Math Placement

 

Your first math course at the University of Utah is based on your test scores (ACT Math, SAT Math, or ALEKS), concurrent enrollment or transfer math courses, and your chosen field of study.

 

ALEKS ASSESSMENT TOOL

 ALEKS PPL is an assessment and resource tool that complements other test scores to place you into the best math class for you to start in at the University of Utah.  You may take up to three unproctored and up to two proctored ALEKS assessments in a year.  Taking the ALEKS assessment will open a set of learning modules tailored to you that you can use to fill in gaps or to learn more and try to place into a higher math class.  The table below shows your placement into entry level math classes based on your test scores.

If you are not happy with your current placement into one of these introductory courses (by ACT or SAT score) you may take the ALEKS assessment to see if you are able to place into a higher course.  If you do not have another test score that can be used for placement, you must take the ALEKS assessment.

You have up to 3 hours to take the ALEKS assessment.  A calculator is provided within the ALEKS system.

Unproctored practice ALEKS assessments can be taken at home and are not used for math placement.

take an unproctored aleks assessment

In person proctored ALEKS assessments may be scheduled on campus in Salt Lake City at the UOnline center in the Marriott Library using the button below.  When scheduling, please be sure to choose a day and time that you will be available to come to campus, and plan to be at the testing center for your reserved time.

When you come to the testing center for a proctored ALEKS please bring the following:  a government issued ID, pencil(s), your uNID and password that you set up to go with your uNID.  Unless it is part of your accommodations you do not need to bring a calculator, you will have access to a calculator in the ALEKS system.

Before coming to the testing center, please be sure that you are able to log in to the ALEKS system.  You can check this with the 'TAKE AN UNPROCTORED ALEKS ASSESSMENT' button above.

The testing center is open Monday - Friday through July 25.  The testing center will be closed July 28 - August 8 for finals and maintenance, and will reopen for ALEKS assessments on August 11.

schedule a proctored ALEKS assessment

If you are outside of Utah, you can check the ALEKS PPL Testing Center Network and our list of possible testing sites to see if there is a testing center near you.  You can also try the interactive map at https://www.ncta-testing.org/interactive-map.  If there is no testing center near you listed, you may reach out to nearby colleges/universities/testing centers to see if their testing center will proctor the ALEKS for students from other institutions.  There will likely be a fee to test at a non-University of Utah testing center.  When you find a willing testing center, reach out to Angie Gardiner, gardiner@math.utah.edu, with the contact information for that testing center.  She will send them the information about proctoring the assessment.

Students traveling to Salt Lake City for Utah Bound Orientation may choose to schedule their flights such that they will be here the day before or the day after orientation, and may schedule a proctored ALEKS with the UOnline testing center in the Marriott Library on one of these days using the link above.  There is no time on the actual day of Utah Bound Orientation for taking a proctored ALEKS assessment.

If there are extenuating circumstances which prevent you from taking a proctored ALEKS assessment, you may email advisor@math.utah.edu for information on petitioning for an exception to the proctored ALEKS assessment.

 

 

Students should consult degree requirements when deciding which math course to enroll in and are encouraged to meet with their advisor if they have any questions about which course is best for their intended major.