ALEKS PPL for Math Placement
UNM offers ALEKS PPL for math placement. The FAQs below provide general information, and the additional pages linked at the bottom of this page walk you through each step of the process. If you are not sure if you need to complete ALEKS PPL, reach out to your academic advisor.
The information on these pages is designed for students completing ALEKS PPL through the UNM Albuquerque Campus. Students taking ALEKS PPL through the UNM Taos Campus should contact taostestingcenter@unm.edu.
Ready to get started?
Email testctr@unm.edu from your UNM email to request your ALEKS PPL link.
General Information
ALEKS PPL (PPL stands for “Placement, Preparation and Learning”) will place you in your starting point for math at UNM. It is a combination of proctored assessments, learning modules, and unproctored (practice) assessments.
Students begin by taking a proctored placement assessment. If they are unhappy with their score and would like to try again, they can test again after completing learning modules and a practice test. More information is on the Scoring & Retesting page. Only proctored tests are used for placement. UNM will honor the highest available placement information from all sources including ALEKS PPL, ACT, SAT, and earned college credit.
You do not need to take ALEKS PPL if you have a recent ACT or SAT exam or college mathematics credit, either through Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or coursework from a college or university. Talk with your advisor about making sure these are on file and how they place you. You should take ALEKS PPL if you do not have any other placement. Some students may also choose to take ALEKS PPL to get a more current placement based on changes in their math knowledge since their last placement exam or college math course.
If you are attending a New Student Orientation (NSO) session ALEKS PPL will be accessible via your NSO Task List if you do not have placement scores on file or if your major advisor would like you to have the chance to try to place closer to the required math for your degree.
If you have been admitted to UNM and already have some type of placement on file or are not a new student attending a First-Year or Transfer NSO, contact the UNM Testing and Training Center at testctr@unm.edu.
Reach out to taostestingcenter@unm.edu to arrange your testing.
UNM accepts proctored ALEKS PPL scores for placement. You can send scores to UNM through ALEKS PPL using these instructions. If your school does not let you send your scores through ALEKS PPL, you can download a PDF of your score report and email it to advisingstrategies@unm.edu. We will help you get connected to your advisor for placement.
Yes, you can take ALEKS PPL if you would like to try to place higher than the placement information we have on file for you. UNM will use the highest score across all placement options. Students who successfully place higher usually have taken additional math courses after their most recent placement or devote significant time to working through the learning modules in ALEKS PPL.
UNM is offering ALEKS PPL to admitted students at no cost to them. You will not be charged for using ALEKS PPL.
You have access for one year from when you first log in.
If you are having trouble logging in using your NetID and password, contact UNM IT.
If you are having issues with ALEKS PPL itself or LockDown Browser, contact ALEKS PPL support.
If you have other questions, reach out to the UNM Testing and Training Center for support or referral to a resource that can help.
Click the buttons below for more information about taking an ALEKS PPL test:
