1.3. PPL Resources and Information

For Advisors → Math Placement Advising Resources → PPL Resources and Information

About the PPL Assessment (Math Placement Test)

The assessment is meant to see what a student knows without a lot of review, to try to match them up with the best course based on their background. It is not an assessment that you pass or fail. Students do not need a high percentage in order to qualify for a course, so should not think of the score on the regular ABCDE grading scale.

About the PPL

It is online and students need a webcam and a microphone to complete it.
It takes about an hour, but students have up to 3 hours to complete it.
It must be completed in one sitting. If they stop testing, the 3 hour time limit does not stop.
There is a 72 hour waiting period between each attempt.
There is a testing fee.
Students can retest.
Students can access a review module after their first try as long as their account has expired.
A student's PPL account expires after 1 years from a first login to the PPL system or after the 5th attempt at the PPL, or if the Math Department determines that the student is not able to access the PPL.
Students should take the PPL as if they are taking an in-person proctored test. Students can use an approved calculator and blank scratch paper. Use of other devices, materials, notes, persons, websites, videos, other unauthorized materials, or any suspicious behavior will result in an invalidated test score and may be reported to the Dean of Students as a violation of the University of Arizona Code of Conduct.

Access the PPL

Incoming students access the PPL through their Next Steps Center.
Other students access it here.
The PPL is available generally March 1 through the first week of fall classes and then October 1 through the first week of spring classes.
Students have to wait 72 hours between attempts at the test.

Find PPL Scores

Scores are processed on the hour daily from 5am to 10pm.
Incoming students can view scores in their Next Steps Center.
PPL scores are on the Transfer Credit Report in Uaccess Student usually within 24 business hours of testing.
Advisors can view scores in Uaccess under Records and Enrollment, Transfer Credit Evaluation, Test Results, scroll to bottom of page (view all).

Scores

For most math courses, PPL scores expire after 15 months. The only exceptions are for Math 106, 107 where scores expire after 2 years.
Scores may appear with a status of "NO RULE" or "REJECTED". This does not mean the test score is rejected, only that the score does not award credit. The status can be ignored and does not prevent registration of the score has not expired.
A student's PPL account expires 1 year after their first login to the PPL.

Other

The Math Department reserves the right to invalidate a test score for any reason.
The Math Department reserves the right to deny a retest to any student for any reason.
The Math Department reserves the right to require any student to test in person.
Scores can be invalidated base on a mismatch between PPL scores and math coursework.
If a student has not been successful in a math course, or attempted a math course several times, it does not make sense for the student to try to retake the PPL to try to skip one or more courses. This generally leads to cheating and invalided test scores.

Find more about the PPL though our FAQs.

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