Placement Assessment

No. Western Michigan University will cover the cost of taking the assessment. Once you create an account you have one year access to all of ALEKS tools.  After one year, what ever score you obtained with the ALEKS assessment will be used for placement.

Yes, you may take up to five placement assessments in the first year. However, in order to retake your assessment, you must spend at least five hours working in the ALEKS Prep and Learning modules between each attempt. These Prep and Learning modules are free and customized to your current skill set. On average, WMU students who work through the ALEKS modules and retake their assessment improve their placement by one whole class level – shortening their timeline to graduation and saving themselves thousands of dollars in the process.

No. It is a timed, two-hour, virtually administered assessment that is scored by the ALEKS algorithm.

Yes. You have two hours to complete a placement assessment once it has begun.

The placement assessment requires approximately 90 minutes to complete, but the amount of time will vary by student. There will be a maximum of 30 questions and the assessment will automatically end after two hours.

After two hours, the assessment will end regardless of where you are in the process. You will be given a placement result, but it may underestimate your true ability. Your next steps would be to work in the Prep and Learning modules, improve your skills and re-take the assessment at a later date.

No, you are not allowed to use your own calculator or other outside resources. Do not use your phone, the internet, or ask others for help. For certain questions, ALEKS provides a calculator tool within the program. If the calculator icon has a line through it, it is because it is possible to answer the question without one. Otherwise, you are only allowed to use pencil and paper as an aide to work through problems. There is absolutely no benefit for you if you cheat. Be honest, do your best, and you will set yourself up for success.

Your ALEKS score is not the number of questions you answered correctly, but the percentage of them. This percentage is used to match you with the math course that’s right for you. If you take the assessment more than once, your placement is determined by the highest assessment score. Course placements are listed at the bottom of this page.

Your placement result is valid for two (2) years.

ALEKS will begin with a brief tutorial before your assessment begins, but there will not be an opportunity to practice questions or study before taking ALEKS for the first time. You should consider your first assessment attempt and working through your Prep and Learning modules as practice for taking ALEKS a second time. Although your first score could be used for your math course placement, you are welcome to take the assessment again if you are dissatisfied. Your new score will replace the original one each time you retake ALEKS. You may take the assessment up to five times in one year.

You will have one year of access from the time that you start using your Prep and Learning module.  If your program requires a math course and you register for a math course immediately, then you can use the Prep and Learning module to help learn the material in the math course you are taking.

No, you must complete a new assessment to change your placement result.

No, ALEKS will automatically place you into the most appropriate module for your assessed skill level.

You can work through your Prep and Learning Modules to review and learn, then take  your assessment again to improve placement results.

No, you must achieve the minimum placement result to take each corresponding class.

Your ALEKS placement score is good for two years.  Because of this, waiting to take a math class is not recommended.