One way to ascertain if the goals you are setting for your first semester are attainable is by taking the SmarterMeasure assessment. SmarterMeasure is provided for you as a World Campus student and measures your readiness for online learning. It can also indicate how good of a fit distance learning and learning in a technology-rich environment will be for you.

Why Should You Take SmarterMeasure?

Taking the SmarterMeasure assessment can give you a good understanding of how prepared you are to be successful as an online student. An indication that there are areas where you might need help doesn't disqualify you from World Campus courses in any way. Knowing which areas to focus on as you prepare to learn at a distance can be a great help to you as a student. Giving complete and honest answers to the questions on this assessment will help provide you with a current picture of who you are as a learner, so you should make sure that you take your time and answer all of the questions on the assessment. As was mentioned before, there are no penalties for the answers that you give—they are purely to help you work with World Campus staff as you prepare for your upcoming courses.

Taking the Assessment

Now that you know more about the assessment, we should go over how you can access it. The login link for the SmarterMeasure assessment is on the SmarterMeasure home page. On this page, select the button for logging in as a first-time user. You will enter the username and a password, both of which are "pennstate." Once you've entered the username and password, you'll see prompts to input your information and create a personalized account. If you encounter any difficulties with the login process, contact the IT Service Desk or Academic Support Resources for help.

How Long Will the Assessment Take?

Most students complete the assessment in about 30 to 40 minutes. You also have the option to log out during the assessment and come back to finish it later. If you log-out, you will need to save the PIN that was emailed to you from SmarterMeasure. The PIN is sent to the email address you provided when you created your personalized account. When you return to complete the assessment or retrieve your SmarterMeasure report, you will use the PIN to login.

What Happens After You Complete the Assessment?

Once you complete SmarterMeasure, you'll receive a comprehensive report. This information will help you understand your strengths and opportunities for improvement. The report includes many resources to help you in your academic endeavors. Within 1-week of completing SmarterMeasure, you will also receive an invitation for a SmarterMeasure consultation sent to your PSU email address. The purpose of the consult is to meet with an academic support specialist to review your SmarterMeasure results and connect you with Penn State resources specific to your interests and needs. During the consult, you will discuss learning styles, active learning techniques, efficient study strategies, and productivity tools. Following the consult, you will receive resources to help you meet your academic goals at World Campus.