Washburn Institute of Technology

USD 450 pays tuition at Washburn Institute of Technology (Washburn Tech) for current high school juniors and seniors in the district. Topeka Public School students attend Washburn Tech on a part-time basis, approximately a half-day schedule. Bus transportation is provided. Students who successfully complete a half-day schedule (a.m. or p.m.) of courses at Washburn Tech during a semester earn 2.0 credits at their home high school.

General Enrollment Requirements:
A student must:

  • Be 16 years of age and have junior or senior standing in high school

  • Submit an application

  • Successfully complete the general entrance examination, Accuplacer​ (see below for more information)

  • Conference with Washburn Tech adviser - Luci Ziegman

  • If accepted, pay a $20 enrollment fee after receiving a cost sheet from Washburn Tech

  • Be responsible for the cost of books, supplies, and tools


Visit the Washburn Institute of Technology Website for more information about specific programs or contact Ms. Finnegan

Accuplacer
The Accuplacer is an adaptive, multiple-choice and essay test that is designed to be a clear measure of academic skills in the areas of math, reading, and English. Unlike other similar placement tests, the Accuplacer is untimed, meaning that students can take all the time they need to study the questions and determine what they feel to be the right answer.
The Accuplacer is divided into 6 individual sections: Sentence Skills, Reading Comprehension, Arithmetic Test, Elementary Algebra, College-Level Math Test & Written Essay. This test is administered online and is generally given to students as they are entering a college or university. Keep in mind that as a placement test the Accuplacer is not a pass/fail exam. Instead, it is designed to let colleges and universities know exactly where their students stand in these particular areas.
The Accuplacer is comprised of 6 individual sections and all questions will be multiple-choice with the exception of the single essay question. The 6 individual sections are as follows:

Sentence Skills

  • 20 individual questions looking at sentence structure and word choice

Reading Comprehension

  • 20 individual questions looking at reading comprehension and sentence relationships

​Arithmetic Test

  • 17 individual questions divided into 3 categories - whole numbers and fractions, decimals and percents, and applications and problem-solving

Elementary Algebra

  • 12 individual algebra based questions

College-Level Math

  • 20 individual questions ranging from intermediate algebra to pre-calculus

Written Essay

  • One Topic


Practice testing materials are available for students wanting to take this test.

Find Your Path
Washburn Tech: Find Your Path