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DO

 

Check Your Answers

Proofread each answer, checking for typos or missing information, before you submit it. If you solved an equation, verify your solution by plugging it back into the equation. Beware the forgotten minus sign!

 

Take Breaks

Solving problems is hard work! If you’re getting tired, anxious, or distracted, logout and come back later when you’re refreshed. Resist the temptation to power through just to get it over with.

 

Trust Your Instincts

ALEKS finds the boundaries of your current knowledge, so ALEKS may ask you about material you’re not entirely comfortable with. Take a shot at every question, even if you’re not sure what to do—you know more math than you realize.

 

Believe In Yourself

Before starting an assessment, take a few minutes to remind yourself of your personal strengths and silence any doubts you have about your math abilities. You’re intelligent, creative, insightful, and successful. You are a Slug.

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DON’T

 

Rush

It’s crucial that you do your best on every problem, so that ALEKS creates an accurate model of your current abilities. You don’t need to beat the clock, so set aside any SAT-style exam-taking strategies you may have learned

 

Skip Problems

Only use the “I don’t know” button if you have no idea how to even start on a problem. ALEKS takes “I don’t know” seriously and will conclude that you don’t know any math that builds on the material covered in that problem.

 

Answer the Wrong Question

If you’re asked to factor x² – 7x + 12, be sure to enter (x – 3)(x – 4) or (x – 4)(x – 3), not 3, 4. Read each problem twice before starting to work on your solution, and then once more before submitting your answer.

 

Worry

Brooding on the consequences of bombing an exam can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your brain will work more efficiently if you push any distracting “what if”s out of your thoughts and stay in the moment.