IUSB Bend Math Placement Exams

Who Takes the Exam?

Graduate students are not required to take a math placement exam. Most undergraduate students are required to take the math placement exam. However, you are waived from the requirement if:

    • You have transferred in a math course from another college or university equivalent to a 100-level or above math course at IU South Bend.
    • You took an IU South Bend math course as a high school student and received credit for it.
    • You were granted credit for an Advanced Placement (AP) exam, IB exam, or A level exam.
    • You took the math placement exam at IU Bloomington or IUPUI (we do not accept placement exam scores from any other college/university).

      Please read through this information prior to taking the exam.

Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) is IU South Bend's math placement tool. This assessment will provide you and your academic advisor with information on your mathematical strengths and weaknesses. When you register for classes, your advisor will use your ALEKS score to place you in the math course that gives you the best chance for success.

ALEKS can be accessed at any time using any computer with a reliable internet connection. Students need to complete ALEKS at least one week prior to attending a new student orientation or meeting with an advisor to register for classes.

 Most students are required to take ALEKS. However, you are waived if:

    • You have transferred in a math course from another college or university that is equivalent to a 100-level or above math course at IU South Bend;
    • You took an IU South Bend math course as a high school student and received college credit for it;
    • You received a passing score on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam.
    • You took ALEKS at another college or university within a year.

This is not a timed test. The assessment will ask up to 30 questions. You may take as long as you need to answer the questions, as long as the assesment is completed within 48 hours of starting. The average completion time is approximately 90 minutes. If you need accommodations, please contact the Office of Disability Support Services.

This is a free-response assessment; there are no multiple choice questions. Before you take the assessment, ALEKS will present a short tutorial on how to enter answers, how to use the graphing utilities, and how to use the built-in calculator that will be offered when appropriate (students should NOT use their own calculator). Take your time with this tutorial and be sure you understand how these features work.

What you need before you begin:

    • Your IU computer account username and passphrase. If you need to set up your account, go to Account Management Service. You will be asked to enter your last name, date of birth, and university ID number. New students can find their ID number on their admissions certificate.
    • A reliable internet connection.
    • Approximately 90 minutes of time.
    • A space conducive to doing your best work.

The purpose of the assessment is to give an accurate measure of your current mathematical skills so that you will have a better opportunity to be successful in your courses. There is no benefit to inflating or deflating your abilities on the assessment. While you are taking the assessment, do not consult with any other source for help (friends, family, internet searches, textbooks, etc.), and do your honest best. Use of outside resources may result in you being placed into a course you are not prepared for.

The first math course you take will vary, depending on your intended major. Your academic advisor will help you select the appropriate math course when you are building your schedule. Please note that you will see your score in ALEKS displayed as a percentage. Do not think of your score in terms of a traditional grading scale. For example, a score of 38%, which may seem like a failing score, actually places you into a college level math course. The table below indicates what math course you can take based on your ALEKS score.

After taking the initial assessment, you will have the opportunity to use the learning modules in ALEKS to refresh and practice specific math topics unique to your results. This will not only help you into your recommended math course, but this will also make you more likely to succeed in that course. You should begin your learning modules immediately following your initial asssessment.

The ALEKS assessment is valid for one year. You may take the assessment a total of 5 times within a year. The first two times may be taken off-campus. Subsequent attempts must be proctored at IU South Bend. You must wait 48 hours between assessments. After the first attempt, students are required to study the learning modules a minimum of three hours before taking ALEKS a second time (if taking the test a third time, an additional three hours of studying the learning modules is required).

SCOREALEKS SCORE RANGEMATH COURSE ELIGIBILITY
<100-9Contact the Math Department at (574) 520-4335 or email Dr. Yu Song at yusong@iusb.edu for permission.
>=1010-15Enhanced Math A100
>=16>=16Math A100
>=31>=31Math M111
>=36>=36-50Math K300, Math M107, Math M118, Math T101
>=51>=51-60Math M115, Math M125
>=61>=61-75Math K310, Math M126, Math M119
>=76>=76-100Math M215

*For math exams taken prior to March 2016, scroll down to bottom of page for interpretation of scores.

LOG IN Here to take the ALEKS assessment

Math Scores (November 2015 - February 2016)

SCOREALEKS SCORE RANGEMATH COURSE ELIGIBILITY
< 160-15Enhanced A100
>=16>=16A100
>=31>=31M111
>=3636 - 50K300, M107, M118, T101
>=5151 - 60M115, M125
>=6161 - 75K310, M126, M119
>=7676 - 100M215