ALEKS CHEM 131 Preparation documents (2026)

Attached are the update ALEKS Chem prep info sheets. Below is an email from Prof Miller with more info.

Remember, if student complete ALEKS Chem prep, they do not need to take CHEM031!!

I’ve attached several updated documents related to the 2026 ALEKS CHEM 131 Preparation Module that students can use to help them prepare for CHEM 131.  The content is exactly the same as before; the only thing that has changed is the course code.  This module is now open for student enrollment.  Students can still enroll in the 2025 module, but it will close on May 30^th so it’s probably best to start using these new documents for advising initiatives.  We are in the process of updating the Rockville Campus Chemistry Dept website and the Chemistry Guided Placement website to include these instructions on using ALEKS.  The cost for 11-week access is ~$44 and for 6-week access is ~$34.

 Please feel free to share this information and documents with your counseling colleagues.  And as always, please let me know if you have any questions.  Thank you for helping us spread the word about ALEKS for CHEM 131 Preparation!  It is most appreciated.

With Thanks,

Virginia

ALEKS for CHEM 131 Preparation information

Each ALEKS ‘course’ is only valid for 18 months, so I have to create a new version every year.  However, the 2021 version is still active until May 30, 2022 so students who have that information can still enroll in that course and complete the module.  But starting today (March 1, 2022), the newest version is now available, so please feel free to distribute the attached document to any interested students.

Thank you for sharing this ALEKS information with students and for encouraging them to complete the module in preparation for CHEM 131.  We have found that students who complete ALEKS perform much better in CHEM 131 than those who do not. Even students who place directly into CHEM 131 due to our alternate MATH criteria benefit greatly from completing ALEKS.  As a result, we are constantly encouraging all students to take advantage of this low-cost resource.  Thank you for helping us spread the word about ALEKS!

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns, and please feel free to share this information within the Counseling Department. 

Thank you!

Virginia

Virginia L. Miller, Ph.D.

Professor | Department of Chemistry

Montgomery College 

51 Mannakee Street | Rockville, MD 20850

240-567-7621 | Virginia.Miller@montgomerycollege.edu

Chemistry Remote Placement Updates for Spring 2021

 

The alternate placement criteria that we are using for CHEM131 has not changed.  Since our CPT will be suspended indefinitely, we requested that the Banner pre-requisite coding be changed to allow students to register according to our temporary alternate criteria.  Pam did the recoding and hopefully this will reduce the number of overrides necessary for CHEM131 registration.    

 

And some other updates: 

 

·         The remote placement information for CHEM131 was recently updated on the Assessment Center webpage (the RV Chemistry Dept page also links to the Assessment center page).  We continue to encourage students that meet our alternate placement criteria to complete the low-cost ALEKS CHEM131 Preparation course module (I believe it is still $35 for 11-wk access; $25 for 6-wk access). 

https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/admissions-registration/assessments.html

 

·         An updated pdf document of the CHEM131 remote alternate placement is attached.

 

·         Virginia Miller will be hosting ALEKS information sessions in the next 3 weeks.  There is a registration link on the RV Chemistry page and we have updated the Chemistry@montgomerycollege.edu Automatic response to include this info. 

https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/academics/departments/chemistry-rockville/index.html

 

·         We still have some ALEKS course codes that can be distributed to students at no cost.  These would be for students that have limited to no chemistry background and meet the minimum MATH pre-req for CHEM131 and choose the ALEKS preparation option instead of CHEM099 or CHEM131+031.  Refer students to chemistry@montgomerycollege.edu

 

Spring 2021 Chemistry course offerings:

·         There are seven sections of CHEM131 + CHEM031 Exploration on the Spring schedule.

 

·         There are only 2 sections of CHEM099 on the Spring schedule (one POT 1 section and one POT 2 section).

 

·         We also have POT 2 and POT 3 courses where students can complete the following sequences: 

 

o   CHEM099 + CHEM131

o   CHEM131 + CHEM132

o   CHEM131 + CHEM150

o   CHEM203 + CHEM204

 

Please forward to others as needed and let me know of any questions.

Happy Registration Days!

Thanks,

Laura

Update: ALEKS codes for entry in CHEM 131

The Chemistry Department will not be issuing ALEKS access codes (for entry into CHEM 131) during the month of August.  The Department will restart issuing codes in mid-September.  Please advise all interested students to visit the department in mid-September for an access code (not earlier).

We made this decision because we found that students are requiring a substantial amount of time to complete the ALEKS CHEM 131 Prep module.  And at this point, students won't have enough time to work through ALEKS in time for Fall 2019 registration.  

Last Date for Fall 2019 = July 30 2019
For Spring/Summer 2020 = Begins 2nd week of September

Please let me know if you have any questions.  

Many Thanks,
Virginia

Virginia L. Miller, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Chemistry, Rockville Campus

51 Mannakee Street, SC 331L

Rockville, MD 20850

240-567-7621

Virginia.miller@montgomerycollege.edu

Chemistry Placement Pilot (2019)

*Yes, students can start the ALEKS program later this spring. We will start taking student agreements in February.

Please have students contact chemistry@montgomerycollege.edu

Thanks,

Laura

______________
 

The Chemistry Department has started a pilot project to give students an alternative preparation option (instead of CHEM099) for CHEM131.  ALEKS in an adaptive online learning platform that customizes a learning experience for individual students to master. The Math Department has been using ALEKS, so some students are familiar with it from math. We are able to offer this to students free of charge at this time.  Students receive a course access code that will give them 12 weeks of access to the online course.  The topics in the ALEKS course align with the CHEM099 course content.  For a student to be eligible for CHEM131 in Spring 2019, they must complete the course with 85% mastery by Jan 14.  We are giving students overrides so they can register for CHEM131 while they are working through the program. 

Our recruitment of students originated at the Rockville campus through the Counseling Department and RV Assessment center only because of the faculty member involved and administrative aide support are at Rockville but it is open to any student across the college.  We just had an information session at TP this afternoon and there is another one in RV this Friday.  I am working with the chemistry department at Germantown to schedule an information session at your campus, hopefully for next week. 

We recently advertised the ALEKS program to targeted students (students that withdrew from CHEM131 this term and currently registered CHEM099 students) through a blast email, so it sounds like this is how this student learned of the opportunity.  She can contact the RV chemistry department at chemistry@montgomerycollege.edu for more information.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.  

Chemistry Review Sites

http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/individual.aspx?id=73101

Information for the Chemistry Placement Test

Montgomery College
Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus

Information for the Chemistry Placement Test (Update provided by Patrick Machogu on 7/18/13)

1. Students interested in taking the Chemistry Placement Test (CPT) do not require a referral form.

2. The CPT will be offered on a walk-in basis on days and times indicated on the test schedule, about three to four times a week. The CPT will not be administered during the week of midterms or final exams.

3. Students may only attempt the CPT once.

4. Students may ONLY use a scientific non-graphing calculator.

5. To pass the CPT, students have to correctly answer 21 out of 42 questions (50% of the total number of questions on the test).

6. If the students pass the test, they will receive an override in Banner to register for CH101. They can do so on the next business day.

7. If the students fail the test, they will be informed that they may register for CH099A. Upon successful completion of this brief/intensive course, they may register for CH101.

8. Students who need accommodations for the CPT have to make arrangements with the DSS office.