Learning Services Academic Prep courses are designed to improve a student's COMPASS scores for admission to a particular program. Certain programs require specific COMPASS Reading, Writing, or Mathematics placement scores before being officially admitted into that program. But what is of real benefit to students is that Academic Prep courses can be started anytime during the year. These courses are offered on an open-entry, open-exit basis, so students can upgrade their skills without waiting until the beginning of a semester. Academic Prep courses can even be started on the same day a student takes the COMPASS Placement test.

Learning Services offers Academic Prep courses for Health, Business, Pharmacy Technician and Food Service programs. An individual plan of study is customized for each student, and when the objectives of the plan are met, the student can take the COMPASS test again. Much of the instruction is computer-based, so students can work at their own pace as well as access their assigned instructional software programs from Kirkwood Learning Centers located in the seven-county area.