Here's the most frequently asked math placement question: Where's my score?!?

Scores are only posted to student portals and the enrollment system on a few specific dates. If you (re)assessed after the most recent score posting, you won't see your math placement score in your portal—or be able to use it for enrollment—before the next posting. No exceptions. 

Now that we've got that out of the way, here are some other common problems and questions. 

You need to complete math placement before you can enroll in a math course at UCSC.

If you're not sure if you need to take a math course, contact the advising staff of your (intended) major program. 

There are three routes to math placement: AP/IB test credit, course credit from another college or university, assessment in ALEKS PPL.

High school courses can't be used for math placement. If you took AP Calculus, but didn't take the AP Calculus exam (or took the exam and earned a score below 3), that doesn't count towards placement.

If you're not sure if your college math course counts for placement, trying looking it up in ASSIST or contact MathAdvising@ucsc.edu. 

Do:

Use only this access point or the link on the Assessment Instructions page. 

Use your CruzID and your Gold password (not the the one you use with your slug@ucsc.edu email account). 

Don't: 

Don't register at aleks.com.  

Don't bookmark the single sign on page (blue background, someone in silly Slug suit) and go back to it later. 

Reread the instructions and try again if:

The single sign on page gives an error message.

ALEKS asks you which course you want to enroll in.

ALEKS asks you for payment.

Need screenreader support?

If you use a screenreader, contact us to enroll in a screenreader-ready ALEKS PPL cohort. If you don't know what a screenreader is, you probably don't need one. 

ALEKS won't let me reassess!

Have you spent at least 5 hours in your Learning Module since your most recent assessment?

Has your Learning Module expired? 

I've spent 5 hours in my Learning Module, but I haven't been given a new assessment!

You need to initiate a placement assessment. Click the Placement tab to start the process.

I have an assessment score of __, but it doesn't show up on my ALEKS home page!

Is that score for a Progress Assessment or a Placement Assessment? 

If your problem still isn't fixed or your question is unanswered, contact us.