How The Mathematics Advisory Exam (MAE) Works - Read all this information before registering

• ANNOUNCEMENTS - Please read carefully and check back here for important information

  Please read through all the information on this site before starting the process. Pay special attention to the Step by Step Instructions. If after reading through the information on this site you still have questions, please email math.testing@ucr.edu .

  Expand the "Start the registration process here" section below to get started.

  This years cohort, 2024-2025, will permanently close on March 26. It will close to new students on March 24. 

  If you are an incoming student in Fall 2025, DO NOT REGISTER AT THIS TIME. Please wait for the new cohort to open in mid-May. 

• MAE Process - overview and preparation

  The MAE is an online placement test that uses ALEKS PPL as it's tool for assessment.

  The MAE is designed to measure a students skills in mathematics in order to place them into a math course that they can be successful in.

  Since ALEKS PPL is an adaptive exam, they do not give an explicit set of topics as the topics will vary to some degree from attempt to attempt. While we do not provide a list of specific topics, ALEKS PPL presents topics that go up through precalculus. There are no calculus topics in ALEKS PPL.

  Each attempt in ALEKS has a maximum of 25 questions and takes most students an average of 60-80 minutes to complete. But since ALEKS is adaptive, a student may see far fewer than 25 questions if the system us able to determine the student's skill level sooner.

  It is not a pass/fail test and no preparation outside ALEKS PPL is needed to complete the process. 

  Also, the MAE is set up to provide a practice exam and targeted preparation modules to help students do their very best.

  • The expectation is that students will:
    • TAKE ATTEMPT 1 IN ALEKS PPL FOR PRACTICE.
      • This is done on your own.
      • No proctoring needed. Do not log into ProctorU for this attempt.
      • Will not count for placement even if taken with a proctor.
      • This attempt is meant to allow students to see the types of questions, the format of the testing environment and the toolbox used to answer some of the topics.
    • DO SOME REQUIRED PREPARATION.
      • No proctoring needed.
      • Do not log into ProctorU while doing prep.
      • ALEKS provides preparation modules to help you improve your score. There is no need for outside preparation.
      • 3 hours minimum of prep time in ALEKS is required to unlock the next attempt.
    • THEN TAKE ATTEMPT 2 IN ALEKS PPL AS A PROCTORED ATTEMPT WITH ProctorU.
      • Must be logged into ProctorU at an appointed time that you'll choose via the ProctorU website.
      • This attempt will be used for placement.
  • Students are allowed one additional proctored attempt (attempt 3) in order to improve on their placement. 3 additional hours of prep in ALEKS PPL are required to unlock attempt 3.
  • Students are only allowed 2 appointments with ProctorU. If you max out your appointments, you won't be able to take any more attempts in ALEKS.
  • Students that place into Math 3 after the first proctored attempt are strongly advised to take a second proctored attempt in order to place into a higher course. Additional prep time is required to maximize the chance to improve placement.
  • Once a student registers for a math class, that student is no longer eligible to take a second attempt. Second proctored attempts are rejected by the system if a student is registered in a math class at the time that the attempt is uploaded into the system.
  • Highest of the 2 proctored attempts will be used for a final placement.

   

• Step by Step instructions on how to complete the MAE process

  A step by step process with important notes is posted below. Please read this carefully and follow the steps.

  Step	What to do	Important notes
  1	Click on the section “Start The Registration Process Here”.	Please read all the information in that section.
  2	Click the large button with “Click here to start the MAE process”.
  3	After clicking the link, it will take you to a billing form that you must fill out.	You will be billed for the exam even if you do not attend UCR. Do not ignore emails about this bill. You will only be billed one time for the 2024-2025 testing cycle as long as you create one and only one ALEKS account. The fee for the MAE is $55 and there is no fee waiver available.
  4	After submitting the billing form, bookmark the webpage you are sent to.	The page contains 2 important links that you need.
  5	Create an account in ALEKS by using the link provided. Make sure that you use your UCR email address when you create your account. Don't forget the email you use to create the account.	You do not need to pay for an ALEKS account and you MUST use the link provided in step 4 -You should NOT be logged into ProctorU for this step. -Make one and only one ALEKS account. If you forget your credentials, use the "Forgot your login info?" link to recover account access. Don't forget the email you use to create the account. -Making more than one account will result in being charged more than once for the MAE.
  6	Take the first attempt in ALEKS unproctored for your practice. Unproctored means do NOT log into ProctorU while taking this attempt.	You should NOT be logged into ProctorU for this attempt. Attempt 1 in ALEKS is set to unproctored and this cannot be changed by anyone. This attempt will NOT count for placement even if it is taken with a proctor. IMPORTANT: Students should not use any tools and receive any assistance when taking an unproctored assessment. No tools or assistance are allowed when taking the proctored exam.
  7	Make a Proctor U account by using the link provided. Make sure that you use your UCR email address when you create your account.	You do not need to pay for a ProctorU and you MUST use the link provide in step 4. Make one and only one ProctorU account. If you forget your credentials, use the "Forgot Password?" link to recover account access. Don't forget the email you use to create the account.
  8	Schedule an appointment with ProctorU to take a proctored exam. Select a date that is at least 72 hours away. (Important: You are responsible for any additional fee that is charged if you schedule inside 72 hours.)	-You’re only scheduling the appointment in this step. You should now have at least 72 hours to finish the next steps. You can schedule further out if you want more time to prepare in ALEKS. -ProctorU's staff will be watch you take your attempt in ALEKS. -Appointments are available daily during the dates shown on the MAE Calendar. -Once you've made your appointment, log out of ProctorU before moving to Step 9.
  9	Do 3 hours of required prep in ALEKS to unlock the next attempt. This will also help you improve your score.	-Do not log into ProctorU while doing prep time. -This is required after every attempt. -You must complete this before your appointment.
  10	Now you’re ready for your appointment time. Log into ProctorU at your appointment time. A live proctor will walk you through the process to start the exam.	Be sure to be in a quiet spot where you are alone. You will be taking attempt 2 in ALEKS at this appointment. The live proctor will put the required password in to start the attempt.
  11	While you are waiting, check your system to make sure it meets ProctorU requirements.	Note: Chromebooks are not compatible with ProctorU. You can either borrow a compatible device for the one proctored exam or if you have time, contact UCR’s Loan2 Learn program to see about getting a compatible device. If your system does not meet the requirements when you log into ProctorU at your appointment time, you will have to reschedule with ProctorU.
  Important Notes: You can take 1 additional proctored attempt (attempt 3 in ALEKS) to improve your placement. Students that place into Math 3 are strongly encouraged to take a 2nd proctored attempt. Once a student registers for a math class, that student is no longer eligible to take a second attempt. Second proctored attempts are rejected by the system if a student is registered in a math class at the time that the attempt is uploaded into the system. After completing an attempt in ALEKS, the next attempt will be locked until: You complete 3 hours of prep in the ALEKS preparation modules that you select after completing the practice attempt AND 24 hours has passed since the last attempt. Only the student can unlock the next attempt by completing these requirements. Two proctored attempt will be allowed. The highest placement of the two scores will be used.

• MAE Calendar - This shows when the MAE is offered and when we process results

  Appointments to take a proctored attempt in ALEKS (attempt 2 and/or 3) are available for students at various times throughout the year (see Calendar below). Students that need to take a proctored attempt to be placed into a math class can take it during any of the following testing dates shown below in green.

  Appointments are made with our proctoring partner, ProctorU.

  ALEKS is always available to students to take attempt 1 for practice and to do prep work.

  • Results are processed by the MAE team at 1pm on the dates below and are then sent for posting to the system overnight.

  • Students will receive a confirmation email once we verify that the results are showing in R'Web.

  • All results completed after 1pm on the dates below will be processed and uploaded on the next processing date.

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• ProctorU requirements - See what equipment you'll need and test your equipment to see if it's compatible

  In order to use ProctorU, you will the the following resources and to do the following checks prior to your appointment:

  Equipment requirements:

  • A high-speed internet connection

  • a webcam (internal or external)

  • a Windows or Apple operating system

    • Chromebooks are NOT compatible with ProctorU's requirements

  • and a government issued photo ID.

  System checks:

  • ProctorU recommends that you visit https://support.proctoru.com/hc/en-us/articles/24692181239309-Equipment-Requirements prior to your proctoring session to test your equipment.

  • We recommend you click on the button that says “test it out feature” to fully test out your equipment.

  • ProctorU requires the use of Guardian Browser which is available at https://guardian.meazurelearning.com/

  Additionally, please visit and review the test-taker resource center here. You should expect the start up process with the proctor to take about 10-15 minutes. However, this time will not affect your exam time. Please feel free to direct any questions to the test taker support team via the live chat within your account. 

How to Register

• Start the registration process here

  Please read all the information on this site before starting the process.

  IMPORTANT NOTICE:

  • Please read ALL the information on this site before sending an email with questions. Most of your questions will be answered by the FAQ along with the other information on the site.

  • Also, incoming freshmen that need to take a math class for their major should have a math placement BEFORE Highlander Orientation.

  • The fee for the exam covers access to ALEKS PPL (the exam location) and up to 2 proctoring sessions via ProctorU (the site that will monitor you as you take the exam).

  • The fee will be assessed to the student's account if an ALEKS account is created.

  • DO NOT PAY FOR AN ACCOUNT on either site.

  • Non-UCR students will need to pay before registering in ALEKS PPL.

  

   

  The link will take you to a billing form. After submitting the billing form, you'll be shown the links to create your accounts in ALEKS PPL and ProctorU.
  Please see the information about the fee on the "Fee Info" section.

   

Who Needs To Take The MAE - Majors, Exemptions, And Information From Your College or School

• Who Needs The MAE - Specific majors that need to take the MAE

  Who needs to take the MAE?

  Each major determines the coursework needed to complete a degree. If that major requires a math class, then they are deemed required to take the MAE (or have an exemption, as stated below). You can check the UCR Catalog or contact your major department to find out if a math class is required for your major. Contact information for each department can be found via the UCR website. Select the “A to Z listing” in the upper part of the website to find your major department. 

  Undeclared students should consider if a major that they are considering requires at least one course in Mathematics.

  Below is a general list of majors that need a math class and therefore require the MAE by College or School:

  All majors in the Bourns College of Engineering (BCoE) require at least one course in Mathematics and students must take the Mathematics Advisory Exam (MAE) for appropriate placement.

  All majors in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) require at least one course in Mathematics and students must take the Mathematics Advisory Exam (MAE) for appropriate placement.

  All majors in the School of Public Policy (PP) require at least one course in Mathematics and students must take the Mathematics Advisory Exam (MAE) for appropriate placement.

  The following majors/programs in the School of Business (BUS) require at least one course in Mathematics and students in these majors must take the Mathematics Advisory Exam (MAE): Pre-Business Business Administration Actuarial Sciences

  The following majors/programs in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) require at least one course in Mathematics and students in these majors must take the Mathematics Advisory Exam (MAE): Pre-Business Business Administration Psychology Neuroscience Liberal Studies Economics Economics with Administrative Studies Economics with Law and Society Business Economics Political Science with Administrative Studies Sociology with Administrative Studies History with Administrative Studies Art History with Administrative Studies Psychology with Law and Society Students in CHASS majors other than those listed above may opt to fulfill their breath (general education) requirement by enrolling in either a computer science or statistics course that does not require taking the Mathematics Advisory Exam (MAE). Undeclared CHASS students should take the MAE based on the mathematics requirements in the majors they are interested in pursuing. If you're still not sure, please contact your major department to verify if you need to take the exam.

   

• Exemptions - What will exempt you from having to take the MAE (AP Calculus exams, IB exam and transfer credit information)

  Any one of the following conditions will exempt a student from having to take the MAE.
  These are the only things that will exempt a student from having to take the MAE:

  Receiving a score of 2 on the Advanced Placement Calculus AB Exam  This will allow a student to enroll into Math 4 or Math 5A. Students that score a 2 on the AP Calc AB exam are still encouraged to take the MAE to see if they can qualify to take Math 9A/7A (calculus). No course credit is given for the score of 2.

  Receiving a score of 3, 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Calculus AB Exam. If a student takes the AB version and scored a 3 or higher, course credit for either Math 9A or 7A is given. Credit for Math 9 or Math 7 is determined by the students major.

  Receiving a score of 3 the Advanced Placement Calculus BC Exam. If a student takes the BC version and scores a 3, then credit for Math 9A & 9B or Math 7A & 7B is given. Credit for Math 9 or Math 7 is determined by the students major.

  Receiving a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Calculus BC Exam. If a student takes the BC version and scores a 4 or 5, then credit for Math 9A & 9B or Math 7A & 7B AND credit for Math 9C is given. Credit for Math 9 or Math 7 is determined by the students major.

  Have transferable college credit at the Pre-Calculus (Math 5A at UCR) level or higher from an accredited institution of higher education.  See Assist.org for information about transferable courses within the state of California. If your transcripts are from a private school or from out of state/country, then you will need to send your transcript to UCR for evaluation.

  Passing score of 5 or higher on the International Baccalaureate Math Analysis & Approaches (AA) Higher Level. Only the Higher Level AA exams are considered. Standard Level exams and Applications and Interpretations (AI) HL exams will not exempt a student.

  Important Notes:
  Just taking an AP Calculus class in high school does not earn an exemption. In order to be exempt from the MAE, a students needs to take the Calculus AP exam and earn a sufficiently high score.

  Students must request that scores and/or transcript are sent to UCR for posting to the students account. Students will be able to register for a math class once those scores and/or transcripts are posted to their student account. Students can see if this has occured via their R'Web account (Student Profile ---> Prior Education and Testing)

  Neither statistics transfer credit nor AP Statistics will exempt a student from having to take the MAE.

  Also, the i3 Mathematical Reasoning with Connection (MRWC) courses offered in Riverside County do not exempt a student from taking the MAE.

  If an exemption isn't posted to the system prior to attending orientation, the student will not be able to register for a math class. In this case, the student should consider taking the MAE to have a placement. If the student's exemption ends up posting to the system, the exemption will override the result of the MAE. So it is important to have your transcripts and/or exam scores sent to UCR so that they can be posted prior to enrolling in classes.

• Specific information about the MAE from each college or school

  These are college specific instructions from the colleges. These were sent to students via their UCR email account.

  INFO FOR THE INCOMING CLASS WILL APPEAR HERE ONCE IT'S AVAILABLE.
  THIS IS THE SAME INFORMATION THAT THE COLLEGES ARE SENDING YOU DIRECTLY.

  • Information about math placement from Bourns College of Engineering
  • Information about math placement from the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
  • Letter about math placement from the School of Education
  • Letter about math placement from the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

  (If any other letters become available, they will be posted above.)

Other Information

• Acceptable Forms of ID - A valid ID is required to take a proctored attempt
  Please be sure that you have one of these forms of identification when you create your ProctorU account as well as when you take the exam--a photocopy or picture of the ID will NOT be accepted.

  Acceptable IDs include:

  • UCR ID Card
  • Driver's Licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
  • High School issued ID card
  • U.S. passport
  • U.S. passport card
  • DHS "Trusted Traveler" cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
  • U.S. Military ID (active duty or retired military and their dependents, and DOD civilians)
  • Permanent Resident Card
  • Border Crossing Card
  • DHS-designated enhanced driver's license
  • Native American Tribal Photo ID
  • HSPD-12 PIV Card
  • An airline or airport-issued ID (if issued under a TSA-approved security plan)
  • A foreign government-issued passport
  • Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) card
  • Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• Math Classes at UCR - A flowchart of math classes
  This chart shows how math classes at UCR are related and what general content is presented in each course.

  

   
• Fee Information - FAQ about the MAE fee

  Students must fill out the billing form as the first step in the process to taking the MAE.

  How much is it and what does it cover?
  The fee of $55 covers students accounts in ALEKS and ProctorU. So there is no need to pay any fees to ALEKS or to ProctorU.

  Do I have to pay if I don't go to UCR? Do I have to pay if I don't take a proctored attempt?
  The answer to both questions is yes. Once you take even one attempt in ALEKS, you will be charged for the MAE. Also, do not make multiple accounts or you will be charged more than once.

  ProctorU is asking me to pay a premium scheduling fee. Why?
  If you schedule with ProctorU inside 72 hours of the appointment, ProctorU will charge you a premium scheduling fee. This is not covered by the $55 MAE fee.

  When will I see it in my student account in R'Web?
  We bill student account 4 times per year. When the fee shows up depends on when you take the MAE. We bill to students accounts in August, October, January and April. We will only bill a student account 1 time.

  How do I pay for the MAE?
  You should see the fee in your student account which can be found by logging into your R’Web portal and selecting Student Account. You can also visit the Highlander One Stop Shop for information about paying fees.

  Who will get billed for the exam?
  If you created an ALEKS account, you will be charged the fee. Even if you do not complete the process or you do not attend UCR, you will be charged the fee.

• Placement Adjustment Process - Instructions on how to have your placement adjusted

  After taking the MAE, it's possible that you may need to have your placement adjusted due to several possible factors, including change of major, addition of a minor, special program requirements in math, etc.

  If this is the case, then here is the process that you'll need to follow to get this done. 

  1. Speak to your academic advisor about the adjustment. Your advisor will help you determine if this adjustment is necessary.

  2. If the advisor determines that the adjustment is needed, then the advisor will submit a request to have your placement adjusted.

  3. Once your placement is adjusted on Banner, you and your advisor will recieve an email that the adjustment has been completed.

  Please note, this process is for adjusting your placement based on your performance on the MAE. This is not a request to change your placement into a higher course.

• MAE FAQ

  FAQ

Information for Students With Disabilities

• Disability Accommodations

  Students that need special accommodations

  If special accommodations for testing are needed due to a disability, please contact Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC).  Appropriate documentation of need for accommodations must be provided to the SDRC prior to approval of testing arrangements.

  Accommodations will be provided for both proctored and unproctored exams. Unproctored exams do not count toward placement.

  Once accommodations are approved by the SDRC, students with visual impairments will be moved to a special cohort in ALEKS PPL to allow for the accommodations.

  Extended time and ALEKS: The exam is designed to be completed in less than 2 hours without accommodations.  In the name of universal design, additional time has been added to accommodate those who need extended time to complete the exam (2x). The setting in both ALEKS PPL and with ProctorU will allow for up to 5 hours to complete each attempt. 
  If you feel you need more than 5 hours, please contact the Student Disability Resource Center to discuss your needs and discuss possible accommodations.

  If you require accommodations for a disability, the process is as follows:

  • Please fill out a reservation form at least 2 weeks in advance of the exam date.
  • Documentation of disability must be submitted to the SDRC. Visit the SDRC website for information about how to register to receive services.
  • The SDRC will approve the accommodation and notify us of all accommodations.

  If you have any other questions about receiving accommodations, please contact Steve Garcia via email at steven.garcia@ucr.edu or at 951-827-5245

Partner Platforms

• ALEKS PPL

  ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning (PPL) is the tool used by UCR for placement testing. ALEKS PPL accurately measures the student’s math foundation and creates a personalized learning module to review and refresh lost knowledge, allowing the student to be placed and successful in the right course and on their path to degree completion.

  ALEKS PPL is an adaptive test that will ask up to 25 questions and takes about 60-90 minutes to complete.

  Students will need to create an account . Fill out the billing form on the main page to get the links you'll need.

  Once you've created an account:

  • you will take attempt 1 unproctored for practice. You should not be using ProctorU for this attempt. The first attempt is used as an initial assessment, i.e. as a practice test. This also helps ALEKS PPL create the personalized learning space for each student. 
  • you will be allowed up to 2 proctored attempts for placement. The highest placement will be used.These attempts must be taken while logged into ProctorU.
  • after each assessment, student must work in ALEKS PPL preparation modules for a minimum of 3 hours before taking another assessment. The preparation modules are different than an assessment.

  IMPORTANT: Students will get two PROCTORED assessment and the highest score will determine the students final placement.

  ALL proctoring is done via ProctorU. Please see the tab for information about ProctorU. 

• ProctorU

  We require that students only complete one proctored attempts in ALEKS. Students will be allowed up to 2 proctored attempts. The highest placement of the 2 attempts will be used for placement.

  What do we mean by proctored attempt? Proctoring means that someone, a proctor, is monitoring you while you take that attempt. You will need to use a ProctorU proctor at least one time.

  You should NOT be using a proctor to:

  • create your account
  • take attempt 1 in ALEKS. Attempt 1 is for practice.
  • do required preparation in ALEKS.

  So who will monitor you as your take that 1 proctored attempt? A proctor from ProctorU will monitor you. ProctorU is a live online proctoring service used by UCR to proctor the MAE. The entire proctoring session will be recorded and available for review by appropriate UCR personnel. Before your session begins, the student will be required to display your test environment via your webcam to the live proctor administering the exam. 

  Students will attempt up to two proctored ALEKS PPL assessment which will result in a final placement at UCR. The first attempt should not be taken with ProctorU monitoring.

  Students cannot start attempts 2 or 3 without the proctor adding the password to open those attempts.

  Creating a ProctorU account is simple. There is a link to a billing form on the main page. Once you fill out the billing form, you'll get the link you need for ProctorU. PLEASE USE THE LINK provided otherwise you may get charged for using ProctorU. Do not pay any fees to ProctorU.

  Below is the information you'll need about ProctorU. Please note that you must schedule your exam 72 hours in advance. 

  You will use this link provided after starting the process from the main page to register to take the exam. You'll select from the available start times once you've created your account and are ready to schedule a time. Select the tab "Testing Appts" to see available dates.

  ProctorU is available 24/7, however, you MUST schedule your proctoring session at least 72 hours in advance to avoid any on-demand scheduling fees. On demand fees would be incurred if scheduling within 72. Make sure you schedule your proctoring appointment ahead of time. Do not wait until the day you want to take the exam. You must plan ahead. 

  In order to use ProctorU, you will need a high-speed internet connection, a webcam (internal or external), a Windows or Apple operating system, and a government issued photo ID. ProctorU recommends that you visit https://support.proctoru.com/hc/en-us/sections/115003555488-Equipment-Requirements-and-Helpprior to your proctoring session to test your equipment. We recommend you click on the button that says “connect to a live person” to fully test out your equipment. Please make sure that you are using the current version of your browser and have downloaded the ProctorU extension available at http://bit.ly/proctoruchrome or https://www.proctoru.com/firefox.

  Additionally, please visit and review the test-taker resource center here. You should expect the start up process with the proctor to take about 10-15 minutes. However, this time will not affect your exam time. Please feel free to direct any questions to the test taker support team via the live chat within your account.