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Mathematics Placement

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Effective Date: Fall 2026
Last Reviewed: Spring 2026
Last Revised: Fall 2022
Next Review: Fall 2035

Policy Statement

All associate and bachelor's degree programs require the successful completion of the Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning requirement. Programs may require specific mathematics course(s). Placement into mathematics courses is determined by a student’s score on the ALEKS placement assessment, transfer credit or AP or CLEP credit.

Student who meet or exceed the following thresholds are deemed remediation-free by the Ohio Department of Higher Education and are eligible to enroll in a college credit-bearing course at Kent State University. Remediation-free status only qualifies students for an entry level course and does not replace Kent State’s placement assessment policies for other courses.

Remediation Free

Criteria for remediation-free status at Kent State University:

  • High school overall GPA of 3.5 or higher
  • ACT Math score of 22 or higher
  • SAT Math score of 530 or higher

Remediation-free students in the algebra track may register for any of the following mathematics courses without a placement assessment:

Remediation-free students in the non-algebra track may register for any of the following mathematics courses without a placement assessment:

In addition, the following courses have no prerequisites for registration. This means that any student may enroll in these courses without taking a placement assessment and without meeting any GPA requirements.

Remediation-free students who want to register for a course other than the ones listed above may take the ALEKS mathematics placement assessment.

Non-Remediation Free

Students who are not deemed remediation-free in mathematics and are in an algebra track must take the ALEKS mathematics placement assessment to determine the course they should take as required by their major.

Additional information regarding placement after taking the ALEKS assessment may be found on the Department of Mathematical Sciences website.

Reason for Policy

A university mathematics placement policy ensures that students begin their coursework at a level that matches their current knowledge and skills, which supports academic success and persistence. A clear placement policy also promotes equity and consistency by applying uniform standards across students and modalities, while allowing for multiple measures (e.g., test scores, prior coursework, GPA) to account for diverse educational backgrounds.

Procedures

There are no procedures associated with this policy.

Forms/Instructions

There are no forms associated with this policy.

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is ALEKS?
    ALEKS® (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) is a powerful (AI)-artificial intelligence based assessment software product that zeros in on the student's mathematical strengths and weaknesses, reports its findings, and then if necessary, provides a learning module to improve the student's knowledge and skill.
  2. What is the cost of the ALEKS placement assessment?
    The initial assessment, learning module, and two additional assessments (the "reassessments") are covered by fees already paid.
  3. Can I practice with ALEKS before I take the placement assessment?
    You may sign up for an optional free trial on ALEKS by visiting the ALEKS® website.

Additional FAQ: Mathematics Placement

Definitions

Advanced Placement (AP): A program through the College Board that awards college credit based on college-level high school courses and tests administered through the high schools.

ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces): A web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what students knows and do not know in a course. ALEKS then instructs students on the topics they are most ready to learn. As students work through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses them to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS courses are very complete in their topic coverage, and ALEKS avoids multiple-choice questions. Students who show a high level of mastery of an ALEKS course will be successful in the actual course they are taking. (Source: www.aleks.com)

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP): A program through the College Board that allows students to earn college credit for prior knowledge and move on to more advanced coursework sooner.

Destination Kent State: A three-part orientation program designed for first-year students to familiarize them with Kent State University. The program provides new students with the tools necessary to enjoy a successful journey to graduation.

Related Information

Revision History

Amended Fall 2026: Revised policy updates the format, including reasoning, FAQs, related information and history of changes.

Amended Fall 2022: Revised policy adds 3.5+ high school GPA for remediation-free placement in the algebra and non-algebra tracks.

Amended Fall 2020: Revised policy limits ALEKS reassessment to one year and expands upon courses in the algebra and non-algebra tracks for remediation-free students. Notation added that GED 175+ score is awarded college credit.

Amended Fall 2019: Revised policy incorporates three mathematics pathways with their respective "plus" and "boost" courses. The ALEKS score denoting a student's readiness to complete a college-level math course decreases (from 45 score to 35) for algebra-intensive programs and a 25 score for non-algebra-intensive programs. SAT score criteria for students to take the ALEKS placement assessment is lowered from 550 score to 530. Old SAT scores (pre-2016) are removed.

Amended Fall 2018: Revised policy decreases SAT Math score, from 550 to 530, for remedial-free placement.

Amended Fall 2017: Revised policy removes Compass scores and adds new SAT Math scores of 550 if taken in March 2016 or later for placement purposes.

Amended Fall 2016: Revised policy adds Accuplacer and GED scores for placement and adds a statement that students have free access to retake ALEKS for up to six weeks.

Amended Fall 2014: Revised policy clarifies when ALEKS assessment is required.

Amended Fall 2012: Revised policy complies with the Ohio Remediation Free Standards for undergraduate students and to provide college-testing thresholds for placement into mathematics courses.