Student and Parent Information

High school students or returning students will need to complete the six steps below in order to receive and be eligible for services through the Center for Disability Services:

STEP ONE
Students will to make an appointment to meet with a CDS counselor @ (708) 974-5711.  For the first meeting students will need to bring in their most current IEP and psychological report or medical documentation of their disability. Students will also be required to complete the CDS Intake Form.

STEP TWO
As a new full-time student placement tests are required before registering for 12 credit hours or for English composition (above COM-085) or mathematics (above MTH-090). Students may be exempt from placement testing based on previous college credit or ACT scores. Students must complete the enrollment form before taking placement tests and may do so at the Admissions Office in Building S, Student Services Center, or by calling (708) 974-2110. You do not need to register for the placement test. You may come in to the COMPASS Lab, which is located in B101, at your convenience during the hours that the COMPASS Lab is open. COMPASS is administered on a first-come, first-served, walk-in basis. There is an $8 fee for each test, which will be added to your tuition bill.

The COMPASS test is the computerized placement test that helps place students into appropriate reading, writing and math courses. The system draws on a pool of test questions, and then adjusts the level of the test to the skills and expertise of each individual test taker. Students can view sample test questions by going to www.act.org/compass and clicking on "Sample Questions."

• The COMPASS Math Placement Test covers five content domains: pre-algebra/numerical skills, algebra, college algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Results of the test will determine student placement in mathematics courses. Students may be required to complete developmental mathematics courses prior to enrolling in a college-level course.

• The COMPASS Reading Placement Test is designed to assess students' reading comprehension. Results of the test will determine student placement in reading courses. Students may be required to complete developmental reading courses in addition to regular college-credit courses.

• The COMPASS Writing Skills Test includes items to assess students' usage/mechanics and rhetorical skills. Results of writing skills test will determine student placement in English composition courses. Students may be required to complete developmental composition courses prior to enrolling in a college-level composition course.

Placement Test Exemptions:

• Previously Earned College Credit - If you've previously earned college credit, you may be exempt from some or all of the placement tests. Just submit a college transcript or grade report showing a "C" or better in a college-level (101 or higher) English composition/rhetoric course and/or mathematics course to the Office of New Student Retention or Academic Advising.
• Act Scores - An ACT score of 20 or above in English, reading and mathematics may be used in place of some or all of the placement tests. To qualify for an exemption, students need to bring a copy of their ACT scores to the Academic Advising Center or the Assessment Center.  A score of 20 or above in English and reading exempts you from the English/reading placement test.  A score of 20 or above in mathematics exempts you from the mathematics placement test.

STEP THREE
Full-time students are required to attend Orientation. The COMPASS test must be complete prior to attending Orientation. Students that are registered and eligible for services through the CDS will be notified of their Orientation date and time. At Orientation students classes will be selected based on their COMPASS scores.

STEP FOUR
The CDS hosts a Get Acquainted Day for students on the second Wednesday in August.  The purpose is to answer questions and give students the opportunity to view the campus and locate their classes for the upcoming semester.  It is also a chance for the students to meet one another. 

STEP FIVE
For those students applying for financial aid, you can do a hard copy or an electronic version via the internet @ www.FAFSA.ed.gov. Moraine Valley's School Code is 007692.

STEP SIX
Students who enroll in college classes part time after their high school graduation should be aware that they might not have insurance coverage. Most insurance companies require students to be a full-time student to be eligible for benefits.  The CDS recommends that you contact your insurance carrier to verify the student's eligibility/benefits.

To prepare students for their transition to college, please take time to review this chart comparing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).