Math Proficiency Test info for ADVISORS

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Important Upcoming Dates and Logistics

  • August 30th: Incoming students can (re)take ALEKS
    9 AM - 10:30 AM
    or  10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
    Miller 211
    (Note: The location printed in the NSO brochure is incorrect!) 
    Students should email Margot Black to sign up (The sign up link in the brochure is also incorrect!)
    Note: This is the last opportunity for students to set up their ALEKS account for free.  After this date it will cost $25. 
  • September 2nd: Continuing students can (re)take the test
    6 PM - 7:30 AM or  7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
    Miller 211 

    Send students to this link to sign up. 
  • October 28th: ALEKS exam offered again during advising
  • Incoming students must pass ALEKS this academic year or pay $25 to take the test again during 2014-15.
  • All students have 6 months of Access in the learning modules.
  • ONLY incoming students are allowed to take the test unproctored during the summer.  Your advisee planning to ‘just take it next summer’ will not be allowed to! 

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Math tests and prereqs: What’s changed? 

  • In recognition that the Quantitative Reasoning Proficiency Exam (past and present) didn’t actually assess quantitative reasoning we renamed it the Mathematical Proficiency Test
  • All incoming studentsare now required to take the test with two exceptions:
    • A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus test
    • A score of 5, 6, or 7 on an IB Math Standard or Higher level test (IB Math Studies does not count)
  • The prerequisite for most SQR(b) courses is now QR101.  
  • QR101 does not satisfy any gen ed graduation requirement but it is worth four credit hours.  
  • Unlike CS102 and Math 055,  QR101 has a prerequisite:  a score of of 30% or above on the proficiency test.  This is commensurate with proficiency in elementary algebra (the class that most of our students take in 7th or 8th grade).   

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What you should know about ALEKS

  • ALEKS uses artificial intelligence to quickly and accurately determine what a student knows, doesn’t know, and what they are ready to learn. 
  • The test is adaptive and free response. It usually has 30 questions.  
  • The test assesses a student’s mastery of material ranging from basic arithmetic to precalculus.  
  • A student’s score (given as a percentage) does not reflect how many questions they answered correctly!  Rather, it is a reflection of which questions they answered correctly.  It is the percentage of the content that they have mastered.  
  • Incoming students do not have to pay for ALEKS.  After NSO they will have to pay $25 along with continuing students who have not already passed the test or satisfied the prerequisite.  Access includes:
    • One year of access (from the date of their first test)
    • 5 attempts at the placement test (to be taken over the course of one year)
    • months of access in a personalized ‘Prep and Learning Module’ (from the date they activate the module)

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How incoming Students Access the test (Up until August 30, 2014)

  • Students visit the link provided on their GPS.  It is important that they use that link because it has information and instructions that are for incoming students only.  
  • They are given an enrollment key (23LCIC2014) and a link to a Moodle page.
  • They read through a lot of information in Moodle about how the test works.
  • They take a brief Moodle quiz to make sure that they actually read the information.
  • Upon successful completion of the quiz they are provided with a course code* that they use to enroll in ALEKS.
  • Students then set up their ALEKS account and begin the assessment.   
      

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After the test

  • At the conclusion of the test students see their score and are directed to this webpage to interpret their results.  
  • Students may then choose and begin working in a Learning Module.  
  • ALL STUDENTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO USE THE LEARNING MODULE AND RETEST
    • Students scoring under a 30 MUST retest
    • Students scoring under a 53 should review and retest before registering for QR101
    • Student scoring under a 75 should review and retest if they have taken calc or precalc in highschool

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Important Advising Information

  • Remember that all Lewis & Clark students have seen (usually more than once) the material needed to comfortably “pass” the test (with a score of 53% or above).  They shouldn’t have to teach themselves anything new while reviewing in a learning module.  
  • Student feedback has been very positive regarding the learning module.  You should reassure students who feel that there’s no way to pass the test that the learning module has proven to be a very effective means of preparing students to do so. 
  • Incoming students may only retake the test once over the summer.  If there is a very compelling reason to take it a third time they need to contact Margot Black to arrange this. 
  • We only accept unproctored test results from incoming students during the summer.  After this time only proctored results will be accepted.  There are several opportunities to retake the exam during the school year.   
  • There are limited spots available in QR101 because we are only offering one section.  You must strongly advise students with a score under 53% to review and retest.  A student only needs to be proficient in Intermediate Algebra (a course that all of our incoming students have taken) to achieve this score.  
  • In lieu of a spot in QR101, there will be additional support and opportunities in the SQRC to help prepare students to retake the proficiency test.  
  • If you would like to view your students’ results and learning module progress/activity, I can easily provide this access.  Just let me know
  • If you are curious about how ALEKS works, you can use the code XHVQ9-EXAUW to set up your own account and take the test.  We have 25 extra accounts for this very purpose! 
  • If you or your advisees have burning questions, you can always contact me, but you can also check out this FAQ page

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Interpreting the ALEKS score


Score Classes they can take Advising
Under 30% Nothing with a math prerequisite Review and Retest!
30% - 52% QR 101  Review and Retest!
53% - 75% Classes with a QR101 (Math 055/CS102) Prerequisite

Retest for placement into Math 123 or
Math 131

76% and above Classes with a Math 115 prerequisite  Use learning module to prepare for math and science classes

Discuss placement into Math 132 or above with Math Department

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