Pay attention in class throughout high school. College assessment tests are designed to measure readiness for college. High school coursework is meant to prepare students to move on to college or some other form of higher education and/or vocational training. High school courses in English and mathematics should provide the necessary foundation for at least an average score on college assessment tests.
Read plenty of books throughout your high school career. Keep a dictionary close at hand. Online dictionaries are also available for instant access and without purchase. Every time you encounter a word that you do not know, look up the definition in the dictionary. Go a step further and look at the synonyms, or words of the same or similar meaning, in a thesaurus. Find the definitions of all related words to increase your understanding of word meanings. This will passively build your vocabulary, with no flash cards necessary.
Meet with the guidance or admissions counselor at the college. According to Burlington County College (BCC), assessment tests that are given after admission may include sections like reading comprehension, writing, basic algebra and sentence structure. College assessment tests that are given for the purposes of determining placement level into college courses will vary depending on the school. The college counselor will have more information on the specific placement test being given at a particular institution.
Use college assessment practice books. Practice tests may even be available through the college testing center. According to the Austin Community College (ACC), some students may experience test anxiety. If anxiety becomes difficult to deal with while taking the practice test, visit the counselor again and inform him of the issue.
Study practice materials for at least an hour per day in the weeks approaching the test. Another option is to take a class offered through the college. Some colleges may offer their own preparation courses, which will probably require registration, such as ACC's Assessment Test Preparation class.