Math Placement Assessment

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Math Placement Assessments at Southern Oregon University

Southern Oregon University uses the ALEKS math placement system to help insure that you will be successful in your college math courses. Below students can read more about the ALEKS program, and the policies of Math Placement at SOU:

Key Policies:

- All official placements must be proctored, unproctored test results cannot be used for offical math placements.

- Students are prohibited from using any of the following during an exam, unless an ADA accommodation has been made: Calculators, Phones/Smart Devices, Internet Windows/Browsers other than ALEKS, Textbooks, Notebooks, secondary computers (which aren't being used for the ALEKS testing instance).

- Once you activate your ALEKS account, your access to the system will expire after one year, and you will be required to purchase an additional set of ALEKS tests.

- Students must complete required Learning and Preparation Modules as prompted in ALEKS prior to taking additional proctored tests, after the completion of the first exam.

Math Placement Changes due to COVID-19

As another measure to protect students, staff, and faculty at SOU, all on-campus ALEKS Testing has been cancelled until further notice to help prevent the spreading and exposure of COVID-19 on SOU's campus.

Students may still use the form below to receive information on how to utilize the ProctorU Testing service for online proctoring, and students should know that this option does incur a $10 fee. Please remember, while students may still use the practice test for their own betterment, the only scores which can be used for actual course enrollment are those which have been proctored. If you have completed a college-level math course, but it has not been articulated, please contact mathplacement@sou.edu.

How to Arrange a Placement Assessment Through ProctorU!

We understand that you are looking to schedule the ALEKS Placement through our partnership with ProctorU online! This is a simple process, and it does incur a $10 charge through ProctorU for the service. Please note that the ProctorU service requires a computer, reliable internet connection, a webcam, and a photo ID.

Please follow these steps:

1. Visit the following page to create a ProctorU account, and sign up for the placement: https://go.proctoru.com/invitations/open-invite?token=MzEyNDQzM29wZW4taW52aXRl

2. Once you have scheduled an appointment to take the placement, please ensure that you have completed the ALEKS Beginners Tutorial (for first-time users) prior to beginning the placement.

3. Visit some of the review materials for the placement, or complete the unproctored placement available to you. Please note, the ALEKS Placement comes in a series of 5 opportunities. The very first, and only the very first, placement can be used as a practice tool. If you choose to do this, you will gain access to learning modules and be able to better prepare for the placement.

It is vital that returning users (those who have completed a proctored placement before) spend the required minimum time in the learning modules before re-attempting the ALEKS. Details on testing policies are in the attached documents.

4. Review the one of the below documents. One will be for first-time users, and the other for returning-users.

5. During the placement, please make sure you are in a test-friendly environment, and clear your work space of anything other than a writing utensil and scratch paper.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

First-Time User ProctorU Steup Guide

Returning User ProctorU Setup Guide

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR PROCTORU:

Desktop and Tablet Compatibility

All Higher Ed. Math courses
System Requirements

	Windows⁽¹⁾	Macintosh		Chromebook	iPad	Android Tablet⁽²⁾

Operating System	7+	OS X 10.9+		Chrome OS	iOS 9+	Android 4.4+

Screen Resolution	1024x768 +	1024x768 +		Any	Any	8.9"

Browsers⁽³⁾	Chrome 30+ Explorer 11+ Firefox 25+ Edge 40+	Chrome 30+ Safari 9+ Firefox 25+		Chrome 30+	Safari	Chrome 30+
ADA - Accessible System Requirements

			Windows

Operating System			10

Screen Resolution			1024x768 +

Browsers			Firefox 63+

Screen Reader			JAWS 2018, JAWS 2019

What if I Want to Arrange Off-Site Proctoring?

We understand that students may not always have access to, or interest in, using ProctorU testing services. To assist students in this regard, we allow students to arrange a Third-Party Proctor. A third-party proctor will need to be an unbiased individual with no familial or personal relationship with the tester, nor someone who stands to benefit from their performance. Generally, these individuals are not friends, family, or employers.

Common examples of third-party proctors are:

1. Proctors at local community testing center

2. Proctors at local library

3. Proctors at a local high school, community college, or university

4. Teachers/instructors at a local high school, community college, or university

To arrange a Third-Party Proctor students must first acknowledge that they are responsible for the following:

- Finding a Proctor

- Paying any associated fees, if applicable

- Arranging a Day and Time of testing

- Having access to reliable equipment needed for testing

- Testing in a test-friendly environment.

The Math Placement Coordinator (MathPlacement@sou.edu) will need to receive an email from you with the following information:

- Name of Proctor

- Day and Time of Test

- Contact Information for the Proctor

The Math Placement Coordinator will give the proctor all necessary instructions to administer the exam.

Students may not access any of the following during testing:

- Cell Phones/Smart Devices

- Notes, textbooks, or other review resources

- Additional internet browser windows or tabs

- Calculators of any kind, except the on-screen calculator provided by ALEKS on designated problems.

Any violation of these standards can result in test scores being redacted.

What if I need Testing Accommodations?

To get started, students are encouraged to learn more about Math Placement by watching this overview:

A Guided Overview of Math Placement (Video)

This video will cover the basic concepts of Math Placement for new students. Captions are available!

Important information for First-Time Users!

If you are a new student, or just learning more about math placement, you may find it helpful to see what kind(s) of courses your major(s), or Pre-Professional Programs require: Math Requirements by Program! Please note: Once you activate your ALEKS account, your access to the system will expire after one year, and you will be required to purchase an additional set of ALEKS tests.

It is important to remember that if you are going to take the ALEKS Placement for official placement you must take it in a proctored setting. This means that an unbiased third-party observes your testing for scoring integrity. This can be done through an on-campus testing location, approved testing location, or online through ProctorU. Please see the details in the slider labeled "Proctoring Options".

Are you interested in getting tutored? SOU students have access to the excellent peer tutors in our Math Tutoring Center located in the SOU Library. Are you away from campus? That's okay! The SOU Library is proud to offer distance-based tutoring through TutorTrac.

Please feel free to visit to following pages for additional questions:

Understanding Math Placement Levels (Includes Transfer Students)

Information about the ALEKS Assessment System (Technical Information)

Frequently Asked Questions!

Navigating ALEKS for Users

ALEKS Tutorial

Accessing Your ALEKS Account

If you are not sure how to access your ALEKS account, please follow these steps:

Visit inside.sou.edu, and log into your student account.
Locate the box labeled "Online Services". This is generally on the right side of the page for desktop views or near the bottom of the screen on most mobile devices.
Locate the link for "ALEKS"
Your account will pair with your individual assessment package, which includes 5 assessments.
1. Please note: The first, and only the first, assessment can be used as a practice assessment.

The ALEKS User Tutorial

Once you begin to access ALEKS, the system will automatically prompt you to work through the Tools Tutorial, which is meant to introduce you to key features such as arithmetic operators, equations, graphing, and using the on-screen calculator. The video below is strictly a visual guide, and has no sound.

For questions, please contact MathPlacement@sou.edu.

First-Time Testers

Did you know that ALEKS comes in a package of five assessments? These five attempts are free for students to take, and the first, and only the first, assessment can be used as a practice assessment. Please note: Once you activate your ALEKS account, your access to the system will expire after one year, and you will be required to purchase an additional set of ALEKS tests.

When taking the ALEKS Assessment for the first time, students will have the option to access a practice placement (no proctor, 48-hour assessment duration) to get an idea of their current skill level and find ways to improve. Students may also opt to use the first placement as an actual proctored assessment by clicking on the link labeled "Unproctored" on the landing for their first assessment.

Are you interested in getting tutored? SOU students have access to the excellent peer tutors in our Math Tutoring Center located in the SOU Library. Are you away from campus? That's okay! The SOU Library is proud to offer distance-based tutoring through TutorTrac.

To take an official placement, the assessment must be proctored. Proctors will enter a code to allow students to access the placement. Students will not have access to this code at any time.

The following video is a visual guide (no voice, no caption) to show students what they will see on their assessment page.

For questions, please contact MathPlacement@sou.edu.

Finishing the Assessment

When students complete any ALEKS assessment, they will be taken to a page where their final score is presented, along with where they placed in terms of Math Level. There will be a link to visit SOU's page on Math Levels, which will allow students to see exactly what courses they may be able to take.

If you are a new student, or just learning more about math placement, you may find it helpful to see what kind(s) of courses your major(s), or Pre-Professional Programs require: Math Requirements by Program!

The following video is a visual guide (no voice, no caption) to show students what they will see on their post-assessment, scoring page.

For questions, please contact MathPlacement@sou.edu.

Learning Modules

Once a student has completed a placement, they will be required to prepare themselves for the next assessment. There must be a cool-down period of 48-hours between placement attempts, and a minimum amount of time in Learning Modules prior to additional attempts. Here is a quick reference of required Learning & Prep time:

Before taking a 2nd placement: 3 hours in Learning Modules
Before taking a 3rd placement: 5 hours in Learning Modules
Before taking a 4th placement: 5 hours in Learning Modules
Before taking a 5th placement: 8 hours in Learning Modules

Are you interested in getting tutored? SOU students have access to the excellent peer tutors in our Math Tutoring Center located in the SOU Library. Are you away from campus? That's okay! The SOU Library is proud to offer distance-based tutoring through TutorTrac.

The following video is a visual guide (no voice, no caption) to show students what they will see when accessing the Learning Modules.

For questions, please contact MathPlacement@sou.edu.

Below you will find information on the ALEKS Placement, Preparation, and Learning (PPL) system and how we use it to place you in the right math class.

Math Placement At A Glance

What is the Math Placement Assessment?

SOU may require you to take an proctored ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning (ALEKS PPL) Assessment to determine your readiness for mathematics courses. ALEKS PPL is a web-based program that uses artificial intelligence to map your strengths and weaknesses. The Placement Assessment has up to thirty questions and generally takes 60-90 minutes to complete. After the Placement Assessment, an individualized Prep and Learning Module is available to help you refresh your knowledge on forgotten topics. Your will then have the opportunity to retake the assessment and improve your placement score.
ALEKS consists of three parts:

An Initial Placement Assessment which you can take for practice
The Prep and Learning Module, an individualized, self-paced online review
Access to four additional Placement Assessments

SOU encourages you to spend time in the Prep and Learning Module, even if you achieved your desired score, because time spent in ALEKS will ultimately lead to better preparation and improved grades.

Please note, any test used in an offical capacity must be proctored. Please note: Once you activate your ALEKS account, your access to the system will expire after one year, and you will be required to purchase an additional set of ALEKS tests.

What is on the Math Placement?

What does Math Placement Assessment cover?

ALEKS PPL is an online, adaptive system that covers a broad spectrum of mathematics topics. The length of the Placement Assessment will vary, but can be up to thirty questions. You will see some, but not all, of the math you have learned in high school. It is a Placement Assessment, not a preview of math courses SOU. It is designed to identify if you are prepared for a particular course. After you take your first Placement Assessment, you will have the opportunity to review and master additional topics to reassess and improve your placement.

Topics covered:

Real numbers (including fractions, integers, and percentages)
Equations and inequalities (including linear equations, linear inequalities, systems of linear equations, and quadratic equations),
Linear and quadratic functions (including graphs and functions, linear functions, and parabolas), exponents and polynomials (including integer exponents, polynomial arithmetic, factoring, and polynomial equations), rational expressions (including rational equations and rational functions
Radical expressions (including higher roots and rational exponents)
Exponentials and logarithms (including function compositions and inverse functions, properties of logarithms, and logarithmic equations)
Geometry and trigonometry (including perimeter, area, and volume, coordinate geometry, trigonometric functions, and identities and equations).

How can I prepare?

Preparing for the Assessment

Students should take the time to review material for the assessment, but only the material which they have had a previous exposure to. For example, students who have never taken a course on Precalculus should not try to test at a level above the course. There are many different resources to use to review for the assessment, depending on the student's academic goal.

Are you interested in getting tutored? SOU students have access to the excellent peer tutors in our Math Tutoring Center located in the SOU Library. Are you away from campus? That's okay! The SOU Library is proud to offer distance-based tutoring through TutorTrac.

If students are aiming to place into introductory collegiate math courses, and are looking to study independently, they should study some of the following resources:

SAT Math Review or ACT Math Review

For students who have a desire to place into more advanced courses, they can consider reviewing the following material:

College Algebra and Precalculus Review - Written Examples and Notes

Khan Academy Algebra, Trigonometry and Precalculus

If I don't need to take it, should I consider taking it?

Why should I take the Math Placement Assessment?

We do not want you to waste your time or money taking a class for which you are under or over qualified. Placement scores are used to determine the most appropriate math courses for you as you move forward with your college coursework. After taking a Placement Assessment, you should meet with their advisor who will advise you on the best math class according your placement score and your major.

This is a “Placement Assessment,” not a test. The difference is that a Placement Assessment is designed to determine what you know and what you need to work on. At the end of the ALEKS PPL Assessment, you will have a much better sense of your strengths and weaknesses in math. You will then have a chance to brush on topics that you may have forgotten.

Be honest. It is important that you take the Placement Assessment seriously and give it your honest effort so your score truly reflects yourt current level of knowledge and math preparedness. There is no benefit to cheating on the Placement Assessment – the only result will be that you will enroll in a class that is too difficult, or not challenging enough, potentially costing extra time and money. While taking the Placement Assessment, do not consult any outside sources for help (friends/family, internet searches, textbooks, notes etc...). We want an accurate measure of your current mathematical knowledge state.

Please note: Once you activate your ALEKS account, your access to the system will expire after one year, and you will be required to purchase an additional set of ALEKS tests.

Math Placement Assessments at Southern Oregon University

Still have questions? Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.