UCLA math diagnostic test
Incoming first-year students who wish to enroll in the Math 31 series for fall quarter must take the diagnostic test before July 1 so that scores will be ready for New Student Orientations during the summer. During fall, winter and spring quarters, the diagnostic test is closed on Friday of week 2 and reopens on Monday of week 4. The UCLA Department of Mathematics recommends that students take the test at least two weeks before their enrollment pass opens. For more course planning help from the UCLA Academic Advancement Program, click the link below.
The UCLA math diagnostic test is administered via Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) Placement, Preparation and Learning, an online assessment tool, and costs $20. According to the mathematics department, the assessment will ask 20-30 questions and must be completed in one uninterrupted two to three hour sitting, as students cannot pause taking the test. For more information about preparing for and taking the test, click the link below.
A score of above 80% on the UCLA math diagnostic test places a student into Math 31A or Math 3A; scores of 60%-80% place a student into Math 31AL; and a score of 30% or higher places a student into Math 1, according to the math department. Math 31A and Math 31AL cover the same topics but differ in that Math 31AL contains an extra hour per week of instruction covering precalculus material, according to the department. For more information about interpreting UCLA math diagnostic test scores and frequently asked questions, click the link below.
Students who are not satisfied with their placement test score can retake the test 48 hours after the previous test was completed and after spending five hours on the Prep and Learning Module, which is only available to students who have taken the test at least once. For more information about retaking the UCLA math diagnostic test, click the link below.
UCLA accepts some high school Advanced Placement (AP) test scores as university mathematics course replacements. For example, a student who earns a score of four on the AP Calculus BC exam can enroll in Math 31B immediately without taking the prerequisite Math 31A and the placement test. For more information about AP and UCLA class credit conversion for mathematics and other subjects, visit the link below.
Other placement exams at UCLA include the Informed Placement Process for students who have not satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement; the chemistry diagnostic test, a non-mandatory diagnostic exam for students planning to enroll in certain chemistry courses; the music theory placement exam, which is required for School of Music students; and foreign language placement exams. For more information about all placement exams and diagnostic tests at UCLA, click the link below.
