ALEKS PPL

What is ALEKS PPL?

The Mathematics Department at SUNY Geneseo requires an ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning (ALEKS PPL) Assessment to determine readiness for some 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 assessment results. 

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

We encourage each student to spend time in the Prep and Learning Module because time spent in ALEKS will ultimately lead to better preparation and improved grades.

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. 

Be honest. It is important that the Placement Assessment is taken seriously, and each student gives it an honest effort so that the Placement Assessment truly reflects their current level of knowledge and math preparedness. There is no benefit to cheating on the Placement Assessment – the only result will be that a student is not well-prepared for their class, potentially costing time and money. The purpose of the Placement Assessment is to give an accurate measure of a student’s current mathematical knowledge state so that he/she will be successful in mathematics courses.

FAQs

Preparing for the Placement Assessment

Who has to take the ALEKS PPL Assessment? All students who wish to take Math 110 (College Algebra), Math 112 (Precalculus), Math 213 (Applied Calculus I), or Math 221 (Calculus I). 

When do I take the ALEKS PPL Assessment? For the Fall 2025 semester, students will take the assessment during the first week of the semester.

Are ALEKS PPL Assessments proctored? Yes. Details will be provided by your instructor.

Is there a fee for using ALEKS PPL? Yes. You will pay a $25 enrollment fee with a credit card before you begin the assessment.

What topics are covered during the ALEKS PPL Assessment? 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 30 questions. You will see some, but not all, of the math you learned in high school. It is a Placement Assessment, not a preview of the math courses at SUNY Geneseo. After you take your first Placement Assessment, you will have the opportunity to review and master topics in which you may not be proficient.

Topics covered in the Placement Assessment (depending on your answers to the questions; you may not see all of these topics):

  • 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).

Can I practice using the ALEKS input tools before I begin the Placement Assessment? ALEKS will provide 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 enter different types of answers, how to use the ALEKS calculator, and how to graph. If you aren't sure how to input an answer, or need help while you are taking the Placement Assessment, select the Help button below the answer palette tools. Going to the tutorial during your Placement Assessment will NOT impact your Placement Assessment results.

Taking the Placement Assessment

What is the format of the questions on ALEKS? 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. Be sure to have scratch paper with you. 

May I use a calculator while using ALEKS? ALEKS will provide an on-screen calculator if you need one to complete a particular problem. Otherwise, you may not use a calculator.

May I use any other resources during a Placement Assessment? You may only use a pen or pencil, paper, and the resources provided within ALEKS.

Can I review a question after I've answered it? Because ALEKS is adaptive, once you submit an answer, you cannot change it. Be sure to carefully check your answer before submitting your response. 

What if I see questions I don’t know how to answer?  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. The answer 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.  

Are Placement Assessments timed? Yes, you have up to three hours to complete a Placement Assessment once it has begun.

What happens if I do not complete a Placement Assessment in the allotted time? You will be given a placement result, but it may not be a true reflection of your abilities. 

Placement Results

What is my placement result? Your placement result (overall score) is a number between 0 and 100. It represents the percentage of topics that ALEKS has identified you have mastered. This score determines which of five Prep and Learning Modules you are assigned to:

  • Prep for Beginning Algebra
  • Prep for Intermediate Algebra
  • Prep for College Algebra
  • Prep for PreCalculus
  • Prep for Calculus I

The name of the module is not important. What is important is that you work on the skills that are necessary for success in your course.

How long is my placement result valid? Your placement result is valid for up to 12 months.

Can I retake the ALEKS PPL Assessment? Yes, you may take up to four additional Placement Assessments. However, to make each attempt worthwhile, it is important that you spend time working in your ALEKS Prep and Learning Module between Placement Assessments so that you can improve your skills. 

Can I retake the ALEKS Placement Assessment immediately? 
You must wait 48 hours between Placement Assessments. There is generally no benefit to re-taking the Placement Assessment immediately after completing a prior attempt. You cannot improve your results by simply re-taking the Placement Assessment without spending time in the Prep and Learning Module to refresh material that you may have forgotten.

Prep and Learning Modules

How long do I have access to my Prep and Learning Module? You will have six months of access to your Prep and Learning Module. Access will begin once you select start on the top of your screen. DO NOT select into the Prep and Learning Module until you are ready to start working. 

Is there an additional fee for my Prep and Learning Module? Access to a Prep and Learning Module is included along with the additional Placement Assessments.

Must I work in my ALEKS Prep and Learning Module between Placement Assessments? Students are required to work in the Prep and Learning Modules for a specific amount of time prior to each Placement Assessment to increase success.

  • 2nd attempt—required to complete 5 hours of work in the Prep and Learning Modules before attempting assessment.
  • 3rd attempt—required to complete 5 additional hours of work in the Prep and Learning Modules before attempting assessment.
  • 4th attempt—required to complete 3 additional hours of work in the Prep and Learning Modules before attempting assessment.
  • 5th attempt—required to complete 3 additional hours of work in the Prep and Learning Modules before attempting assessment.

What are ALEKS Knowledge Checks? While working in a Prep and Learning Module, you will periodically complete a Knowledge Check to make sure you have mastered the topics you gained in Learning Mode. If you do not show mastery during the Knowledge Check, the topics will be added back into your Learning Pie so you can review them again.