Take the College of Business and Economics placement exam to get a head start on your education adventure!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- There are two tests within each COBE Placement Exam for each Microsoft Office Application – Word, Excel, and Access.
- To finish this COBE Placement Exam for Word/Excel/Access, you must complete both tests.
- Completing the first test once plus completing the second test once constitutes taking the COBE Placement Exam once.
Basic Information
The College of Business and Economics (COBE) Placement Exam provides students with the opportunity to test out of any of the Business Applications Series of courses. These include:
- BusApp 104 (Formerly ITM 104):
- Operating Systems and Word Processing Topics
- Covering Windows basics, file management, and Microsoft Word 2021
- 1 credit
- BusApp 105 (Formerly ITM 105):
- Spreadsheet Topics
- Covering Microsoft Excel 2021
- 2 credits
- BusApp 106 (Formerly ITM 106):
- Access Topics
- Covering Microsoft Access 2021
- 1 credit
If your Microsoft Office skills are strong enough to obtain a grade of 70.0% or better on any of the COBE Placement Exams, you will have satisfied the prerequisite for the course associated with the placement exam you successfully passed. You will not be provided with the credit
associated with the class; Credit is only provided upon successful completion of the course.
You are limited to two attempts for a single placement exam. Those two attempts must be separated by at least 24 hours. Each attempt must include one submission of both tests for this COBE Placement Exam.
Your license lasts 2 weeks and is good for all three Microsoft Office
applications, Word, Excel, and Access.
If you are currently enrolled in a Business Applications (BusApp) Series class and you successfully pass the associated placement exam, you must drop the class on or before the date listed as Last Date to Register or Drop w/o a W for the current term on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Each COBE Placement Exam Comes with a Mix of Three Types of Questions
- Multiple Choice – These include four answers from which to choose the single correct
answer based on the prompt. - Matching – Provides five descriptions followed by the same pull-down list of five terms
where the correct term needs to be selected for each description. - Simulation Scenario –
a. Web based interactive computer model that mimics the Microsoft Office
application in a PC environment.
b. Demonstrates knowledge and skills.
c. There will be several steps to answer a single question.
Each COBE Placement Exam is Distributed Between Two Tests
Information concerning the two tests that constitute the COBE Placement Exam:
- Test 1 of 2 –
a. Contains Multiple Choice and Matching.
b. Time limit: 60 minutes (for all MS Applications)
c. Represents one-third (â…“) of your grade towards the overall COBE Placement Exam score.
d. Labeled: COBE Placement Exam – Word/Excel/Access: Test 1 of 2 – Standard Questions - Test 2 of 2 –
a. Simulation Scenario.
b. Time limit:
Word: 120 minutes
Excel: 180 minutes
Access: 120 minutes
c. Represents two-thirds (â…”) of your grade towards the overall COBE Placement Exam score.
d. Labeled: COBE Placement Exam – Word/Excel/Access: Test 2 of 2 – Scenario Assessment
You may take the two tests in the order of your preference. You must wait 24 hours before starting a second attempt on either test associated with this COBE Placement Exam.
The number of questions associated with each test is as follows:
| Type | Test # | Word | Excel | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Choice | 1 of 2 | 16 | 23 | 18 |
| Matching | 1 of 2 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Subtotal | 1 of 2 | 24 | 32 | 28 |
| Simulation | 2 of 2 | 26 | 48 | 27 |
| Total | Both | 50 | 80 | 55 |
Passing the Excel COBE Placement Exam takes the place of a 2-credit course. The Word and Access COBE Placement Exams take the place of their respective 1-credit courses. That is why there are more questions in Test 2 of 2 for the Excel COBE Placement Exam than either the Word
or Access COBE Placement Exams.
Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to complete the COBE Placement Exam.
The IT-SCM Department and BusApp Series Director hope that completing this COBE Placement Exam means speeding up your academic career.
Good Luck on the Exam! And Happy IT-ing!
Eliot Smith
EliotSmith@BoiseState.edu
Business Applications Series Director
Information Technology and Supply Chain Management Department
Exam Overview/Study Suggestions
Practice before you take the COBE Placement Exam.
How to Take the COBE Placement Exam
Schedule an appointment with the Proctoring and Certification Services Center (PACS). (limited availability during the week of January 6, 2025, with more slots opening once the Spring semester begins.