Students admitted to Franklin Cummings Tech must be assessed to determine their skill level in English and mathematics so they can be placed into the most appropriate entry-level courses. This assessment does NOT impact your acceptance or enrollment in the college.
- English Placement: the Admissions team makes assessments based on the English grade point averages on an incoming student’s high school transcript or HiSET/GED transcript.
- Math Placement: the college require incoming students to take an ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning (ALEKS PPL) Assessment.
What is ALEKS?
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 25 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 placement.
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
Franklin Cummings Tech encourages each student to spend time in the Prep and Learning Module, even if the desired score is achieved because time spent in ALEKS will ultimately lead to better preparation and improved grades.
What is the Purpose of ALEKS Assessment?
The Placement Assessment results will be used to determine the most appropriate courses for each student as they move forward with college coursework. After taking a Placement Assessment, students should meet with their advisor to review their results and enroll in the best classes based on their scores.
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 enrolls in a class that is too difficult, or not challenging enough, potentially costing time and money. Therefore, while taking the Placement Assessment, students should not consult any outside sources for help (friends/family, Internet searches, textbooks, notes, etc.). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Preparing for the ALEKS Assessment
Why must I take the ALEKS PPL Assessment? The Placement Assessment is used to determine the mathematics course in which you will have the greatest success. Upon completion of the Placement Assessments, your scores are sent to your academic advisor. Your advisor will review your scores and help make appropriate recommendations for course registration.
Who has to take the ALEKS PPL Assessment? All incoming associate degree students who do not have any transferable math credits and wish to take any of the courses listed below:
- MA 107 Optical Math
- MA 109 Automotive Math
- MA 120 College Algebra
- MA 125 Plane & Solid Geometry
- MA 130 Pre-Calculus
- MA 240 Calculus I
- MA 250 Calculus II
- MA 270 Statistics
When do I take the ALEKS PPL Assessment? Students are required to take the assessment, before their assigned enrollment dates (view table below). You will have two weeks to complete your assessment and time to retake the placement test, if necessary.
| Enrollment Semester | Testing Dates |
| Fall 2024 | July 15 – August 23 |
| Spring 2025 | October TBD |
| Fall 2025 | April TBD |
Are ALEKS PPL Assessments proctored? Yes, the assessment will be proctored remotely, using a virtual monitoring system that you will download onto your computer.
Is there a fee for using ALEKS PPL? There is no student fee for using ALEKS PPL this year (2024).
Do I need to install any software or plug-ins prior to taking the ALEKS Placement Assessment? No. There are no required plug-ins or applets required with your use of ALEKS PPL. As long as you have access to the internet and are using an updated browser, you should not experience difficulties in taking your Placement Assessment. For a list of preferred browsers, please review the ALEKS system requirements on their support site: http://www.aleks.com/support/system_requirements
You will need to download software for the proctoring tool, Respondus; see the requirements here. Please login to your exam for more information.
Can I practice using the ALEKS input tools before I begin the Placement Assessment? 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 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 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.
Taking the ALEKS 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 paper and pencil, and 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. You should not receive assistance from friends, family, other websites, textbooks, or any other resource not provided by ALEKS. Using outside resources will lead to improper placement and potentially course failure. It is a violation of Franklin Cummings Tech’s honor code.
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? 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. “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? No, you are free to complete the Placement Assessment at your own pace. The system will allow you to access your Placement Assessment for 3 hours. If you need to exit the Placement Assessment for any reason, you will be able to log back in and pick up where you left off.
What happens if I do not complete a Placement Assessment in the allotted time? You will be given a placement result, but it will not be a true reflection of your abilities.
ALEKS Placement Result
What is my placement result? Your placement result (overall score) is a number between 0 and 100. It represents the percentage of topics ALEKS has identified you have mastered.
What if I do not place into the course I wanted? This is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the Prep and Learning Modules offered within ALEKS PPL. An individualized study plan will be created based on your performance on the Initial Placement Assessment. ALEKS will identify what you know and what you are ready to learn next so you can brush up on lost knowledge.
Can I retake the ALEKS PPL Assessment? Yes, you may take up to 4 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.
ALEKS Prep and Learning Modules
Must I work in my ALEKS Prep and Learning Module between Placement Assessments? You can retake the Placement assessment up to four additional times to improve your score. (The highest score will be used for math placement). 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 3 hours of work in the Prep and Learning Modules before attempting assessment;
- 3rd attempt—required to complete 3 additional hours of work in the Prep and Learning Modules before attempting assessment;
- 4th attempt—required to complete 5 additional hours of work in the Prep and Learning Modules before attempting assessment; and
- 5th attempt—required to complete 8 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.
Does progress in an ALEKS Prep and Learning Module count toward placement? No. You must complete a new Placement Assessment to change your placement result. Select the placement tab in the upper right corner of the ALEKS page to start a new Placement Assessment.
Can I change to a different Prep and Learning Module later? No. You may only use one Prep and Learning Module. If you are unsure which module to select, use the module recommended by ALEKS or consult with your advisor.
ALEKS Technical Support
What do I do if my web browser gets stuck or my computer crashes while I’m taking the Placement Assessment? Simply close the browser, or log out and log back in. ALEKS will resume the Placement Assessment exactly where you left off, with no loss of your previous answers.
Where can I get technical help with ALEKS?
- Visit the technical support library at https://mh.my.site.com/aleks/s/articles?dc=Technical_Support
- Submit a support ticket to http://support.aleks.com/assess_placement
