To better ensure student success, FAU has adopted a mandatory placement exam, known as ALEKS, for incoming students. Because students come in with a wide variety of strengths and backgrounds in mathematics, it is reasonable to expect that there will be various levels of readiness among entering students. ALEKS is a powerful artificial-intelligence based mechanism to assess math proficiency and skill level. Students take the exam over the Internet and as many times as desired. The highest score is used to determine placement.
Please read carefully the information below concerning the options you have for enrolling in mathematics courses at FAU based on your ALEKS score. It is important for success in mathematics that you enroll in a course for which you have the necessary preparation and which leads to the math courses required for your particular major.
Who must take ALEKS?
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All entering freshmen, regardless of AP, IB, dual enrollment, and CLEP credits. |
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We highly encourage all transfer students to take the exam if they need additional mathematics coursework. If the score on the exam indicates a lack of preparedness for the course, the student should seriously consider enhancing their ability by taking any missing prerequisites or through an ALEKS learning module (see below). |
How much does it cost? How, when and where do I take it?
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Students take the exam from home by logging in to MyFAU. Please enter your FAUNet ID (username) and your FAU password. The FAUNetID corresponds to the letters appearing before “@fau.edu” in your FAU email address. After logging in, click on the "Students" tab, then "Take the Math Placement Exam." |
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Students who have not taken the exam will not be allowed to register for a mathematics course. They must take the exam between April 1 and the first day of classes for fall semester or any summer session, and between November 1 and the first day of classes for spring semester. We highly recommend that students take the exam early. Students enrolling in the fall semester, for example, should take the exam in April or May. Those entering in the spring should take it in November or early December. |
OK, I’ve taken the exam and have my score. Which class do I register for?
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the exam take?
Individual times will vary. Some students will complete it in well under an hour, others might take over two hours.
What should I expect on the exam?
Before starting, have ready whatever you might need for calculating answers: paper, pen or pencil, and a calculator you are comfortable with. You should not use a hand-held device for taking this exam.
Before the first question, ALEKS will check your computer software configuration and download the plug-ins necessary to take the exam. Next, there will be a very brief tutorial explaining how to key in your answers.
The exam itself starts by posing questions, some fairly easy and some fairly difficult, to gauge your general ability and to give focus to subsequent questions. If you clearly don’t know the answer to a question, you should answer “I don’t know.” If the topic is one that you are familiar with, you should make an attempt at answering, because ALEKS interprets the “I don’t know” answer to mean that you are unfamiliar with the topic. The exam includes questions at many levels so, depending on your background, you may not be familiar with the content of every question.
Exam results appear on the last page. The pie chart at the top of the page displays your performance in various categories. The “What you can do” section that follows itemizes those categories that you performed well in. The “What you are ready to learn next” section lists those areas that you will need to review before taking the exam again.
Your ALEKS placement score appears above the pie chart: "__% Mastery.
I’ve forgotten my score. How do I find it?
Log in to the placement exam site again and click on “Retake Placement.” Your scores will appear under “Past Placements.” The only score that will not appear here is the score you received in going through the Preparation for Calculus learning module. FAU will obtain that score, however, and it will be used for course placement. Keep in mind that your highest exam score determines placement.
How long are my ALEKS exam scores valid?
ALEKS scores are valid for 5 months prior to the first day of your mathematics course. You must retake the exam if over 5 months.
I don’t have a credit card and/or computer. How do I take the exam?
Come to the Testing and Evaluation office in the Student Support Services building (SU80), room 210. After paying the $3.50 charge, you will be allowed to take the exam in their office. Please note that office hours are 8:00am - 5:00pm Monday through Friday. To ensure that you have enough time to complete the exam, you should arrive no later than 3:00pm. For other questions, call 561-297-3160 or email testandeval@fau.edu.
Should I seek help or assistance while taking the exam?
No, absolutely not. If you get assistance on the exam, the score will not reflect your true mathematics ability, and your performance in the course will be in serious jeopardy.
Do I have to take the exam every time I want to register for a mathematics class?
No. You take the exam only for the first mathematics class you take.
I received a low score on the ALEKS exam. What should I do?
The exam contains questions for students with varied strengths and backgrounds in mathematics, so you should not worry about your particular score. More important than your score is the class in which you should enroll. Your course of action will very much depend on your probable major. Please refer to our advising advice for more information. Questions may be directed to freshmanadvising@fau.edu.
If you want a better score to get into a higher-level class, you have several options. If you lack formal training in one or more of the prerequisite topics for the courses, you should take the prerequisite course(s) at FAU. If you previously studied all of the prerequisites and feel that you need a refresher, ALEKS offers a variety of online learning modules, each six weeks in length, designed to work with students to enhance their mathematics ability. The cost for each six-week learning module is $25.00.
If your score was at or slightly above the minimum score required for enrolling in a particular course, you should still consider one of the above options for enhancing your mathematics ability. Keep in mind that the higher your score, the better you will likely perform in the class.
I received a score below 15. What should I do?
Contact freshmanadvising@fau.edu for instructions on enrolling for a math prep course at a local community college. Upon completion, you will need to retake the ALEKS placement exam until you achieve a score of 15 or higher.
Which ALEKS learning module should I register for?
If you wish to better prepare yourself for your mathematics course or wish to place into a higher level class, the following modules are available through ALEKS:
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If your score is 26 or higher, you should take Preparation for Calculus. After completing this module, you need not take the ALEKS placement exam again. This module contains the exam, and we will automatically obtain your score on that exam. The score will not appear, however, on the page that displays your previous ALEKS placement scores. |
The cost of each ALEKS learning module is $25.00. Students are given six weeks to complete the module. You can register for the ALEKS learning modules at the same site as the placement exam.
Will my ALEKS score appear on my transcript? Who will know my score?
Your ALEKS score will not appear on your transcript. The score is used primarily to determine course placement. Some FAU advisors might also use the score to offer advice on your strengths and weaknesses in mathematics.
I am having technical problems with ALEKS. Whom should I contact?
For ALEKS customer support, please email support@aleks.com and include your telephone number and a day/time when you can be reached.
Additional questions?
Contact: mathplacement@fau.edu
