Special Exams: Testing Out of CAS 100 and CAS 101

The Division of Business & Technology offers students the opportunity to test out of CAS 100 – Keyboarding I and CAS 101 – Documents Processing.  If these classes are a requirement for your program, or if you would like to take a course that lists these as a pre-requisite, you may attempt an examination for course credit.

Place Out or Special Exam?

CAS 100 – Keyboarding I is a pre-requisite for CAS 101 – Documents Processing.  This means you must successfully complete Keyboarding I in order to enroll in the Documents Processing.  If CAS 101 is a requirement for your program, then you may attempt to place out of CAS 100 in order to satisfy the pre-requisite obligation and secure an override into CAS 101.  There is no fee for a place out, but you will not receive any credit for the course on your transcript.  You simply receive an override to enroll in CAS 101.

You can also choose to take a Special Exam for either CAS 100 – Keyboarding I or CAS 101 – Documents Processing.  If you successfully test out of these courses, appropriate credit hours are posted to your transcript.  Credits posted DO NOT affect your grade point average.  If CAS 100 or CAS 101 is a required course for your program, you must take a Special Exam so that the credits post to your transcript and satisfy requirements for graduation.  The fee to test out is $25 per credit hour.

What is on the exam?

For both exams, you will log in to a testing site and complete a timed-writing keyboarding assignment. You must reach a typing speed of 30 WPM to test out of CAS 100 or 40 WPM to test out of CAS 101.  During both exams, you can only make three typing errors, or achieve 90% accuracy.

The exam for CAS 101 – Documents Processing has a second portion that involves the formatting of business documents.  Successful candidates have the knowledge and skills to properly format and design specific document types, based on information and text provided by the exam proctor.

How do I schedule an exam?

Exams are done on an individual basis for your convenience.  If you are interested in taking an exam, please stop by the Business & Technology office in suite D13 on the main campus to schedule a date and time to complete the exam.  Bring a Special Exam Form with you; you can print one from the ‘Forms and Printables’ page or pick one up on campus.

Blue Ridge CTC assesses a Special Examination fee of $25 per credit hour.  The cost is $50 for CAS 100 and $75 for CAS 101 and is non-refundable.  You can pay with cash, money order, or debit/credit.

Please keep the following conditions in mind –

• Course credit may not be granted through Special Examination for courses previously attempted that resulted in a failing grade or withdraw.
• Special Examinations are only available to currently enrolled, degree-seeking students in good academic standing (2.0 minimum GPA). There is no GPA requirement for placing out.
• Course credit through Special Examination may be attempted only once per course.
• Payment must be made before the exam is attempted, and no money will be refunded if any exam is failed. 
• Financial Aid cannot be applied to cover the cost of Special Examinations.