<p>I just saw an email informing me to take this. This isn't a placement test, right?</p>
<p>Its a placement test only for college of natural science students I believe…I took it early May and I’m enrolled as a “Computer Science” Major. Logarithms kicked my butt. :/</p>
<p>The ALEKS tests are placement tests they have for both chemistry and math. It’s not restricted to CNS students. Basically, you just have to take those tests and get a certain score to be allowed to stay in the course. Otherwise you will get dropped after the 5th day of class. </p>
<p>[UT</a> ALEKS Math Assessment](<a href=“http://cns.utexas.edu/academics/placement/math-assessment]UT”>http://cns.utexas.edu/academics/placement/math-assessment)</p>
<p>[UT</a> ALEKS Chemistry Assessment](<a href=“http://cns.utexas.edu/academics/placement/aleks-chemistry-assessment]UT”>http://cns.utexas.edu/academics/placement/aleks-chemistry-assessment)</p>
<p>Does anyone know why the College of Natural Sciences requires that students buy the entire assessment package (50 dollars)? Instead, why not have us take the assessment, evaluate our results, and then buy the full package? Pricing at McGraw-Hill for ALEKS is 20 dollars for a month, which is much cheaper than the fifty dollars UT Austin requires (it gives us 6 weeks). </p>
<p>I tried contacting the ALEKS Math Support team during their “business hours” but no one picked up the call, either. </p>
<p>I’m referring to information found on this site: [Step</a> 1 for Incoming CNS Students: About the UT Math Assessment](<a href=“http://cns.utexas.edu/academics/college-readiness/aleks-math-assessment/step-1-about]Step”>http://cns.utexas.edu/academics/college-readiness/aleks-math-assessment/step-1-about)</p>
<p>@ignorantmundi
I have NO IDEA why they require this. It cost me $50 to take a test to tell me I can take Calculus, and I’m going to be a Math major. It was ridiculous.</p>
<p>ALEKS is a really easy test. I would recommend reviewing AP Bio, Calc, and Chem books to get ready for the school year.</p>
<p>Yeah…The last math course I took was in the winter and that was trig. And I took college algebra almost 2 years ago and took pre-cal in high school my senior year. I’m going through the learning modules because I remember a lot of trig but forgot a lot of algebra. >.< And I remember algebra being so easy, but I feel like I forgot simple stuff and I don’t want to be placed somewhere lower than pre-cal. I wasn’t originally going for a math/science oriented major so I wasn’t worried about forgetting math but now I switched to pre-pharm and wouldn’t want to re-take classes. :/</p>
<p>I’m geniunely p!ssed about the ALEKS too. I already took it, but I still fail to see why I had to pay them $50 (and waste an hour of my life) to take a freakin’ test over algebra and geometry when I passed the AP Calculus exam. What do I get in return? Their permission for me to retake Calculus I & II if I want…</p>
<p>My best guess is that the College of Natural Sciences is financially strapped. And the best prey to grab money from is incoming freshman because its impossible for us to dissent us a group. Also, there doesn’t seem to be any “ALEKS support” line from UT itself as listed on the CNS webpage for ALEKS. Smart thinking. </p>
<p>The credit by exams offered by the testing center are at a much more reasonable price and seems like a smarter path for the student who needs the review. Arguably, you would need a textbook, but all materials these days are easily available on the internet already. </p>
<p>The chemistry exam better not cost another $50.</p>
<p>Ok so I got a 68% on the test. It was my first time taking it and I feel like I could’ve done better. Also did anyone else have problems with getting the graphs to go the way they wanted them to? I think that I missed a couple of graphs that I should’ve gotten right. Also I didnt do any prep and I havent done any math work in the past month; I really feel like I can do better on it.</p>
<p>Anyways, I was wondering if I can retake it any time between now and school to change my math class. I just took AP Calc AB and I really don’t want to take that same course over again.</p>
<p>[Step</a> 7 for Incoming CNS Students: Improve Your Score/Strengthen Your Knowledge](<a href=“http://cns.utexas.edu/academics/college-readiness/aleks-math-assessment/step-7-improve-your-score]Step”>http://cns.utexas.edu/academics/college-readiness/aleks-math-assessment/step-7-improve-your-score)</p>
<p>Can you take the aleks test before orientation?</p>
<p>For the College of Natural Sciences, it was required we take ALEKS before orientation. My friends in Cockrell told me they haven’t been contacted about taking it, as the engineering website says a 4/5 on the AP Calculus test is satisfactory. I would say if you haven’t explicitly been told to take it, don’t take it, unless you really have a desire to evaluate your math skills for true learning.</p>