When assessments are developed by WGU, students' rights to retake the assessments will be included with information disseminated to WGU staff and students. Given that not all assessment activities are of the same type, nor do they cover similar content or assess similar levels/types of learning, the rules referring to retakes will vary from one assessment to another as follows:
Pre-Assessments:
Students are required to attempt the pre-assessment before obtaining approval to take the objective assessment. Student Mentor approval can only be made after the student has at least one attempt at the preassessment. Not all objective assessments have a pre-assessment; this requirement is waived for those that do not. Students are allowed to attempt pre-assessments a maximum of three times or until the pre-assessment is passed, whichever comes first.
Objective Assessments:
Attempts on all objective assessments including outside vendor assessments will be limited to four attempts. Students who fail an attempt on an assessment must wait at least 14 days before retaking the same assessment. Prior to retaking the assessment, students must consult with their Student Mentor and Course Mentor to develop an intervening learning resource experience. An intervening learning resource experience may be focused study, a recurring appointment with a Course Mentor, engagement in the Course of Study, engagement in weekly webinars or other appropriate educational activities. Second attempts will require the approval of the appropriate Course Mentor for the assessment. Attempts three and beyond will require Course Mentor and additional supervisory approvals, and will be granted only after student engagement standards have been met. After a failed fourth attempt, an appeal for an additional attempt may be submitted to the Associate Provost for Academic Services by the Student Mentor, but it is unlikely that an appeal will be approved except in the most extreme circumstances. If the appeal for an additional attempt is denied, the student will have to either change to a WGU degree program that does not contain that assessment or seek educational opportunities outside of WGU.
Performance Assessments:
WGU performance assessments are those assessments most often completed in TaskStream. A performance assessment typically includes individual tasks that, when combined, demonstrate competency for a larger assessment.Please note that all assessments, regardless of delivery platform (TaskStream, Web Assessor, etc.), are formal testing processes, not exercises or "homework.” Thorough preparation for all assessments is recommended as it facilitates more timely progress toward graduation. To ensure the validity of the assessment, demonstrations of competency must be prepared at a time commensurate with its submission to WGU and must be primarily the student’s own work, demonstrating the student’s competency and no one else’s, whether such other sources are cited or not. WGU uses a variety of means to ensure the submission of original work, including but not limited to faculty expertise and technology tools such as Turnitin.com. While such determinations will be made in the context of each submission, generally speaking, submitted work should be at least 70% original to the student. Submissions determined to lack originality will not be evaluated for content but will count toward the submission limit. It is also important to know that students are given the opportunity to submit each task in a performance assessment a maximum of four times (first submission, plus three resubmissions). After four submissions for the same task, the student will need to demonstrate substantial engagement with additional resources to increase his/her preparation (e.g., learning resources) and engage with a Course Mentor before the task will be released for revision and resubmission. If the student does not pass the performance assessment by the end of the term, then the student will receive a “not passed” on the Degree Plan and the transcript. It is, therefore, in a student’s best interest to utilize the Course of Study and submit early in a term. Evaluation times are longer toward the end of each month and at peak times in advance of demonstration teaching audits and graduation deadlines. Students should plan accordingly.
Third-Party Assessments:
Many WGU assessments are published by third parties. In addition to WGU's limit of four attempts, students' rights to retake assessments are determined by the procedures for that instrument. Students unsure of the effective policy should contact their mentor for clarification. Students are strongly encouraged to take practice or sample assessments where they are available; self-reflect on their learning experiences and abilities; and, consult with their mentor on an appropriate intervening learning resource before seeking approval to take a third-party assessment. Students must have WGU approval prior to taking an exam for credit.
Retake Fees:
Students seeking business, teacher education, or health professions degrees are charged a $60 retake fee for third and subsequent attempts at objective assessments. Students must pay retake fees when tuition is due. Federal financial aid does not cover the re-take fees. See Assessment Retake Fee.
Students seeking information technology degrees are required to pay for the assessment voucher to retake the third and subsequent attempts at an assessment.
Pre-Assessments:
Students are required to attempt the pre-assessment before obtaining approval to take the objective assessment. Student Mentor approval can only be made after the student has at least one attempt at the preassessment. Not all objective assessments have a pre-assessment; this requirement is waived for those that do not. Students are allowed to attempt pre-assessments a maximum of three times or until the pre-assessment is passed, whichever comes first.
Objective Assessments:
Attempts on all objective assessments including outside vendor assessments will be limited to four attempts. Students who fail an attempt on an assessment must wait at least 14 days before retaking the same assessment. Prior to retaking the assessment, students must consult with their Student Mentor and Course Mentor to develop an intervening learning resource experience. An intervening learning resource experience may be focused study, a recurring appointment with a Course Mentor, engagement in the Course of Study, engagement in weekly webinars or other appropriate educational activities. Second attempts will require the approval of the appropriate Course Mentor for the assessment. Attempts three and beyond will require Course Mentor and additional supervisory approvals, and will be granted only after student engagement standards have been met. After a failed fourth attempt, an appeal for an additional attempt may be submitted to the Associate Provost for Academic Services by the Student Mentor, but it is unlikely that an appeal will be approved except in the most extreme circumstances. If the appeal for an additional attempt is denied, the student will have to either change to a WGU degree program that does not contain that assessment or seek educational opportunities outside of WGU.
Performance Assessments:
WGU performance assessments are those assessments most often completed in TaskStream. A performance assessment typically includes individual tasks that, when combined, demonstrate competency for a larger assessment.Please note that all assessments, regardless of delivery platform (TaskStream, Web Assessor, etc.), are formal testing processes, not exercises or "homework.” Thorough preparation for all assessments is recommended as it facilitates more timely progress toward graduation. To ensure the validity of the assessment, demonstrations of competency must be prepared at a time commensurate with its submission to WGU and must be primarily the student’s own work, demonstrating the student’s competency and no one else’s, whether such other sources are cited or not. WGU uses a variety of means to ensure the submission of original work, including but not limited to faculty expertise and technology tools such as Turnitin.com. While such determinations will be made in the context of each submission, generally speaking, submitted work should be at least 70% original to the student. Submissions determined to lack originality will not be evaluated for content but will count toward the submission limit. It is also important to know that students are given the opportunity to submit each task in a performance assessment a maximum of four times (first submission, plus three resubmissions). After four submissions for the same task, the student will need to demonstrate substantial engagement with additional resources to increase his/her preparation (e.g., learning resources) and engage with a Course Mentor before the task will be released for revision and resubmission. If the student does not pass the performance assessment by the end of the term, then the student will receive a “not passed” on the Degree Plan and the transcript. It is, therefore, in a student’s best interest to utilize the Course of Study and submit early in a term. Evaluation times are longer toward the end of each month and at peak times in advance of demonstration teaching audits and graduation deadlines. Students should plan accordingly.
Third-Party Assessments:
Many WGU assessments are published by third parties. In addition to WGU's limit of four attempts, students' rights to retake assessments are determined by the procedures for that instrument. Students unsure of the effective policy should contact their mentor for clarification. Students are strongly encouraged to take practice or sample assessments where they are available; self-reflect on their learning experiences and abilities; and, consult with their mentor on an appropriate intervening learning resource before seeking approval to take a third-party assessment. Students must have WGU approval prior to taking an exam for credit.
Retake Fees:
Students seeking business, teacher education, or health professions degrees are charged a $60 retake fee for third and subsequent attempts at objective assessments. Students must pay retake fees when tuition is due. Federal financial aid does not cover the re-take fees. See Assessment Retake Fee.
Students seeking information technology degrees are required to pay for the assessment voucher to retake the third and subsequent attempts at an assessment.
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