Aleks

Snow College uses ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning (ALEKS PPL) Assessment to determine readiness for mathematics courses. ALEKS PPL is a web-based program that uses artificial intelligence to map a student’s strengths and weaknesses. The Placement Assessment is up to 30 questions and generally takes 60-90 minutes to complete. After the Placement Assessment, an individualized Prep and Learning Module is available for students to refresh their knowledge on forgotten topics. Students then have the opportunity to reassess and improve their placement.

ALEKS consists of three parts:

• An Initial Placement Assessment
• The Prep and Learning Module, an individualized, self-paced online review
• Access to 4 additional Placement Assessments

Snow College 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.

Watch a two-minute video about ALEKS.

If you have earned any of the following scores/credits sufficient to place you into a math course, within the past two years, you can uses these as prerequisites and do not need to take the math placement exam.

• A passing grade (C or higher) in the appropriate prerequisite college-level math course
• A sufficient score on the ACT or SAT math exams
• A sufficient score on an AP Calculus exam

The results of the Placement Assessment will be used to determine the most appropriate courses for a student to enroll in. After taking the placement assessment, students should meet with their academic advisor to determine which math course is best for them based on the results in addition to which courses meet their individual major requirements.

The Placement Assessment results will be used to determine the most appropriate courses for each student as they move forward with college coursework. After taking a Placement Assessment, students should meet with their advisor to review their results and enroll in the best classes based on their scores.

This is a “Placement Assessment,” not a test. The difference is that a Placement Assessment is designed to determine what a student knows and what a student needs to work on. At the end of the ALEKS PPL Assessment, a student will have a much better sense of his/her strengths and weaknesses in math. Students then have a chance to brush on topics that may have been forgotten or haven’t been practiced for some time.

Students need to take ALEKS PPL prior to the start of the semester in which they plan to take a math course. Scores can be used for registration into math courses for up to one year from the day in which they were earned.  Please refer to the semester testing deadlines at the top of the page.

Yes, there is a $20 fee for ALEKS PPL. Students will pay for ALEKS with a credit card before they begin. With the $20 fee students will be given access to a total of five assessments that must be completed within one year, as well as one year of access to the individualized learning modules.

Snow College students can take a proctored placement assessment at the Ephraim Campus Testing Center or the Richfield Campus Testing Center. (See https://snow.edu/academics/testing_center/index.html for information on testing center location, hours, and contact information.)

Students who do not live close to the Ephraim or Richfield campus of Snow College may request to take the ALEKs PPL exam at an authorized proctor location in their area, where available. Additional proctor fees may apply. Use this link to request a proctored exam.

Yes, students may use Honorlock Proctoring to take the ALEKs placement assessments remotely using a webcam and microphone.  There is a $13.00 proctoring fee for each attempt.  Please review the Honorlock quickstart and guidelines prior to the test. 

Honorlock Remote proctoring is available on-demand 24/7, with no scheduling required.

Use Honorlock by following these steps:

1. Using Google Chrome, install the Honorlock Chrome Extension.
2. With the extension installed, navigate to your ALEKs placement assessment and follow the proctoring instructions that appear on-screen.  (Note:  You should be able to click submit password with the field blank as long as you have the Honorlock extension added to your browser.)

For additional help, contact Honorlock live chat support at honorlock.com/support.

You will need a picture ID and a pencil or pen.  You will be provided with scratch paper.  All other resources are provided by ALEKS PPL  You will NOT be allowed to use your own calculator. If one is needed to answer a question, ALEKS PPL will provide one automatically for that question.

Students can access ALEKS PPL through a link in their Snow College Badger Web account.  You will have to sign-in to your account and click on the Math Placement Exam (ALEKS) link.

ALEKS is not a multiple-choice Placement Assessment. It is open-response and requires you to work out solutions with a paper and pencil, then enter them into ALEKS. Before you take the first assessment, ALEKS PPL will present a short tutorial on how to enter answers, how to use the graphing utilities, and how to use the built in calculator that will be offered when appropriate. TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THIS TUTORIAL AND BE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THESE FEATURES WORK.

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.

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.

Because ALEKS is adaptive, once you submit an answer, you cannot change it. Be sure to carefully check your answer before submitting your response.

You have 3 hours to complete a Placement Assessment once it has begun. The assessment generally takes most students 60-90 minutes to complete. If you do not finish you will be given a placement result for the incomplete placement assessment once time expires, but it will not be a true reflection of your abilities.

The only purpose of the assessment is to give an accurate measure of your current mathematical skills so that you will have a better opportunity to be successful in your courses. There is no benefit to inflating or deflating your abilities on the assessment. Taking a class that is not appropriate for your current level of mathematical knowledge could delay your graduation. Therefore, while you are taking the assessment, do not consult any other source for help (friends, family, internet searches, textbooks, etc.), and do your honest best.

In addition, as a member of Snow College’s community, you are expected to uphold Snow College honesty policy, which includes doing honest academic work.