Generally, all newly admitted students must take the assessment. This requirement may be waived for students who have received credit for a college-level mathematics course from another institution or from AP or IB courses.
You need to take the assessment so that you can be placed in the appropriate beginning mathematics course that matches your level of preparation and increases your chance of success. Your results will help your advisor plan your future math classes.
New first-year students must take the assessment anytime before their summer advising appointment. Transfer students must take the assessment before their first advising appointment at Monmouth. You can take the assessment whenever you have a few hours of uninterrupted time to focus and do your best.
You will be given 2 hours and 30 minutes to take the exam but you may not need to use full time. The exam is about 25 questions so use your best judgement to decide how much time is right for you. The assessment typically takes 60 – 90 minutes, but this will vary by student. Please ensure you have ample uninterrupted time available to do your best.
The Mathematics Placement Assessment is administered online through a program called ALEKS.
- First-year students will access the assessment via SOAR. To find SOAR for First-Year Students, please visit myMU, the Monmouth University portal. Use the same user ID and password that you have been using to access your Hawkmail@Live account. Then, click “eCampus” and you will find the “SOAR” link under the “Communities” section.
- Transfer Services will contact transfer students who need to take the Mathematics Placement Assessment. Please contact transferservices@monmouth.edu if you feel you were asked to take the assessment in error.
The exam consists of the mathematics knowledge expected from your high school mathematics courses (arithmetic, algebra, and pre-calculus problems). You do not need to study but can review your most recent math notes if you would like to refresh your knowledge. The ALEKS placement exam is meant to accurately capture your current math level so it is important you do your best with the knowledge you already have. Cramming or learning new skills just to “pass” will result in you being placed in a math class that you may not be fully prepared for yet.
Please contact the Department of Disabilities Services (DDS) at 732-571-3460 or 732-263-5795 (TTY relay). All students seeking accommodations must call DDS prior to completing the assessment.
No, you may not use a personal calculator or any other outside resources during the assessment. Outside resources include calculators, notes, websites/AI, friends/family, etc. ALEKS will give you an online calculator or other resources to use on questions where this is allowed.
The results of your placement exam will be a percent that places you in a level from 1 to 4. You will be shown both the percent and the level as soon as you submit your exam. If you do not see your score at the end, you did not finish the exam. Placing level 4 means the student is “ready for calculus.” while placing level 1 indicates a need for additional preparation before your college level mathematics. For a more specific break down of placement scores, see our placement score chart.
You cannot fail the placement assessment! The results are not meant to determine if you “pass” or “fail”. They are only used to identify the appropriate mathematics class that is in the best interest for you and your major.
Students who score level 1 will be placed in a developmental math course (MA-050), which will assist them in improving their math skills. Our goal is to ensure you have the tools needed to be successful in your required math courses.
Every new student coming to Monmouth (either first-year or transfer) is assigned an advisor. Your advisor will be able to take your placement score and, based on your major, help you decide what math class to schedule. You can also take a look at our Math Placement Guide.
Yes! Some major sequence charts do not show a mathematics course in the first semester or first year. However, based on your placement level, you may be required to take a prerequisite mathematics class. We recommend not putting off taking your mathematics class for too long to avoid forgetting your skills.
If you receive credit for pre-calculus or calculus, you will be waived from the requirement to take the math placement assessment. However, if the credit has not yet appeared on your transcripts or your academic audit, taking the math placement assessment will ensure that you are prepared for your advising appointment and eliminate delays in registering for a math class.
If you receive credit for another course, such as statistics, you may still need to take the math placement assessment, depending on the mathematical requirements of your major. Please discuss with your advisor.
Maybe! If you have not transferred in a college-level mathematics course, you will need to take the placement assessment.
If you have transferred in college algebra, pre-calculus, or calculus, then you will be waived from the requirement to take the math placement assessment. However, if the credit has not yet appeared on your transcripts or your academic audit, taking the math placement assessment will ensure that you are prepared for your advising appointment and eliminate delays in registering for a math class.
If you receive credit for another course, such as statistics, you may still need to take the math placement assessment, depending on the mathematical requirements of your major. Please contact Transfer Services transferservices@monmouth.edu with any questions.
Maybe! If you took the ALEKS PPL assessment, you may be able to transfer your score to Monmouth. Please view the instructions on sharing your placement assessment results. Our school code is 141E8EC. Otherwise, you will need to take the placement assessment at Monmouth.
Still have questions? Please contact mathplacement@monmouth.edu.