The Placement Assessment has 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. ALEKS is not multiple-choice. It is open-response and requires you to work out solutions with paper and pencil and then enter them into ALEKS.
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 input answers, use the ALEKS calculator and graph. If you are not sure how to input an answer or need help while 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 will provide an on-screen calculator if you need one to solve a particular problem. You may not bring a calculator, open any on-screen calculators or access any other help. Scratch paper will be provided to you by the Testing Center. You may not bring any paper or notes. Because ALEKS is adaptive, once you submit an answer, you cannot change it. Be sure to carefully check your answer before submitting your response.
If you do not know an answer, 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. ALEKS interprets an “I don’t know” answer to mean that you do not know how to solve the topic, and it will be reflected in the assessment results. There is no penalty for incorrectly answering a question on the assessment; it only helps ALEKS understand what you know.
You are allowed three hours to complete the assessment. The assessment must be completed in one test session. You may not save your assessment and finish it later. If you leave for any reason, you will forfeit your test session.
The first assessment may be taken in an unproctored environment. The following assessments, up to four, must be taken at a Dallas College Testing Center. All learning modules must be completed outside of the Testing Center.
You will receive your score immediately upon completion of your Placement Assessment. Your scores will be available in your Learning Module and input in your Dallas College records.