Hands typing on a flat black keyboard.

Career Technical Education (CTE) Keyboard Challenge Examination Request

  • Keyboard Challenge Examination Criteria:
    1. Students must be currently enrolled at North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE) in a course other than the course being challenged.
    2. Challenge Exams may be taken only for a course listed in the NOCE catalog and that the CTE Department has approved for challenges. Please see page three (3) for listing of currently approved courses.
    3. Students should read the course description in the catalog to gain understanding of the class content. Study materials are not provided as part of the challenge exam process.
    4. Students can challenge a maximum of 2 classes.
    5. Currently enrolled and waitlisted students are eligible to take the challenge exam, if approved, no later than the 3rd day after the class starts. No challenge will be allowed for a course in which a student is enrolled after the 3rd day.
    6. Previous completion or audit for a course in which a grade was received (including W, NG, NP), prevents a challenge.
    7. Prior credit or advanced placement cannot have been previously received.
    8. Challenge exams are not intended to replace make-up examinations for courses not completed or courses taken in high school.
    9. Less advanced courses cannot be challenged if they are considered lower in degree than those already taken.
    10. Students may challenge a course only once.
    11. Challenge exams will not be posted to the transcript until all fees or holds have been resolved.
    12. Challenge exams are graded on a Pass/No Pass basis. If students choose to have passing results recorded on their permanent record, the Pass (P) grade will appear with a notation indicating the course was completed by a challenge exam.
    13. Provide evidence of knowledge and/or skills, by virtue of placement/assessment testing, academic course work, independent learning, experience, or a combination of these which are at least equivalent to the knowledge and/or skills the student would have possessed had he or she successfully completed the course.
    14. Students who do not pass the challenge exam will need to take and pass the challenged course in order to meet their certificate requirements.
    15. All challenge exam approvals are only valid for the semester when approval is given.
  • COMP 685 Keyboarding Challenge Exam
    1. Student must provide evidence of knowledge and/or skills, by virtue of placement/assessment testing, academic course work, independent learning, experience, or a combination of these which are at least equivalent to the knowledge and/or skills the student would have possessed had he or she successfully completed the course. Minimum rate accepted for provided evidence is 30 NWPM with five (5) or fewer errors.
    2. To pass the challenge exam students must take the five (5) minute keyboarding challenge exam and receive a pass rate of at least 35 NWPM with five or fewer errors. If you choose to go online for a free online typing test, like typing.com, please take a 5-minute typing test and remember to save the certificate when you are finished and submit the certificate of your score with your Challenge Exam Application.
    3. One challenge exam equals up to three (3) tries on a single day. If student does not receive the qualifying pass rate and/or has more errors than allowed student will be required to take and pass COMP 685.
  • Keyboard Challenge Application Form

    NOCE Challenge Exam Form

  • Keyboard Challenge Form Instructions

    Keyboard Challenge Form Instructions:

    Please fill out the form by downloading the PDF first and then type in your information and challenge exam details:

    In the textbox, please add the following:

    • Course Subject – COMP
    • Course Number – 685
    • Course Title – Beginning Keyboarding
    • Please leave the Exam Date and Grade – Blank

    Additionally, with your application, students must provide evidence of knowledge and/or skills, by virtue of placement/assessment testing, academic course work, independent learning, experience, or a combination of these which are at least equivalent to the knowledge and/or skills the student would have possessed had he or she successfully completed the course. The minimum rate accepted for provided evidence is 30 NWPM with five (5) or fewer errors.

    If you choose to go online for a free online typing test, like typing.com, please take a 5-minute typing test and remember to save the certificate when you are finished and submit the certificate of your score with your Challenge Exam Application.

    Email your completed application and Typing Certificate/Proof to: Careers@noce.edu

    Once your application and proof of knowledge are received, the CTE Program Manager will review and determine if you qualify for the NOCE 5-minute Keyboard Challenge Exam. Kindly allow 3 to 5 business days for the review process, after which you will receive details regarding the next steps.

    Please Note: To pass the Career Technical Education 5-minute Keyboard Challenge Exam, students must receive a pass rate of at least 35 NWPM with five or fewer errors. One challenge exam equals three (3) attempts on a single day. If the student does not receive the qualifying pass rate and/or has more errors than permitted, the student will be required to take and pass COMP 685.

    If you have any questions, please let me know or contact the CTE office for additional information at 714-808-4915 or email careers@noce.edu.