NTC opens at RAF Lakenheath

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tiffany Deuel
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- --  The 48th Force Support Squadron Education Center, in conjunction with the University of Maryland University College, recently opened the first National Testing Center in the United Kingdom.

The NTC has 20 stations available for testing per session and offers immediate test results. There is no limit to the amount of subjects on which someone can test, but if someone fails a test, there is a six-month wait period before the same test subject can be taken again.

Airmen find the testing center very helpful.

Airman 1st Class Thomas Williams, 48th Munitions Squadron equipment maintenance crewmember, said, "It's really nice to be able to further your education while overseas."

The NTC concept was initiated by Tom Langdon, RAF Lakenheath's previous education officer, and UMUC won the contract in 2009.

Staff members at the education center are excited about having the new center.

"UMUC is excited to offer online testing to service members and their dependents in an effort to help them further their education," said Jennifer Brannon, UMUC regional enrollment manager for the United Kingdom.

The NTC, administered and run by UMUC, offers a variety of online tests that provide a multitude of subjects and convenient opportunities.

College Level Examination Program, DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, Pearson Vue and Excelsior are the tests offered. The CLEPs and DSSTs are administered Monday through Thursday at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The Pearson Vue and Excelsior tests are administered Friday at 8:30 a.m. All four tests cover a wide range of subject categories.

English, mathematics, social sciences, technology, foreign language, business, science, history and humanities are some of the main subject categories. Sub-categories include American literature, college algebra, introductory sociology, technical writing, Spanish, French, and German language, introductory business law, chemistry, American government, ethics in America, and others.