Math Placement Exam

Oklahoma Christian University requires the Math Placement Exam to assess your preparation for the math course you plan to take if you do not have the requisite ACT MATH sub score or a prior collegiate math class and you do not want to take SDEV 0103- Intermediate Algebra. The Math Placement Exam is designed to find the strengths and weaknesses of your mathematical knowledge, report results to you, and then, if necessary, provide you with online learning modules for improving your knowledge to prepare for the appropriate course.

Note: Students must complete the Math Placement exam at least *7* days prior to the start of the semester in order to enroll in a math class for that semester.

You may take the test up to two semesters before you enroll, but scores that are over a year old cannot be used for placement and you would need to retake the placement exam.

If you have previously enrolled in and/or attended any of part of a mathematics course at OC, you may not use the placement exam to test out of that class.

tl:dr

Math Placement Exceptions

There are a few exceptions for taking the math placement exam:

1. If you have taken a college-level math course that is posted on a college (not high school) transcript showing successful completion with a grade of “C” or better, then you do not need to take the math placement test.
2. If you took the AP Calculus or AP Statistics test and earned at least a 3 on either test, then you do not need to take the math placement test. Please submit your AP scores to the Registrar’s Office (registrar@oc.edu) as soon as possible and prior to enrolling in a math class at OC. If you do not have your AP scores, you should take the math placement test.
   
3. For students wanting to enroll in MATH 1223 – Mathematical Functions and Modeling, MATH 1614 – Pre-Calculus, MATH 1623 – Introduction to Discrete Mathematics, or MATH 2913 – Statistical Methods, if you have an ACT MATH sub score of 23 or above, you do not need to take the math placement test. If you took a test equivalent to the ACT test, your math sub score will be converted to an equivalent ACT score. Make sure you have submitted your test scores to the Registrar’s Office (registrar@oc.edu) as soon as possible and prior to enrolling in a math class at OC, otherwise you will need to take the math placement test.
   
4. For students wanting to enroll in MATH 1163 – Applied Mathematics or MATH 1173 – Quantitative Reasoning, if you have an ACT MATH sub score of 19 or above, you do not need to take the math placement test. If you took a test equivalent to the ACT test, your math sub score will be converted to an equivalent ACT score. Make sure you have submitted your test scores to the Registrar’s Office (registrar@oc.edu) as soon as possible and prior to enrolling in a math class at OC, otherwise you will need to take the math placement test.
   
5. If you took the Calculus, College Algebra, College Mathematics, or Pre-Calculus CLEP test and scored at or above the minimum required score for credit at OC, then you do not need to take the math placement test. The required scores can be found in the OC Academic Catalog or here.
   

• Please note that zero-level, beginning algebra, intermediate algebra, and pre-college algebra courses are considered “pre-college level” and do not count as college-level math.

Information About the Exam

ALEKS Placement, Preparation, and Learning (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 placement.

The ALEKS PPL 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. You will be provided with an on-screen calculator if you need one to complete a particular problem. Otherwise, you may not use a calculator.

What is the Purpose of Placement Testing?

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.

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.

Cost of the Exam

You will pay for ALEKS with a credit card before you begin. If you do not have a credit card, please email Dr. Jennifer Bryan, jennifer.bryan@oc.edu for help in obtaining a course code. The cost of the code will be billed to your student account. The cost of the class, and a year of access to the placement tests and study material is $20.

Enrolling in ALEKS PPL

To enroll in ALEKS PPL, click the link below. You will need your payment information, your OC email address, and your student ID number (if you have it). You will enroll in the OC Math Placement course and that is where you will take the placement exams and review any material.

Enroll in OC Math Placement

Once you enroll in the course, you will be prompted to take an initial assessment. The initial assessment will help familiarize yourself with the ALEKS PPL system and also Respondus Lockdown Browser. You will need to download Respondus Lockdown Browser for ALEKS before you take the initial assessment. You can find more information about the requirements and links to download Respondus at: https://www.aleks.com/support/lockdown_system_requirements

Please note that the ALEKS Lockdown Browser is not compatible with Chromebooks. If you have a Chromebook, you will need to use a different computer to take the placement test.

Taking the Exam

Reminder: Students must complete the Math Placement exam at least *7* days prior to the start of the semester in order to enroll in a math class for that semester.

To take the ALEKS PPL, you will need:

• A quiet, well-lit, private location.
• A laptop or desktop computer running Windows or Mac operating systems with a webcam and microphone.
• A strong and stable internet connection.
• Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browser – although other browsers may work, these are the recommended browsers
• Administrative rights to the computer on which you will take the test as you will need to download a lockdown browser

The placement assessment is up to 30 questions and generally takes 60-90 minutes to complete.

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 have learned in high school. It is a Placement Assessment, not a preview of math courses Oklahoma Christian University. 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).

Scoring

Your overall score will range from 0 to 100. This is not graded on the “A, B, C, D, F” scale. A score of 30 is the lowest score that can qualify for a math course at Oklahoma Christian University. Scores below the minimum score for your major will place the student into SDEV 0103 – Intermediate Algebra. Because the Math Placement Exam has no calculus content, it cannot be used to place into any course above Calculus I. Consult with your academic advisor about the appropriate level of math for your background, major and/or career goals.

For students majoring in Art & Design, Bible, Communications, Criminal Justice, English, English Education, Family Science, Music, Political Science, or Social Science Education, scores below 30 will place the student in SDEV 0103 – Intermediate Algebra:

For students majoring in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education, scores below 30 will place the student in SDEV 0103 –Intermediate Algebra:

For students majoring in Biology, Business, Computer Science, Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing, Psychology, or Science Education, scores below 46 will place the student in SDEV 0103 – Intermediate Algebra:

For students majoring in Biochemistry, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, or Mechanical Engineering, scores below 61 will place the student in SDEV 0103 – Intermediate Algebra:

Re-taking the Exam

Following the practice attempt, you may take the exam four additional times during an 11-month period. A minimum of 24 hours is required between each testing attempt to allow time for work in the learning modules. Before attempting the second or third tests, you must spend a minimum of 3 hours in the practice modules between each test (3 hours between the first and second tests and 3 additional hours between the second and third test). Before attempting the fourth or fifth tests, you must spend an additional 5 hours each in the practice modules before you can take the next test.

Documentation Needed for Enrollment

Generally, no documentation is needed for the placement exam as your proctored test scores are automatically uploaded to the enrollment system. However, in the following cases, you might need the indicated paperwork to avoid delays in math course enrollment:

If you’ve completed a college-level prerequisite or required course for your major with a “C” or better at another University and haven’t already sent your official transcript to the Registrar’s Office, do so as soon as possible. If you have AP Calculus scores, AP Statistics scores, or have passed a CLEP exam, make sure those results are also submitted to the Registrar’s Office.

If you’re currently enrolled in a college-level prerequisite or required math course for your major at another University, talk to your advisor about your course schedule. After you finish the course, send official transcripts to the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible.

Accessibility for Students with Disabilities

There are no audio elements in the Math Placement Exam, and the exam is untimed. Most students complete the exam within two hours. Microsoft magnifier or similar products work with the exam. There is not currently a screen reader. Use of a human assistant is permitted for students needing a screen reader. Use of the mouse is currently required, and it is not possible to print out the exam in advance due to the computer-adaptive nature of the exam. A human assistant is permitted for students needing assistance using the mouse. If you require the use of a human assistant, please email Dr. Jennifer Bryan (jennifer.bryan@oc.edu) with the name of the assistant prior to taking the placement exam.

For More Information

If you have questions about the math placement test, please contact Dr. Jennifer Bryan, Program Chair of Mathematics, at jennifer.bryan@oc.edu.

tl:dr – To take a MATH prefix class at OC, you need either the required ACT MATH sub score, AP credit, previous college MATH credit, successful completion of SDEV 0103 – Intermediate Algebra, or the minimum required score on the Math Placement exam. If you do take the Math Placement test, you must complete the Math Placement exam at least *7* days prior to the start of the semester in order to enroll in a math class for that semester.