Testing Services

Testing Services at BHSU in Spearfish


The Testing Center at BHSU’s Spearfish Campus is a professional center that strives to provide reliable test administration and high-quality customer service while adhering to nationally recognized testing standards. The BHSU/Spearfish Testing Center is utilized by both students and professionals for various tests, including placement exams.

For advance appointments call 605.642.6099 (no answer, leave a voicemail) OR email: BHSPTestingCenter@BHSU.edu ***calls and emails will be attended to during regular business hours. Calls and emails received during nights, weekends, or holidays will be returned during the next open business hours.

Location

BHSU/Spearfish Testing Center is located on the Second Floor of the E.Y Berry Library-Learning Center, Room #240. 

Spearfish Testing Center

Monday through Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (calls and emails are not attended to outside of these hours)

Note: These hours are subject to change

Services

BHSU/Spearfish Testing Center offers test proctoring services for:

  • Students enrolled in distance learning/online programs and courses, not limited to BHSU students
    • Our goal is to provide a quiet space for testing that meets the needs of the student who are taking online courses from other universities yet are Black Hills State University students, as well as provide the test security faculty need for the integrity of their exams.
  • Disability Testing Accommodations
  • Professional Certification Exams
  • Exams for Credit – CLEP and DSST
  • On-campus make-up testing
  • Others by request

Appointments

Testing is by advanced appointment only! Students MUST make an appointment directly with the Testing Center at least 48 hours in advance (excluding weekends) and one week in advance during Midterm and Final weeks.

Appointments can be made by calling 605.642.6099. Space and staff are limited, so appointments will always be honored before walk-ins. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that a proctor form has been completed and received by the instructor/university from which the student is taking the exam.

Faculty can email, hand-deliver, or mail the exam to the Testing Center. The instructor must include instructions; i.e. time allowed, closed book/note, calculator allowed, etc., and return method of the exam.

*NOTE: Every semester our testing facility is overwhelmed for midterms and finals. Students, please make appointments as far in advance as possible to ensure a slot during these busy times.

Exams administered include the ACCUPLACER Placement TestingCLEP testing to earn college credit, DSST testing to earn college credit, CASTLE Worldwide, and others. This office also serves as the national test administrator for the ACT and GRE (Subject GRE Only). Please visit individual websites for the ACT and GRE registration.

Make-up Exams

Students missing an exam may be allowed a make-up test at the faculty's discretion. Allowing make-up exams for planned absences are at the discretion of the faculty member, and arrangements should be between the faculty and student. Make-up testing services at the Testing Center are not meant to replace faculty-student interactions. We provide a service to supplement testing needs when faculty cannot make accommodations with students directly. Please contact Jennifer Lucero at 605.642.6099 with questions.

For more information on Testing Center Services please call 605.642.6099 or email BHSU/Spearfish Testing Center at BHSPTestingCenter@BHSU.edu.

For Disability Testing Accommodations please email Jennifer Lucero, Coordinator of Disability Services and Testing Center, or call at 605.642.6099.

Standardized Tests

The ACCUPLACER is a comprehensive, computerized assessment, and diagnostic system that places students into appropriate college math and writing courses. The ACCUPLACER is available for students entering without valid ACT, SAT, specific transfer credits, etc. to attempt to place into College Level Math or English courses. Placement scores are valid within the past five years. Students with placement scores placing them into Pre-College level Math and English courses are able to challenge their course placement with an ACCUPLACER in Math and/or English. The ACCUPLACER is administered in the Testing Center or at Remote Locations.

Study Materials & More Information

Fees

First Time Without Valid Scores (BHSU Student) FREE
Challenging Any Valid Score (BHSU Student) $20
First-time Calculus Readiness (BHSU Student) FREE
Challenging Previous Calculus Readiness (BHSU Student) $20
Accuplacer Testing (BHSU Dual-Enrollment Student) $20
*each attempt
Accuplacer Proctor Fee (Other SDBOR Universities) FREE
*Must have their Home University issue a Remote Voucher
Regular Proctor Fee (Universities outside of SDBOR) $25
*Must have their Home University issue a Remote Voucher

CLEP or DSST exams can be taken at any certified location.  Credits are applied to the school of your choosing. BHSU/Spearfish Testing Center is a certified testing location for both CLEP and DSST.  In addition to the exam purchase fee, we have a proctor fee of $20.00.  Please give us a call at 605.642.6099 if you would like to schedule an exam at this location.

Those testing for any SDBOR institution, please follow the below links to verify if a specific exam subject is accepted for credit (if it is not on the list, it is not available for credit within the SDBOR system).

CLEP Site     CLEP Information Booklet     DSST Site

Fees

CLEP Exam $20
*Sign up at CLEP Website
DSST Exam $20
*Sign up at DSST Website

The ACT assessment is one of the main examinations used to determine a student's admission into college. The ACT measures skills in English, mathematics, reading, and science--major areas of instruction in most high school and college programs. The assessment is in multiple-choice format and administered via paper and pencil on set national test dates. Standard day ACT Testing is held on the third floor of Jonas Hall.

The GRE is one of the leading assessments used by colleges and universities for admitting students into graduate studies. The GRE is offered in two different areas: the General Test measures developed verbal and quantitative reasoning skills, and analytical writing abilities; and the Subject Tests measure achievement in eight different fields of study. Subject tests are available at BHSU in a paper and pencil format.

Black Hills State University is an official location for GRE Subject Tests. GRE Subject tests are held on the third floor of Jonas Hall.

The GRE General Test is offered in a computer format at the Prometric Testing Center located at:

  • Thomson Prometric Test Center
    1719 West Main, Suite 410
    Rapid City, SD 57702
    Phone: 605.348.4027 | Site Code: 5155
  • Thomson Prometric Test Center
    4700 South Technopolis Dr, Suite 4
    Sioux Falls, SD 57106
    Phone: 605.362.4875 | Site Code: 4400

The PRAXIS is not offered at BHSU. Please visit the below website to Register and Choose a location.
The Praxis Series
 assessments are used by colleges and universities to qualify individuals for entry into teacher education programs. Praxis I: Academic Skills Assessments, designed to be taken early in one's college career to measure reading, writing, and mathematical skills, are offered at BHSU as the Pre-Professionsal Skills Test (PPST). Praxis II: Subject Assessments measure one's knowledge of the subjects to be taught. This is offered at BHSU in two (paper-pencil) formats: Subject Assessments and Specialty Area Tests, which assess your general and subject-specific pedagogical skills and knowledge; or Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) Test, which uses a case study approach to measure your general pedagogical knowledge at the K-6, 5-9, or 7-12 grade levels.

Fees

SDBOR Schools FREE
Proctor Fee - Schools Outside of SDBOR $25
*each exam
Meazure Learning Exams FREE
*Paid by Castle Worldwide
*Paid by ISO