ALEKS FAQs

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If you have any questions that are not answered below, please email us at success@uni.edu.

What is ALEKS?

Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) is an online assessment and learning system. This assessment will assist in your placement in a number of courses, specifically math, chemistry, physics and business courses. Instructions on how to take the ALEKS assessment will appear after you enter ALEKS through your MyUNIverse account. For incoming first-year and transfer students, detailed instructions on how to access the ALEKS assessment can be found in your online orientation portal.
The ALEKS assessment is designed to be taken without a calculator. Use of a calculator may affect the accuracy of your placement recommendation.
ALEKS consists of three parts: an initial placement exam, access to four retakes and a six-month subscription to a self-paced review module. Be sure to take advantage of the online review modules, as they are available at no extra charge and will help you prepare for a more successful experience in your UNI math courses.

What is the math placement assessment through ALEKS?

The math placement assessment covers a broad spectrum of topics from basic math through precalculus. The ALEKS system is fully automated, and the assessment is adaptive. The first questions will be drawn from across the curriculum and may be too easy or too hard. As the assessment proceeds, your answers will be used to give the system an idea of your knowledge, and it will gradually focus the questioning in an individually appropriate way. By the end of the assessment you should find the questions generally challenging but reasonable for your individual level of knowledge.

Who is required to take ALEKS?

All new first year students at UNI are required to take the math assessment through ALEKS, as are all new transfer students who plan to take a math, physics or chemistry course during their time at UNI.

Do I need to take the assessment if I have AP credit or transfer credit in calculus?

Yes. Even through your AP scores and transfer credits will be used to give you credit for the corresponding courses, the results of the assessment will be used in your placement in another course. If your score does not indicate mastery of prerequisite material, you will be advised to retake a course for which you have credit to ensure that you are properly prepared for the following course.

I've already taken ALEKS for another college of university. Do I need to take it again through UNI?

If the college or university that you previously took ALEKS at allows you to send your scores to another institution UNI will accept them. To complete this process you need to log into ALEKS and locate your existing score. On that page there will be a button to send the score if your college or university allows it. Step-by-step instructions on how to send your ALEKS score to UNI.

For Students Transferring Scores from Iowa State: ALEKS test scores arrive at UNI with the Iowa State ID number as the only identifier. If you are sending your scores from Iowa State University, please email admissionsprocessing@uni.edu and include your name and Iowa State ID number.

How do I send my ALEKS scores to another college or university?

Log into MyUNIverse and click on the blue ALEKS icon.
In the blue highlighted class/cohort on the left side, click on the three dots to the right of the link.
Select the Send Scores option and type the institution's name in the search box.
Select the institution you want to receive your scores and proceed through to the confirmation screen.

When finished, you'll see a message on your homepage showing the request was submitted.

Step-by-step instructions on how to send your ALEKS score to another school.

How do I access the ALEKS math placement assessment?

ALEKS is an online assessment that you will take while on your own at home.

For new students: Detailed instructions about how to access ALEKS through your MyUNIverse account can be found on your online orientation portal. Use your CatID login and password to access MyUNIverse then click on the ALEKS icon.
For current students:

Use your CatID login and password to access MyUNIverse
click on the ALEKS icon

Will I be charged a fee to complete ALEKS?

UNI students receive 12 months of free access to the ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning Assessment. An additional 12 months of access can be purchased for $15. Re-subscription instructions; course code: FJTLQ-6HJTT

Why is it important to complete ALEKS?

New students must complete ALEKS in order to register for UNI math, chemistry, physics and business courses. ALEKS will assist you and your advisor in choosing the appropriate university-level course(s) based on your knowledge and skills in math. ALEKS identifies any weak areas you may have and provides online review modules that will help you to improve those weaknesses, therefore increasing your likelihood of success in university courses.

How will my score on ALEKS be used to select my courses?

Your academic advisor will use your score on the ALEKS assessment to determine your placement in various UNI courses. If you would like to improve your score, consider taking one of the ALEKS online review/prep modules to address your areas of deficiency. After building your skills through the modules, retake the assessment.

When will I meet my advisor to discuss my ALEKS score and enroll in classes?

You will meet with your advisor to create a class schedule during orientation. Your advisor will discuss your ALEKS scores, your academic interests and academic background with you and then you will enroll in courses during orientation. For additional information about orientation programs, please visit the orientation website.

What is the time commitment to ALEKS?

You should allow 1-2 hours to complete the 20-35 questions given during the assessment. The exact number of questions will vary due to the adaptive mechanism. 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 the topic, and this will be reflected in the assessment results. If you do not do your best on the assessment, ALEKS will underestimate your knowledge.

When do I take ALEKS?

As a new student entering UNI, you must complete the ALEKS exam in advance of orientation/registration, at least one week prior to your scheduled orientation session. It is recommended that you complete ALEKS near the end of your last high school or college-level math class. ALEKS is an item under your Before Orientation Tasks section in your online orientation portal.

What can I do if my score on ALEKS is lower than I expected?

If your score on ALEKS is lower than you expected or hoped, you are strongly encouraged to complete the review modules available on the ALEKS website. These review modules are designed by ALEKS to address area(s) of deficiency as revealed by the assessment. After completing the review modules, you may elect to retake the assessment. See the ALEKS Score and Placement webpage for details on UNI courses and ALEKS scores, and which review module to work through before re-taking the assessment.

Do I need to retake ALEKS if I am only one or two percentage points below the cut score for my desired class?

Yes, you need to score at or above the cut score for a particular class in order to enroll in that class. Just a one percent difference in ALEKS scores points to a gap in two or more concepts fundamental to your readiness for a course. See the ALEKS Score and Placement webpage for details on UNI courses and ALEKS scores, and which review module to work through before re-taking the assessment.

How much time needs to pass between ALEKS assessments (for example, between taking ALEKS and then beginning a retake)?

48 hours

What is the minimum amount of time that I need to spend working on the online review module before re-taking the ALEKS assessment?

Five hours before second placement assessment; five hours before third placement assessment; three hours before fourth placement assessment; three hours before fifth placement assessment

I want to retake the ALEKS, but it has been a year or more since I first took the assessment. How do I go about retaking ALEKS now?

After your initial one-year subscription to ALEKS review modules and retakes expires, you have the option of purchasing an additional one-year subscription to ALEKS review modules and retakes for $15. Click on the blue ALEKS icon in your MyUNIverse account, use the course code FJTLQ-6HJTT and follow the prompts.

How do I access my previous ALEKS score taken at UNI

Log into your MyUNIverse account and click on the blue ALEKS icon.
Click on the "Actions" drop-down and select "Download Progress (PDF)." In order to see the inactive account, you might need to click on a button that says "Show my other ALEKS classes and more".

How long are my ALEKS scores valid?

Your score is good for two full academic semesters.

Can I earn college credit by completing ALEKS?

No. ALEKS is used to assess your content knowledge and help place you in the appropriate class not to earn college credits.

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You will learn more about UNI courses, advising and placement during new student orientation. More information about ALEKS and math courses at UNI is available by contacting the Department of Mathematics: 319-273-2631, emailing mathematics@uni.edu or online on their website.

Do I need to install any software or plug-ins prior to taking the ALEKS math assessment?

No, there are no required plug-ins or applets required with your use of ALEKS. As long as you have access to the internet and are using an updated browser, you should not experience difficulties in taking your ALEKS placement exam. For a list of preferred browsers, please review the ALEKS system requirements on their support site.

What do I do if my web browser gets stuck or my computer crashes while I'm taking the test?

Simply close the browser, or log out of the test, and then log back in. ALEKS will resume the test exactly where you left off, with no loss of your previous answers.

Who do I contact if I am having technical problems with ALEKS?

You should contact ALEKS directly if you are experiencing any technical difficulties with the software plug-in. ALEKS technical support is 800-258-2374.

You may also access the following online help resources:

Contact ALEKS by email through their website.
Additional technical information and FAQs.