. Institutions can also add an optional essay for additional insight into students' general knowledge and critical thinking skills.
The MAPP test is statistically equated to the former Academic Profile assessment, allowing former Academic Profile customers to conduct longitudinal or cross-sectional studies. The MAPP test allows you to:
* gain a unified picture of the effectiveness of your general education program to meet requirements for accreditation and performance funding
* promote curriculum improvement with actionable score reports you can use to pinpoint strengths and areas of improvement
* take your institution to the next level by providing comparative data on more than 380 institutions and 375,000 students nationwide
* create greater flexibility in your testing program by adding 50 locally authored questions and choosing between the paper-and-pencil or online formats
New Comparative Data Guides are now available.
Who Takes the Test and Why?
College freshmen, sophomores and upperclassmen take the MAPP test so that institutions can demonstrate program effectiveness for accreditation and funding purposes.
Colleges and universities can also conduct longitudinal studies with the MAPP test data to determine how much their students are learning and how they can improve learning outcomes.
When and Where Do Students Take the Exam?
There are no preset test administration dates. Testing is conducted at your convenience, either onsite or remotely via computer. A variety of testing formats offer flexibility to meet your specific scheduling and staffing needs. Format options include:
* standard (2-hour) and abbreviated (40-minute) test forms
* paper-and-pencil or online delivery
* proctored and nonproctored administration
How Are the Results Used?
Colleges and universities nationwide use the MAPP test to:
* measure and document program effectiveness to meet requirements for accreditation and program funding
* assess student proficiency in core academic skill areas to identify strengths, weaknesses and opportunities to improve curriculum and instruction
* compare performance against programs at more than 380 institutions nationwide
* conduct benchmark and trend analyses to evaluate program improvement efforts and overall learning outcomes
* help meet their VSA requirements
For more information about the MAPP test and for sample reports, review the MAPP User's Guide (PDF) or contact an ETS Advisor.
For information on Validity, review the MAPP validity study (PDF) and the Validity of the Academic Profile (PDF)."