Quantitative Literacy General Education and Mathematics Placement - ALEKS

Fulfilling your Quantitative Literacy General Education Requirement

No Placement Required - Courses Satisfying the Quantitative Literacy Requirement

• Math 1100/Stat 1100 (3) – Data Literacy & Visualization, service-learning project
• Math 1120 (3) – Introduction to Mathematical and Computational Thinking, a combination of mathematics, computer programming, and art
• Math 1130 (3) - Quantitative Literacy, mathematics for everyday living
• Math 1300 (4) – College Algebra with Support, college algebra to prepare for taking calculus

No Placement Required – Courses NOT Satisfying the Quantitative Literacy Requirement

• Math 1210 (3) – Intermediate Algebra, preparation for college algebra, DOES NOT COUNT TOWARDS ANY DEGREE

Courses Requiring Placement - Courses Satisfying the Quantitative Literacy Requirement

• Math 1320 (3) – Precalculus Algebra
• Math 1330 (3) – Trigonometry
• Math 1340 (5) – Algebra and Trigonometry for Calculus
• Math 1370 (3) – Applied Algebra and Optimization
• Math 1930 (3) – Calculus for the Managerial, Life, and Social Sciences
• Math 1940 (5) – Calculus for Biomedicine
• Math 1950 (5) – Calculus I
• Stat 1530 (3) – Elementary Statistics

Please see our guide to Quantitative Literacy General Education courses for help selecting a course. Always confirm your courses with your Academic Advisor before you enroll!

Students can complete their University Quantitative Literacy requirement if they have an ACT Math score of 23 or higher or an SAT Math score of 570 or higher. An ALEKS score will not exempt you from the Quantitative Literacy Gen Ed. Some majors may require additional math classes. Always check with your Academic Advisor.

ACT, SAT, and ALEKS scores can be used as prerequisites for MATH/STAT classes for 2 years.

Options for Math Placement

There are three ways to achieve Math Placement:

1. (Primary Placement) Math ACT Sub-Scores
2. Math SAT Sub-Scores
3. ALEKS Placement Assessment, cost $25 which includes 5 attempts.

Placement scores are valid for 2 years..

How to sign up for the ALEKS assessment

[Print Instructions]

[View System and Accessibility Requirements]

This is an assessment, not an exam. It is designed to help determine what a student knows and what skills need to be worked on.

Be honest. It is important that the placement assessment be taken seriously and given an honest effort so that it accurately reflects your current skills and knowledge. There is no benefit to cheating – the result will be enrolling in a class that is too difficult or not challenging enough, costing you time and money. You are expected to follow UNO’s academic honesty code.

Once registered, you may take the ALEKS assessment up to 5 times. Three hours of work within ALEKS Prep and Learning Modules and a 48 hour waiting period are required between retakes.

•To register and take your exam:

1. Click here to visit the ALEKS website.
2. Sign in with your NUID and password.
3. Review the Terms of Use, then click the box to accept.
4. Click "Continue" at the bottom of the screen. Your ALEKS and UNO account are now paired!
5. The welcome screen will appear. Click to continue to the ALEKS dashboard.
6. Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the “Math Placement Exam, [Year]/Higher Education Math Placement” tile under “On Old.”
7. Click “Apply Access.”
8. Aleks will ask “Do you have an Access Code?” Select “No, I need to purchase an Access Code.”
9. Follow the instructions on-screen to purchase your Access Code.
10. Go back to the ALEKS website and click the three dots in the upper-right-hand corner to enter your 20-digit Access Code.
11. Click "Get Started" to proceed to the tutorial. Follow the on-screen instructions.
12. Click “Get Started” to proceed to the assessment. Follow the on-screen instructions.
13. Enter the Proctor Password GoMavs#1.
14. Click the "X" indicating you understand the honor code, then click "Continue."
15. Click "Start Now" located at the bottom of the screen. Your exam has begun.
    1. You will have 2 ½ hours to complete the exam. The timer does not pause if you log out.
    2. You will be asked to answer up to 30 questions.

•After you have completed your assessment:

1. Your raw ALEKS score will appear on-screen.
2. You may now log out, or you may continue to the Prep and Learning Module to improve your knowledge.
3. You will receive an email from ALEKS stating your next steps.
4. You will receive an email from UNO within approximately one hour with your translated score indicating what class(es) your results qualify you to take.

•Prep and Learning Module Information

Upon completing the assessment, students will gain access to adaptive Prep and Learning modules for reviewing old subjects and learning new ones! Students who wish to receive a new Math Placement result may do so after working in their Prep and Learning modules for 3 hours and waiting through a 48 hour "cooldown" period.

Once you have completed the ALEKS assessment, you can log back in to the ALEKS website. You will be directed to your personalized ALEKS dashboard. Click on the “Math Placement Exam, [Year]/Higher Education Math Placement” tile. Follow the instructions to set up and complete your Prep and Learning Module. You must spend at least 3 hours in your learning module and wait 48 hours from the end of your last attempt before you can retake the assessment.

•Students who have disabilities or needs that require accommodations should contact the Accessibility Services Center at 402.554.2872.

•Students who do not have access to a device capable of administering the ALEKS assessment can contact the UNO Testing Center at 402.554.4800 to take the exam on-campus.

»Getting your placement results

You will receive your placement results via email to your UNO email address approximately 1 hour after completion of the assessment. You can also view your results after they have been transferred to MavLINK via the Testing Center Registration Management System or by requesting an Unofficial Transcript from the Academics tab in MavLINK.

It will take 24-48 hours for your placement to be transferred to MavLINK so you can enroll in classes. You can confirm that your placement was uploaded by downloading your Unofficial Transcript from MavLINK and looking under "Test Scores."

If you need to enroll in a class immediately but your score has not been transferred to MavLINK yet, please contact your Academic Advisor!

View our guide to Quantitative Literacy General Education courses for help selecting a course. Always confirm your courses with your Academic Advisor before you enroll!

Students can attempt the assessment a total of 5 times. You will not be charged for these repeat attempts. To unlock a new attempt, you must complete 3 hours of work inside ALEKS's Prep and Learning Modules and wait 48 hours. View more details in the Instructions section above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I required to take the ALEKS assessment?

No. You may use your Math ACT or SAT Sub-Scores or transfer courses if they are less than 2.5 years (30 months) old, or enroll in MATH/STAT 1100, MATH 1120, MATH 1130, or MATH 1300 without any prerequisites. You may choose to take the ALEKS assessment for one of the following reasons:

1. You want/need to take a MATH 1320 or a higher course, but do not have ACT or SAT scores from within the last 2 years.
2. You want to challenge your ACT or SAT scores to take a higher MATH or STAT class.
3. You want to enroll in a non-math class that accepts ALEKS scores as a prerequisite (such as CHEM 1140).

Students can meet their University Quantitative Literacy requirement if they have an ACT Math score of 23 or higher or an SAT Math score of 570 or higher. Some majors may require additional math classes. Always check with your Academic Advisor!

How much does the ALEKS assessment cost?

The ALEKS assessment costs $25. This charge allows you to attempt the assesement up to 5 times.

Can I get the ALEKS assessment cost reduced or waived?

A fee waiver request form is currently in development. Students who cannot afford the exam are advised to use ACT/SAT scores, wait until the fee waiver form is available, or take a MATH or STAT class which does not require placement.

Can I take the ALEKS assessment more than once?

Yes! Your $25 fee allows you to take the ALEKS assessment up to five times.

To unlock a new attempt, you must complete 3 hours of practice in the ALEKS Prep and Learning Modules and wait through a 48-hour "cool down" period.

Can I test out of the Math/Quantitative Literacy Gen Ed with the ALEKS?

No. ALEKS scores will not exempt students from the Quantitative Literacy General Education requirement. Only an ACT Math score of 23 or higher or an SAT Math score of 570 or higher can be used to waive the requirement.

Is there a practice test available for the ALEKS?

No. ALEKS recommends that students do not take a practice test prior to taking the placement test. The most effective way for a student to prepare and address learning loss and improve their math skills is to take the initial assessment that determines with a high degree of accuracy what they know, what they don’t know, and what they are ready to learn.

If a student does not achieve their desired score at first, they can retake the test after 3 hours of work in the adapting Prep & Learning Modules. Students who have already taken the ALEKS see rapid learning in the Prep & Learning Module because they are working on topics they are ready to learn on their own with 94% certainty they can learn it in the ALEKS system. Then they are “prepped” for the next assessment in ALEKS.

I have AP credit for Calculus. Do I still need to take a Quantitative Literacy General Education class?

Not necessarily. Calculus I fulfills the University Quantitative Literacy General Education requirement. However, some majors may require specific Quantitative Literacy General Education courses or may require additional math classes. Always check with your Academic Advisor!

I took a Math Placement Exam at UNL, Metropolitan Community College, or another institution. Can I use that score?

No. UNO cannot accept Math Placement from any other institution.

I took the Accuplacer Math Placement Exam at UNO. Can I use those scores for placement?

No. As of March 30th, 2023, all Accuplacer scores are no longer valid for placement in MATH or STAT classes.

What is the difference between MATH/STAT 1100, MATH 1120, MATH 1130, MATH 1300 and STAT 1530? Should I take a specific one for my Major?

Please see our guide to Quantitative Literacy General Education courses for descriptions of each course and a guide on the best Quantitative Literacy General Education course for various majors. As always, your Academic Advisor is the best resource for help with these decisions!

What is the difference between the "Raw ALEKS score" and the "Translated Placement?"

The "Raw ALEKS score" is the score that will be displayed when you complete the ALEKS assessment. This score will be converted into a single-digit result for MavLINK and added to your UNO Student Account. This "Translated Placement" is the required score you will see in the UNO catalog.

* Color contrast/blindness accessibility settings are available in these browsers.
1. Windows based Microsoft Surface tablets require the use of an external keyboard and mouse (e.g., touch cover keyboard, Bluetooth keyboard/mouse or USB keyboard/mouse).
2. At this time only Samsung Galaxy tablets have been tested.

Students who do not have access to a computer capable of administering the ALEKS assessment can contact the UNO Testing Center at 402.554.4800 to take the exam on campus.

Accessibility System Requirements:
View on ALEKS webpage