Frequently Asked Questions - Calculus Preparatory Program (CPP)

  1. Where can I go for important registration information for the CPP?

     The first place to begin is at the web page for the Calculus Preparatory Program (CPP) program: http://www.math.udel.edu/placement/pt_CPP.html   (This program is for those students with a Math Placement Level Score of IV or V and who want to enroll in Math 241. )


    Vital registration information is provided at this web page so please read it prior to beginning the program! DO NOT enroll and register until you have the appropriate updated course code associated with the University of Delaware. You must register with your University of Delaware Student ID number and University of Delaware email address. Failure to do so may mean your results will not be accessible to our program personnel and/or your record cannot be updated!

  2. Why do I have to complete the CPP?

    Students who are properly prepared do much better in our math courses.  We want you to succeed in your math course.  We implemented placement restrictions for Math 117 (Precalculus for Scientists and Engineers, Level IV or V) and Math 241 (Geometry and Calculus A, Level VI) to ensure students are properly prepared.  Students are directed to the Calculus Preparatory Program (CPP) for Math 241 in the event they did not perform well enough on the Math Placement Exam to enroll in Math 241 and feel they can improve their performance through a brief review.

    This program is NOT intended to teach these skills but is provided for students who just need a brief review. If you are not confident of your math background and skills, you may want to enroll in the Math 117 to prepare for Math 241.

  3. How does the AP credit affect my math placement for Calculus?

    If you receive a grade of 3 or better on the AP calculus exam, you will be allowed to enroll in Math 241 or Math 117 (as desired).

  4. How do I know when I have successfully completed the CPP?

    Student progress is monitored routinely. When you have successfully completed the program, an e-mail will be sent to you and your college advising office. Do not contact us, we will contact you.


  5. How is success defined for these courses?

    Your overall learning percentage must be 100%


  6. Why does my registration not change after I have successfully completed the CPP?

    Changes to your course registration are your responsibility. This program does not automatically add you to a course or take you out of a course. A successful result indicates you have fulfilled the enrollment requirements but no changes are made to your course registration. If you need help to make changes to your course schedule, contact your college advising office for more information. If you do not know your college advising office, please go to: http://www.udel.edu/registrar/subjects.html

  7. What happens if I do not successfully complete the CPP?

    If you do not complete the program, you are still responsible for making sure your course registration reflects this decision. In particular, “000” sections of MATH courses (utilized for fall semester registration) will be cancelled before the fall semester begins, so you must switch into a regularly scheduled offering. Your college advising office can provide assistance in directing you to the appropriate math course. If you do not know your college advising office or have any questions, please go to: http://www.udel.edu/registrar/subjects.html

  8. How do I know if I should take the CPP?

    Your college advising office is familiar with your major requirements and will indicate if the CPP is an option.  Basically, if you are interested in taking Math 241 and your placement level is a Level IV or V and you feel confident your placement level is not reflecting your knowledge of precalculus, you can take the CPP.  . If you do not know your college advising office, please go to: http://www.udel.edu/registrar/subjects.html

  9. What is the deadline for completing the program?

    You have access to the program for six weeks from your date of program registration.  Do not enroll in this program until you can devote the time to review your math skills and have routine access to the web.    Please schedule accordingly, including any summer vacation plans. Past experience indicates students need about three weeks to complete the program.  However, your time to completion is determined by your knowledge of these skills and it may take a longer or shorter amount of time.  Specific deadlines to complete the CPP are provided at the web page indicated in question one.  Here are some guidelines:


    Summer Session registration:   If you are registering for a math course during the summer sessions, you should complete the CPP by end of May  so you can register for Math 241.   

    Fall Semester registration:  If you are registering for a math course for the fall semester, begin no later than mid-July and finish by mid- August.  Specific deadlines are found at the web site provided in question 1.    
     
    PLEASE NOTE:  It is to your advantage to complete the program as soon as possible to ensure the best choice of math  course meeting times. The longer you take to finish, the less likely your preferred course time will be available.


  10. What is the school address?

    UNIV OF DELAWARE - PO BOX 286

  11. What is the course code?

    It is very important you use the correct course code that is associated with the CPP course offered for a specific semester.    Please go to the CPP web page for accurate, updated course codes  (see answer to question 1.)  


  12. What is my student ID number?

    This is a number assigned to you by the University of Delaware. It is usually a nine-digit number beginning with “70”. Please make sure to enter your correct student ID to be sure your student record is updated correctly.

  13. What email address should I enter?

    In order for your student record to be updated correctly, you need to enter in your University of Delaware email address which ends with @udel.edu

  14. How much will this program cost?

    The cost for the six week access to the review materials is about $30.00.

  15. What if I did not take the Math Placement Exam?

    Please contact your college advising office for further instruction. If you do not know your college advising office, please go to: http://www.udel.edu/registrar/subjects.html

  16. Is there anyone I can talk to about the program if I have more questions?

    Questions about the preparatory programs can be directed to Bettyann Daley at daley@math.udel.edu, Jeanne Jones at jbjones@math.udel.edu or Diane McMahon at dianemc@math.udel.edu . Technical concerns must be addressed to http://www.aleks.com/support

  17. What is ALEKS?

    ALEKS is a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what you know. ALEKS will review some topics you may not understand. It is useful to carefully work through the diagnostic activity at the beginning so you can focus your effort on the topics you do not know.

  18. How will I know how to use ALEKS?

    Once you register, you will be guided through a 10-minute tutorial that will help you to become familiar with the ALEKS system.

    After the tutorial, you will take an initial preparatory assessment in the ALEKS "Assessment Mode." The assessment will create a precise understanding of your knowledge of Math. Try to answer each question to the best of your ability. If you do not know the answer, just click "I don't know." Answering questions correctly during your assessment will enable you not to repeat these topics later in ALEKS.

    Once your assessment is complete, the "My Pie" report will show you precisely how much of each topic area you know and what you are most ready to learn next. You can navigate the pie chart to enter the ALEKS "Learning Mode." Once you begin learning topics ("Practice"), ALEKS will provide you with feedback on your answers and will inform you of how many times you need to answer this type of question correctly to add the item to "Your Pie." If you need help with a problem, just click on "Explain." Once you see the solution, you can rework a similar problem that contains different variables.

    Occasionally, ALEKS may trigger another assessment for you. This is to both reconfirm the topics added to your pie are still mastered and to reassess your overall knowledge of Math. Please do your best and take these assessments seriously as they will affect your ongoing work in ALEKS. ALEKS may also take you to a Review Area upon logging in, allowing you to refresh recently learned items. If you do not want to work in this area, students can simply click on MyPie located on the upper right hand corner to return to learning mode to learn new items.

    Remember that anytime you leave ALEKS (even by accident), you will be taken back to the same point where you last left off the next time you log on.

  19. What do I have to load on my computer to use ALEKS?

    The ALEKS support center provides answers to all technical questions. Please go to http://www.aleks.com/support for more information.

  20. What if I cannot download programs on a computer or want to access this program from a public site?

    Use the ALEKS "streaming" plug-in if you need to access ALEKS in a public library, school lab, or any other place where you do not have the authorization to install software

    To use the "streaming" plug-in, follow these steps:
    1. Go to www.aleks.com/plugin and simply log in to or register with ALEKS as you normally would.
    2. Upon first login, ALEKS will automatically retrieve the ALEKS plug-in from the service and store it in the browswer's "cache" memory. You don't need to grant any special rights or have writing privileges on a computer for this installation to occur.
    3. The plug-in will be available in the browser's cache until an updated version is available on the ALEKS server or until you clear the browser's cache.
    4. Important: When you restart the browser and return to ALEKS, you must go to www.aleks.com/plugin
    5. If you do not add "/plugin" to the end of the URL, ALEKS will attempt to install the standard ALEKS plug-in on your computer instead of using the streaming version of the ALEKS plug-in.