MCOLES Reading and Writing Test 2026: free practice test and prep
The MCOLES Reading and Writing Test is the written test Michigan requires before police academy enrollment; you register through Talogy and pay $72 an attempt.1 Take a free practice test of 12 reading and writing questions, then train both skills on the clock in the MCOLES path of Police Prep 2026. MCOLES does not publish the item count or time,1 so our 120-item simulations are labelled as our practice format.
- How the MCOLES test works: guide and lesson video7 min read
- Simulation 1: your diagnostic, 120 items2 h
- The MCOLES fitness test: start now, train in parallel6 min read
- Reading comprehension3 timed drills
- Written expression3 timed drills
- Vocabulary and spelling3 timed drills
- Simulation 2: check your progress2 h
- 12 questions, reading and writing
- 12:00 on the clock, a minute each
- Two short passages, three questions each
- Score by area, every answer explained
Free · no account, no email · questions from the course, not MCOLES items
Look inside MCOLES Prep 2026
See how Police Prep 2026 is laid out before you pay $72 for a test attempt. The free test above has 12 reading and writing questions.
Course trailer · the MCOLES reading and writing path inside Police Prep 2026
What is the MCOLES Reading and Writing Test?
The MCOLES Reading and Writing Test is the written test every police academy candidate in Michigan takes before enrollment, required by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES). It is a basic-skills test of reading and writing, not police knowledge, taken on a computer at police academies.1
| Point | MCOLES (official) | Our practice format |
|---|---|---|
| Parts | Reading and writing1 | Reading, then writing |
| Number of items | Not published1 | 60 reading + 60 writing |
| Time limit | Not published1 | 2 hours, 1 hour per part |
| Pass mark | Not published1 | None shown: raw score per part |
| Format | Computer-based, at police academies1 | On screen, a clock per part |
Prep sites quote numbers such as 60 reading and 60 writing items or a 70 % pass mark. We could not confirm any of them from MCOLES, so treat them as unverified.1 If your academy or MCOLES tells you more, that information wins. On test day, check the timer and the item count on screen, then divide.
MCOLES test facts at a glance (2026)
Checked October 23, 2026 against MCOLES’ own pages- What it is
- Michigan’s required pre-enrollment test for police academies, set by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards. Every candidate on the Michigan route takes it.1
- Parts
- Two: reading and writing.1
- Items, time, pass mark
- Not published by MCOLES. Numbers on prep sites are unverified.1
- Registration
- Through Talogy, the testing company MCOLES works with. The MCOLES testing page links to it.1
- Where
- On a computer, at police academies.1
- Fee
- $72 per attempt.1
- Retakes
- Any time. Each attempt is a new registration and a new fee.1
- Validity
- Your result does not expire.1
- Fitness test
- The other half of the step: vertical jump, sit-ups, push-ups, half-mile shuttle run, marks by age and sex, passed within 180 days before the academy starts.2
MCOLES, its fitness test, or another state’s exam?
The Reading and Writing Test is a Michigan requirement, not a test an agency picks, and it is separate from the MCOLES fitness test. Outside Michigan, agencies choose their own written tests.
| Test | Who takes it | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| MCOLES Reading and Writing Test (this page) | Every police academy candidate in Michigan1 | Reading and writing only; item count, time and pass mark not published1 |
| MCOLES fitness test | The same Michigan candidates2 | Vertical jump, sit-ups, push-ups and a half-mile shuttle run, passed within 180 days before the academy.2 Training: police fitness test prep |
| NPOST test | Agencies outside Michigan that choose Stanard’s test | Adds arithmetic and incident report writing, four timed parts |
| DELPOE exam | Agencies that choose the Darany & Associates test | Adds a memory drawing and a biodata questionnaire |
Applying in more than one state? See all 13 police tests in Police Prep 2026.
Where do MCOLES candidates lose points?
Without a published format, the two skills decide: a conclusion the passage does not support, a sentence that sounds fine but breaks agreement, a misspelled report word. Each skill has a unit in the course with a lesson video, a written method and three timed drills.
How does MCOLES Prep 2026 work?
The MCOLES path puts both published parts on the clock: a 120-item simulation in our practice format first, the fitness guide alongside from week one, then reading, writing and vocabulary units, then a second simulation before you book the $72 test.
3:28The lesson video from the MCOLES guide · 3:28
- 1Guide with video
What MCOLES publishes, and what not
A 7-minute guide and a 3:28 lesson video: why the test is required, registration through Talogy, the $72 fee, what MCOLES publishes and what it does not, the fitness test and test day.
- 2Simulation 1
Reading, then writing, 2 hours
Our practice format: 60 reading questions on 12 passages in 60 minutes, then 60 writing items in 60 minutes. The report shows a raw score per part, so you see whether reading or writing needs your time.
- 3Units R, W and V
On a computer, as on test day
Reading at 75, 65 and 55 seconds a question, written expression at 40, 35 and 30, vocabulary and spelling at 30, 25 and 20. The real test is on a computer, and so are the drills; every answer is explained right after you click.
- 4Simulation 2
Book when your scores hold
New items in the same format. Every attempt is a new registration and a new $72 fee,1 so book the real test when your raw scores per part hold steady.
Applying outside Michigan too?
Agencies in other states choose their own tests, such as the NPOST or the PELLET-B. Police Prep 2026 has 13 paths, 12 written tests and the psych evaluation; the R, W and V units you train for MCOLES are the same units on those paths.
How long should you study for the MCOLES test?
Pick how much time you have before you book and see the route through the MCOLES path, fitness training included.
Simulation 1, then the weaker of the two parts.
The report shows whether reading or writing costs you more. Put your days into that unit, and do your drills on a computer: the real test is on screen.
- GuideHow the MCOLES test works, with the lesson video7 min
- SIM 1Simulation 1, cold: reading, then writing2 h
- UnitsThe unit your report names first: R, W or V, drill by drilldaily
- DailyTen minutes of vocabulary and spelling10 min
R, W and V, with fitness alongside.
Diagnostic first, then the three units in path order with fitness training from week one, then Simulation 2. Book the real test when your practice scores are stable.
- Day 1The MCOLES guide and Simulation 1~2 h 10
- Week 1FIT: the fitness guide, then training several times a weekongoing
- Week 1R: reading comprehension, three drills~30 min/day
- Week 2W: written expression, three drills~30 min/day
- Week 3V: vocabulary and spelling, three drills, then ten minutes a day~20 min/day
- ThenSimulation 2, then book the real testbefore you book
Start the fitness training. It takes longer than studying.
The fitness test must be passed within 180 days before the academy, and strength takes weeks. Start words early too: spelling and vocabulary improve slowly.
- NowGuide, then Simulation 1 to see where you stand~2 h 10
- WeeksFitness training and V drills, a little every day10 min/day
- LaterR and W units, then Simulation 2, then bookbefore you book
What is on the MCOLES path?
Eight steps in the order the course shows them, with the fitness guide early because training takes weeks.
Is free MCOLES practice enough?
Free sample questions show the kind of items. Here is what they usually do not give you.
| Free practice | MCOLES Prep 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Format claims | Item counts and pass marks MCOLES never published | What MCOLES publishes, and our practice format labelled as ours |
| Reading volume | A passage or two | 60 questions on 12 passages per simulation, 15 per drill |
| Writing | Grammar lists | Grammar, punctuation, clear sentences, spelling and word choice, all timed |
| Fitness | Not covered | A guide, a video and an 8–12 week outline, from week one |
| Explanations | An answer key | The sentence in the passage, the grammar check, the spelling rule |
| Cost | $0 | $68 once, 90 days of access |
MCOLES test FAQ: format, registration, retakes
Is this a free MCOLES practice test?
Yes. The practice test on this page is free, with no account and no email: 12 questions in 12 minutes, six on two short reading passages and six on writing, with your score by area and an explanation for every answer. The questions were written for our course; they are not MCOLES items.
What is on the MCOLES Reading and Writing Test?
MCOLES names two parts: reading and writing.1 It is a basic-skills test, not a police-knowledge test. Reading means understanding short passages and drawing only the conclusions the text supports; writing means grammar, punctuation, clear sentences, correct spelling and the right word.
How many questions are on the MCOLES test, and how long is it?
MCOLES does not publish the number of items or the time limit.1 Prep sites quote numbers such as 60 reading and 60 writing items; we could not confirm them. Our simulations use 60 + 60 items in 2 hours and are labelled as our practice format. On test day, check the timer and the item count on screen, then divide.
What is the passing score for the MCOLES test?
MCOLES does not publish a pass mark.1 The 70 % you may read on prep sites is unverified. If your academy or MCOLES tells you more, that information wins. Aim for stable practice scores before you book.
How does MCOLES testing work: registration, place and cost?
You register through Talogy, the testing company MCOLES works with; the MCOLES testing page links to it. You take the written test on a computer at a police academy, and the fee is $72 per attempt.1
Can I retake the MCOLES test, and does my score expire?
You may retake it any time, but each attempt is a new registration and a new $72 fee. Your result does not expire.1 Take Simulation 2 before you book, so the first attempt counts.
What is the MCOLES fitness test?
It is the other half of Michigan’s pre-enrollment step: vertical jump, sit-ups, push-ups and a half-mile shuttle run. The marks depend on age and sex, and you must pass within 180 days before your academy starts.2 The course has a fitness guide with an 8–12 week outline; start it in week one.
How do I prepare for the reading part?
Name the question type first (main idea, detail, inference, applying a rule, word in context), then go back to the exact sentence for every answer, and watch the small words: unless, only, at least, must, may. The R unit drills this with police passages on the clock.
How should I study if I work full-time?
Take Simulation 1 on a day off to see whether reading or writing costs you more. Then 30 minutes a day on that unit, ten minutes of vocabulary and spelling, and fitness training alongside. Take Simulation 2 before you book the real test.
What do I get, and how fast?
One payment of $68 opens Police Prep 2026 on the MCOLES path: the guide and lesson video, units R, W and V with 9 timed drills, two 120-item simulations in our practice format, the fitness guide, and the guides for the oral board, background and polygraph. Access starts right after checkout and lasts 90 days. If it is not right for you, email support within 7 days for a full refund.
Is Prepterminal affiliated with MCOLES?
No. Prepterminal is independent test prep and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards or Talogy. All practice items are written by us.
Everything for the MCOLES test
- Reading passages, grammar, clear sentences, spelling and word choice: both MCOLES parts
- Units R, W and V, a lesson video each, and 9 timed drills on a computer
- Two 120-item simulations in our practice format, reading then writing, with a raw score per part
- The MCOLES fitness guide and video, with an 8–12 week outline from week one
- The MCOLES guide and lesson video: Talogy registration, the $72 fee, test day
- Guides for the oral board, background and polygraph, plus 12 more test paths
Every attempt costs $72. Make the first one count.
Take Simulation 1 tonight and see whether reading or writing costs you more.
Get MCOLES Prep 2026: $68P.S. Not ready to buy? Take the free MCOLES practice test first, then decide.
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