COMPASS® Practice Test Prep 2026 October
Prepare for the COMPASS® certification. 📝 Practice questions with answer explanations covering all exam domains.
COMPASS® Test Practice Prep
Please note: ACT retired the original COMPASS placement test at the end of 2016 and no longer administers it. Many colleges have since moved to other placement tools (such as ACCUPLACER or their own institution-specific assessments), while some schools still use retained COMPASS-style question banks for course placement. If you were told to take "the COMPASS test," confirm with your school's admissions or testing office which placement test they currently use — the practice questions below are based on the classic COMPASS format (Reading, Writing Skills, and Math) and are useful general practice for college placement exams even where the original COMPASS test itself is no longer offered.
Compass Math Pool Test 3
Compass Writing Skills Practice Test 3
For a fuller set of questions on this topic, see our political compass test resource.
For a fuller set of questions on this topic, see our exam compass resource.
Sample COMPASS Practice Questions
Try these questions from our free COMPASS practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
A circle has the equation x² + y² = 25. What is its radius?
- A. 25
- B. 5
- C. 12.5
- D. √5
Answer: B. 5
In the standard form x² + y² = r², we have r² = 25, so r = √25 = 5.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence is correct or whether it needs to be revised. F̲o̲r̲ ̲h̲o̲m̲e̲s̲ ̲i̲n̲ ̲t̲y̲p̲i̲c̲a̲l̲l̲y̲ ̲c̲o̲l̲d̲e̲r̲ ̲g̲e̲o̲g̲r̲a̲p̲h̲i̲c̲ ̲r̲e̲g̲i̲o̲n̲s̲, it is particularly important to have effective and efficient heating systems.
- A. For homes in typically colder geographic regions
- B. For people in homes in typically colder geographic regions
- C. For homes in typically cold geographic regions
- D. People in typically colder geographic regions
- E. Homes in typically colder geographic regions
Answer: C. For homes in typically cold geographic regions
The word 'colder' is a comparative adjective, implying a comparison to something else. However, the sentence describes regions that are inherently cold, not necessarily colder than some other implied region. Using the absolute adjective 'cold' is more appropriate and concise in this context, as 'typically cold' accurately describes the nature of the regions without an unnecessary comparison.
Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. A consummate gentleman S̲t̲e̲f̲a̲n̲'s̲ ̲e̲t̲i̲q̲u̲e̲t̲t̲e̲ ̲a̲n̲d̲ ̲s̲o̲c̲i̲a̲l̲ ̲g̲r̲a̲c̲e̲ ̲w̲a̲s̲ ̲u̲n̲m̲a̲t̲c̲h̲e̲d̲.
- A. Stefan's etiquette and social grace was unmatched.
- B. Stefan's etiquette and social grace were unmatched.
- C. Stefan possessed unmatched etiquette and social grace.
- D. Stefan's social grace was matched only by his etiquette.
Answer: C. Stefan possessed unmatched etiquette and social grace.
The original sentence suffers from a dangling modifier, as 'A consummate gentleman' incorrectly modifies 'Stefan's etiquette and social grace' instead of Stefan himself. Additionally, 'etiquette and social grace' is a compound subject requiring the plural verb 'were,' not 'was.' Option C corrects both issues by making Stefan the direct subject and clearly stating what he possessed, thus eliminating the dangling modifier and the subject-verb agreement error.
If x = y, what does 4(x-y) + 7 =?
- A. 4x - 4y + 7
- B. 7
- C. 4xy + 7
- D. 11x - 11y
Answer: B. 7
Given that x = y, the term (x-y) in the expression becomes (x-x) or (y-y), which simplifies to 0. Substituting this into the expression, we get 4(0) + 7. This simplifies further to 0 + 7, which equals 7.
About the Author
Educational Psychologist & Academic Test Preparation Expert
Columbia University Teachers CollegeDr. Lisa Patel holds a Doctorate in Education from Columbia University Teachers College and has spent 17 years researching standardized test design and academic assessment. She has developed preparation programs for SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, UCAT, and numerous professional licensing exams, helping students of all backgrounds achieve their target scores.
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