ALEKS Math Placement Test

GW uses an online placement test, Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) to place incoming students in the appropriate economics classes. All students planning to take an economics class must complete the test. A link to the test is provided under Guidance on Taking the Test.

The virtual (unproctored) ALEKS placement test is now available. Your score on the virtual ALEKS Math Placement Test provides you with guidance in selecting the appropriate Math and Economics courses prior to registration. Unless you have completed ECON 1001 with a B- or higher grade, new students must have the required minimum virtual ALEKS placement test score of 61 in the BanWeb system prior to initially registering for ECON 1011. All students wanting to take ECON 1001 or 1011 are REQUIRED to also take the exam in person (the proctored ALEKs exam) as scores on the proctored exam will determine final placement.

For Fall 2023

All virtual unproctored ALEKS attempts must be completed prior to August 16 at 11:59 p.m. All students wanting to take ECON 1001 or ECON 1011 are REQUIRED to take the exam in person (the proctored ALEKs exam) on Sunday August 20 regardless of whether or not they have already achieved the minimum score and registered for the course.

The in-person proctored score will replace your unproctored virtual score and is used for final placement. Achieving the minimum score on the in-person proctored exam for the course you are registered for is required. In the event that your in-person score does not meet the requirements for a class you are registered for, you will be contacted by email to make a change to your schedule. Students will be sent a survey in early August to sign up to take the proctored exam on August 20.

If you require accommodations for the ALEKS assessment, please contact GW's Disability Support Services (DSS) as soon as possible to request reasonable accommodations. Please note that the DSS registration process can take 1-2 weeks. If you have questions about the DSS registration process, please contact [email protected] or 202-994-8250.

Please be advised that you only have a total of 3 attempts to take the virtual unproctored placement test and achieve the required minimum score to initially register for the course you want to take. ALEKS Math assessments taken after March 1 of each year will be applicable for initial Summer/Fall/Spring registration in upcoming semesters. Scores on your proctored ALEKS Math placement test taken in person on campus in August are valid for the spring semester.

If retakes are required after your first virtual math placement attempt, please be aware that each additional attempt is separated by a minimum “cooling off” period of 24 hours and students must complete a minimum of three hours in the Prep Learning Modules between each attempt.

Note: The requirement for the proctored version of the ALEKS test to remain in your course applies only to new GW students who are starting in fall of 2023.

Who Needs to Take ALEKS

This test is mandatory for any incoming student who wishes to register for ECON 1001 or ECON 1011. Students who wish to register for ECON 1011 must take the virtual ALEKS test and receive the minimum score prior to initially registering for the course. Students who have attempted the virtual ALEKS Placement exam but who have not achieved the minimum score of 61, may register for ECON 1001. Students must also achieve the minimum score on the proctored ALEKS exam taken in person on campus to remain in their placement.

Minimum Required ALEKS Test Scores Required for Registration

ECON 1001: No minimum score required (but students must still complete the ALEKS test)
ECON 1011: 61

Guidance on Taking the Virtual Unproctored Test

Students have 2.5 hours to complete the virtual assessment and should ensure that they start the test only when they expect to have the full 2.5 hours available uninterrupted. Students should take the test only when they feel they are prepared and with the intention of doing their best. It is important for students to take their time and not rush through the assessment. The purpose of the ALEKS test is to ensure students are placed in a course that they will find challenging but manageable. Students who do not prepare or take the assessment seriously run the risk of being placed in a course that will be boring, frustrating, or both. The goal of the Economics Department is for students to have a successful first semester.

When students are prepared to take the test they can access it through the GW Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) Portal. Please note that the system does require logging in with GW credentials.

The Proctored In-Person ALEKS Math Placement Test

A proctored ALEKS Math Placement test will be offered in person on campus prior to the start of each term. The proctored placement exam is required for all students who wish to take ECON 1001 or 1011, whether or not they have already achieved the minimum score on the virtual placement test and registered for the course. The in-person proctored score is used for final placement to ensure that students are prepared for the class, appropriately placed, and likely to be successful. Achieving the minimum score on the in-person proctored exam for 1011 is required to remain enrolled in the course.

What happens if a student does not achieve the required minimum score for ECON 1011 on the proctored ALEKS placement exam?

If you do not achieve the minimum required score on the proctored exam you will need to drop ECON 1011 and register for ECON 1001. Students who are registered for ECON 1001 and score higher than a 61 on the proctored exam are encouraged to enroll in ECON 1011 rather than staying in ECON 1001.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ALEKS?

ALEKS is an online, non-multiple choice adaptive placement exam. The ALEKS placement exam is used to assist students in determining the appropriate level of placement in mathematics and economics courses, to help ensure students have the demonstrated skills for the greatest likelihood of success.

After completing the first virtual placement test, ALEKS will recommend learning modules. If you do not receive the minimum score to register for ECON 1011, you may use these modules to try to improve your score up until the deadline for taking the virtual unproctored placement test for a given enrollment term.

How do students take ALEKS?

Students can access the placement exam directly or they can visit the GW schedule of classes. For additional information on the math placement process students can visit the Math Department website.

Who must take ALEKS?

All incoming students who are in one of the following GW schools must complete the ALEKS math placement exam:
•   Elliott School of International Affairs
•   Milken Institute School of Public Health
•   School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
•   School of Business

All students who plan to register for one of the following courses must complete the ALEKS math placement exam:
•   ECON 1001-Principles of Math for Economics
•   ECON 1011-Principles of Microeconomics
•   MATH 1051-Finite Mathematics for Social and Management Sciences
•   MATH 1220-Calculus with Precalculus I
•   MATH 1231-Single Variable Calculus I
•   MATH 1252-Calculus: Social & Management Sciences

The chart below details course eligibility by minimum ALEKS placement scores:

Minimum ALEKS Scores

What is the deadline for students to attain the minimum placement score on the virtual unproctored placement test?

Students must have the minimum required virtual ALEKS placement test score in the BanWeb system prior to initially registering for ECON 1011. It is recommended that you have the minimum score two days prior to your planned registration. Students must complete all virtual attempts (up to 3) prior to August 16, 2023 to initially register for ECON 1011 for fall semester.

How many times can a student take the virtual ALEKS math placement exam?

The virtual ALEKS assessment may be taken more than once, with a total of 3 attempts to attain the minimum placement score. Students must wait a minimum of 24 hours and complete a minimum of 3 hours in the Prep Learning Modules between ALEKS attempts. A significant percentage of students who take advantage of the ALEKS Learning Modules improve their scores. Students who spend at least 15 hours in a learning module show the most improvement in their scores. Scores do not normally change without review and practice between assessments.

If a student completed ECON 1001, do they still have to take ALEKS to register for ECON 1011?

Students who earn a grade of C+ or below in ECON 1001 must still take ALEKS and attain a score of 61 or higher to enroll in ECON 1011. Students who complete ECON 1001 with a B- or higher do not need to take ALEKS again to enroll in ECON 1011.

When is the required proctored ALEKS placement exam offered?

For fall 2023, the required proctored ALEKS placement exam will be held on August 20 and information on signing up for the proctored exam will be sent to students in early August. A proctored exam for spring semester final placement will be offered in December. Scores from the August proctored exam may be used for final placement for spring registration as well as fall registration.

How long will the virtual placement exam take?

Students should allow 2 hours of uninterrupted time to complete the assessment. The exam is adaptive so the actual time and number of questions will vary depending on the student. Most students complete ALEKS in approximately 90 minutes. Students will have up to 2 ½ hours from when they begin the placement exam to complete it before they will have to start the exam again.

May students use a calculator or any other resources while taking ALEKS?

Students may only use a pen or pencil, paper and the resources provided within ALEKS.
ALEKS provides an on -screen calculator if students need one to complete a particular problem. Otherwise, a calculator may not be used. Students may not receive assistance from friends, family, other websites, textbooks, or any other resource not provided by ALEKS. Using outside resources may lead to improper course placement and ultimately course failure. It is also a violation of GW's academic integrity policy.

How do students see their virtual ALEKS score?

When students reach the end of the questions, and submit their assessment, a score and a pie chart will appear. The "Placement Result " (overall score) will range from 0 to 100. The system also displays subscores in different math topic areas to let students know how they performed in each area. It is the "Placement Result" score that is used for placement purposes in the GW system.

How do the Prep Learning Modules work?

The ALEKS Your Knowledge and Prep Learning Modules provide a personalized tutorial based on the types of problems students answered correctly and incorrectly on the previous assessment. Therefore, the learning modules are available only after students have taken ALEKS the first time. Once a student begins a Knowledge and Prep Learning Module they will have access to it for six months. As students answer questions they will see their MyPie fill up, and ALEKS may reassess them from time to time to ensure they have retained the topic information, but this does not count as one of the three total attempts.

What should a student do if they need accommodations for the ALEKS assessments?

If you require accommodations for the ALEKS assessments, please contact GW’s Disability Support Services (DSS) as soon as possible to request reasonable accommodations. Please note that the DSS registration process can take 1-2 weeks. If you have questions about the DSS registration process, please contact [email protected].

Students who need to access an ADA compliant version of ALEKS should contact Disability Support Services for assistance.

What does a student do if they need department or technical assistance?

If you experience problems with ALEKS, please contact Professor Murli Gupta in the Math department.
Answers to frequently asked technical questions can be found on the ALEKS support site. Students who need further technical assistance with ALEKS may contact ALEKS support using the customer support form.

Recommended Plan of Study

The department offers recommended course schedules based on ALEKS scores.

BA Course Schedules

BS Course Schedules