All incoming first-year students will take a math placement assessment called ALEKS during Ready, Set, Explore (RSE) to determine which math course each student should take. to determine which math course each student should take.
The Placement Assessment is up to 30 questions, and during RSE, you will have 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete the assessment. After the Placement Assessment, an individualized Prep and Learning Module will be available for you to refresh your knowledge of forgotten topics.
If you require accommodations, please contact Ms. Rose Lee Pauline, Affirmative Action Officer, at pauline@lasalle.edu as soon as possible so you can discuss submitting the documentation necessary to receive testing accommodations. Requests should be sent to her at least three weeks before the scheduled math placement test.
ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning (ALEKS PPL) Assessment is a placement assessment program to determine students’ readiness for mathematics courses. ALEKS PPL is a web-based program that uses artificial intelligence to map a student’s strengths and weaknesses.
ALEKS consists of three parts:
La Salle University encourages each student to spend time in the Prep and Learning Module, even if the desired score is achieved because time spent in ALEKS will ultimately lead to better preparation and improved grades.
This is a “Placement Assessment,” not a test. The difference is that a Placement Assessment is designed to determine what you know and what you need to work on. At the end of the ALEKS PPL Assessment, you will have a much better sense of your strengths and weaknesses in math. You then have a chance to brush up on topics that may have been forgotten or haven’t been practiced for some time.
Be honest. It is important that the Placement Assessment is taken seriously and that you give it an honest effort so that the Placement Assessment truly reflects your current level of knowledge and math preparedness. There is no benefit to cheating on the Placement Assessment – the only result will be that you enroll in a class that is too difficult or not challenging enough, potentially costing time and money. Therefore, while taking the Placement Assessment, you should not consult any outside sources for help (friends/family, internet searches, textbooks, notes, etc…). Doing so would be a violation of the university’s Academic Integrity Policy.
The purpose of the Placement Assessment is to give an accurate measure of your current mathematical knowledge state so that you will be successful in mathematics courses.
The Placement Assessment results will be used to determine the most appropriate courses for each you as you move forward with college coursework. After taking a Placement Assessment, you should meet with your advisor to review your results and enroll in the best classes based on your scores.
The Placement Assessment is used to determine the mathematics course in which you will have the greatest success. Upon completion of the Placement Assessment, your score will be sent to an academic advisor. Your advisor will review your score and help make appropriate recommendations for course registration.
All incoming first-year students will take the ALEKS placement assessment before the start of their first semester at La Salle.
All incoming first-year students will take the ALEKS placement assessment before the start of their first semester at La Salle.
You will take the ALEKS assessment during Ready, Set, Explore. If you’re not able to attend RSE you should plan to take the assessment during Explorientation.
Use of ALEKS PPL is included in your student fees.
No. There are no required plug-ins or applets required with your use of ALEKS PPL. As long as you have access to the internet and are using an updated browser, you should not experience difficulties in taking your Placement Assessment. For a list of preferred browsers, please review the ALEKS system requirements on their support site.
ALEKS PPL is an online, adaptive system that covers a broad spectrum of mathematics topics. The length of the Placement Assessment will vary but is no more than 30 questions. You will see some, but not all, of the math learned in high school. It is a Placement Assessment, not a preview of math courses at La Salle University. It is designed to identify if you are prepared for a particular course. After you have taken the first Placement Assessment, you will have the opportunity to review and master additional topics to reassess and improve your placement.
Topics covered:
ALEKS will begin with a brief tutorial to make sure you are comfortable with the math palette tools before your Placement Assessment begins. The tutorial shows you how to enter different types of answers, how to use the ALEKS calculator, and how to graph. If you aren’t sure how to input an answer, or need help while you are taking the ALEKS Placement Assessment, select the Help button below the answer pallet tools. Going to the tutorial during your Placement Assessment will NOT impact your Placement Assessment results.
ALEKS is not a multiple-choice Placement Assessment. It is open-response and requires you to work out solutions with paper and pencil, and then enter them into ALEKS. Be sure to have scratch paper with you.
ALEKS will provide an on-screen calculator if you need one to complete a particular problem. Otherwise, you may not use a calculator.
You may only use a pen or pencil, paper, and the resources provided within ALEKS. You should not receive assistance from friends, family, other websites, textbooks, or any other resource not provided by ALEKS. Using outside resources will lead to improper placement and potentially course failure. Doing so would be a violation of the university’s Academic Integrity Policy.
Because ALEKS is adaptive, once you submit an answer, you cannot change it. Be sure to carefully check your answer before submitting your response.
It is likely that you will be asked questions on material you have not yet learned. On such questions it is appropriate to answer, I don’t know. On any question that you have familiarity with, however, it is important to do your best. I don’t know is interpreted by ALEKS to mean that you do not know how to solve the topic, and this will be reflected in the Placement Assessment results. There is no penalty for incorrectly answering a question on the Placement Assessment, it only helps ALEKS understand what you know and don’t know.
Yes, you have 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete a Placement Assessment once it has begun.
If the incomplete Placement Assessment is proctored and timed, you will be given a placement result, but it may not be a full reflection of your abilities. You may consider re-taking the assessment during Explorientation, in consultation with the Math Department chair.
Your placement result (overall score) is a number between 0 and 100. It represents the percentage of topics ALEKS has identified you have mastered.
Your ALEKS Math Placement score will be used in conjunction with your academic history to determine the math course you should take based on your major.
You will receive your score immediately upon completion of your Placement Assessment. Your ALEKS score can be viewed by re-entering ALEKS using the same access link for which you took the Placement Assessment.
This is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the Prep and Learning Modules offered within ALEKS PPL. An individualized study plan will be created based on your performance on the Initial Placement Assessment. ALEKS will identify what you know and what you are ready to learn next so you can brush up on lost knowledge.
No, you must achieve the minimum placement result to take each corresponding class.
Congratulations! Continue to use your Prep and Learning Module to improve your chances for success. The placement result required is the minimum preparation for your course. Take advantage of the individualized review and learning features in ALEKS to get a better grade in your class.
You will have twelve months of access to your Prep and Learning module. Access to the prep course will not begin until you select start on the top of your screen. DO NOT select into the Prep and Learning Module until you are ready to start working.
Access to a Prep and Learning Module is included along with the additional Placement Assessments.
While working in a Prep and Learning Module, you will periodically complete a Knowledge Check to make sure you have mastered the topics you gained in Learning Mode. If you do not show mastery during the Knowledge Check, the topics will be added back into your Learning Pie so you can review them again.
No. You must complete a new Placement Assessment to change your placement result. Select the placement tab in the upper right corner of the ALEKS page to start a new Placement Assessment.
No. You may only use one Prep and Learning Module. If you are unsure which module to select, use the module recommended by ALEKS or consult with your advisor.
Simply close the browser, or log out and log back in. ALEKS will resume the Placement Assessment exactly where you left off, with no loss of your previous answers.