I hate you ALEKS!!!

[rickyjo]

It's been a while folks! I got distracted by a sudden swelling of business (I'm a self-employed computer repair guy). My latest research in the world of inexpensive college credit has led me to ALEKS. I'll be honest I'll probably only do one or two (basic/intermediate algebra) as my high school Achilles heal was math (first report card in high school was 6 A's and 1 D).

I want to make sure I understand.

1. I sign up for 20 bucks a month.
2. I do the course learning and occasionally doing tests jumped on me randomly.
3. When my total course completion bar reaches 70% I turn off the course and contact ACE to request credit. Pay $40 fee.
4. ALEKS staff will confirm and send back paperwork to ACE.
5. Upon ACE receiving the paperwork I get recommended college credit from ACE that TESC and many others will take.
(I have confirmed my community college takes ACE recommended coursework for credit).

No proctored exams, etc, etc, just loads of time and a small amount of money? If I am confused on anything please enlighten me. As soon as I confirm I understand correctly I shall commence my quest for 6 college credits for under $100.

[okiemom]

Very close. You'll have to do an assessment when you start the course, then work on the pie chart. After so many problems are completed, a new assessment will pop us and so and so one. When you have 70% on the assessment, not the pie chart, you have it added to you ACE transcript. Keep the course open until it's added to your ACE transcript or at least approved.

No proctored test at all.

[rickyjo]

Ohhhhh, that's great news! So I just need to pass the test....is it timed, is it "open book".

When you say "leave it open" you mean just to not cancel my ALEKS account or change course choice right?

Thanks for your very helpful response.

[okiemom]

Right, do NOT cancel or change until it's been at least accepted by ACE. Some people move on when it's accepted, I'm a little cautious so I don't move on until it's actually listed on my ACE transcript.

No, assessments are NOT timed. I guess you could call them open book. They are all done online.

One of the neat things about ALEKS is that when your working on the pie chart, you can click on the I don't know button to receive a full explanation of the problem. Hang on to those explanations (formulas) for help with future problems.

[rickyjo]

Great thank you okiemom and cookderosa. I'm starting with beginning algebra (the lowest available for college credit) and my old ineptitude when it comes to math is driving me nuts. I really hoped I could test out but that 6 A's 1 D thing that happened over and over in high school is still coming back at me. I don't know what I did wrong :p
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Here's my biggest question. I've been hearing different answers to this question as I read countless pages on the topic.

MUST I use the assessment to exceed 70% or may I use the slow learning of the pie chart to exceed that number. I would really like to know
I'm happy to take my time, i have no deadlines but retrogression will make me flip out.

[annegirl]

The pie and the assessment line work together. As you complete pieces of "pie" they will give you assessments to test your knowledge and see what you can understand next. So yes, you work on the pie pieces as you're comfortable...and then when they throw an assessment your way you do your best and continue on.

One thing that I found out is that approaching math with an older, more mature mind actually helped. Stuff that I didn't "get" in high school finally made sense. I got good grades then, but I hated the fact that I felt like I didn't get it.

Good luck!

[nj593]

Great thank you okiemom and cookderosa. I'm starting with beginning algebra (the lowest available for college credit) and my old ineptitude when it comes to math is driving me nuts. I really hoped I could test out but that 6 A's 1 D thing that happened over and over in high school is still coming back at me. I don't know what I did wrong :p
--------------

Here's my biggest question. I've been hearing different answers to this question as I read countless pages on the topic.

MUST I use the assessment to exceed 70% or may I use the slow learning of the pie chart to exceed that number. I would really like to know
I'm happy to take my time, i have no deadlines but retrogression will make me flip out.

Theres a whole section on aleks in here Ricky which has great info on Aleks that might help you also.
But to answer your question the assessments you can take as you feel ready to test out of the courses. The pie is great if you are not worried about time which you stated you are not. So do the pie chart little by little and learn as much as you can. If you are in crunch time then order your assessments under master account and test out by doing them over and over till you get the idea. Use google, mathway and other resources that are listed in the aleks section in this forum.
all the best,

[rickyjo]

THanks annegirl: This is much better for learning than a classroom for me. It's a little closer to tearing things apart and sticking them back together, w/ instant feedback. I can just try something without agonizing over it and see if it works.

nj593: Thanks so much for the reply. I've read a lot of the stuff on ALEKS here but the one big question is contradicted by different posters... I believe you are saying that getting it only by assessment isn't required for ACE to recommend credit? I can just slowly up the % via the pie chart. Thanks for clarifying in advance.

[taylor]

Right, do NOT cancel or change until it's been at least accepted by ACE. Some people move on when it's accepted, I'm a little cautious so I don't move on until it's actually listed on my ACE transcript.

No, assessments are NOT timed. I guess you could call them open book. They are all done online.

One of the neat things about ALEKS is that when your working on the pie chart, you can click on the I don't know button to receive a full explanation of the problem. Hang on to those explanations (formulas) for help with future problems.

Yes, I know what you mean about waiting to see it on your transcript first. However, I'm really tempted to move on to the next course on my agenda...the waiting kills me. It makes me wonder if anybody has lost a course because they moved ahead before the course was on the ACE transcript. Maybe we're being overcautious.

Also, does anybody have an update on if ALEKS will be ACE accredited in 2010? When I asked a customer service rep at ALEKS he told me he wasn't sure they would be or not? I told him I was taking ALEKS for college credit and he tnen told me that it might be a good idea to get all my courses in before January 2010 and then wait till January to find out if I want to continue or cancel my account with ALEKS?

On a sidenote I had no idea your Assessments scores could go lower. It happened with me on Intermediate Algebra, I went from a 68 to a 67, but I did get a 70 on the next one.

[okiemom]

ACE credit comes from the assessment. If you have 70% of the pie completed and get a 65% on the assessment, you aren't finished. If you have 37% or 51% or 64% or any number under 70% of the pie finished and get 70% on the assessment, you are finished.

Also, I don't think anyone has mentioned it but there are only small sections of the pie open in the beginning. This helps build a foundation for the more difficult problems. As you master the available problems, more and more of the pie will open.