Navigating Your Academic Success: A Comprehensive Guide to DMACC GPA Calculation, ALEKS Placement, and Academic Policies

Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) provides students with resources and policies designed to foster academic success. This article will provide an overview of tools like the GPA calculator, math placement via ALEKS, and important academic policies, including satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for financial aid eligibility.

Calculating Your GPA at DMACC

Understanding your Grade Point Average (GPA) is crucial for tracking your academic progress and ensuring you meet the requirements for graduation, transfer, and financial aid. DMACC offers a GPA calculator to help students estimate their GPA.

How to Use the DMACC GPA Calculator

Access the Calculator: Locate the GPA calculator on the DMACC website.
Input Course Information: For each course, enter the following:
- Course Name/Description (optional): Use the "Show Course Description fields" box if you want to enter descriptions for your courses.
- Grade Received: If your assignment was graded on letter scale, enter the letter grade you received here (e.g. A+).
- Credit Hours: Enter the number of credit hours for the course.
Calculate: After entering all the necessary information, press the "Calculate" button. The calculator automatically converts letter/alpha grades to numerical values based on a 4.0 scale.

The calculator saves your calculated results in your browser's cookies.There is also a "Get Link" button to generate a permanent short URL for this page with all your entered data. These shortened links are public yet anonymous.

Understanding the DMACC Grading Scale

The grading scale and designations for DMACC coursework are listed below. Please note that it is the option of each faculty member whether or not to incorporate the plus/minus values into their grading scale.

Repeating Courses

Students may repeat a course previously taken at DMACC if the course is currently being offered. When a course is repeated, only the hours and the grade point value of the last grade earned will be included in calculating the grade point average. Earlier grades recorded for the repeated course will remain on the transcript record but will be excluded from the GPA calculation.

Read also: Navigating the DMACC Semester

Incomplete Grades

Students who experience extenuating circumstances such as serious injury or illness and as a result are unable to complete some portion of assigned coursework during the regular semester may sign a contract with an instructor approving an “I” (Incomplete) grade. In such cases, the student must complete the course by the midterm date of the following semester. An extension of time to complete the work for the course may be granted by the instructor until the end of the semester. Incomplete grades are generally not approved by instructors unless there is an extenuating circumstance.

New Start Program

Students who have been absent from the College for at least five consecutive years (60 months) may request that up to two consecutive semesters of grades be removed from their grade-point average calculation. Students must first be readmitted to the College. Students who have earned a postsecondary award from DMACC are ineligible for New Start. They may initiate the New Start process by meeting with an advisor and completing a Petition for New Start form. In the first 12 credits earned after readmission, the student must have a GPA of at least 2.5 and all grades must be a C or better with no withdrawals or incomplete grades. College Preparatory classes do not count as the 12 institutional credits needed for a New Start to be applied. Unsatisfactory grades earned as a result of academic misconduct will not be forgiven. Grades that are not counted in the GPA as a result of an approved New Start will be noted on the student’s transcripts with the # symbol. Notation of academic progress will not be changed or removed from the transcript as a result of an approved New Start. Once approved, New Start is irrevocable. New Start applies only to DMACC. There is no guarantee, expressed or implied, that New Start will be recognized by any other college or university. (DMACC Policy and Procedure SA 4512 ).

ALEKS Math Placement Assessment

To ensure students are placed in the appropriate math courses, DMACC utilizes the ALEKS Placement Assessment. This assessment helps determine your current math skills and readiness for specific courses.

Who Needs to Take the ALEKS Assessment?

Students who wish to enroll in a mathematics course at DMACC for the first time will be required to take the ALEKS mathematics placement assessment. Students who only need MAT772 for their program of study are also exempt.

Key Features of the ALEKS Assessment

Adaptive: ALEKS is adaptive, meaning the difficulty of the questions adjusts based on your performance. Because ALEKS is adaptive, once you submit an answer, you cannot change it.
Not Multiple Choice: The ALEKS Placement is not a multiple-choice assessment.
Focus on Knowledge: It is a Placement Assessment, not a preview of math courses at DMACC.
"I Don't Know" Option: It is appropriate to answer, “I Don't Know" for these questions. Know" as your answer.
No Guessing: Guessing can negatively impact your placement and ultimately course failure.
Review and Improvement: ALEKS identifies topics to reassess and improve your placement.

Preparing for the ALEKS Assessment

Utilize Prep and Learning Modules: Take advantage of the Prep and Learning modules as much as possible to review and improve their math skills.
Practice: The more you utilize the Prep and Learning modules, the more likely you will improve your score.
Allowed Resources: You may only use a pencil, paper, and the resources provided within ALEKS.
Prohibited Resources: Do not use any resource not provided by ALEKS.
Help Button: If you need help with the answer palette tools before your Placement Assessment begins, select the Help button below the answer palette tools.

Taking the ALEKS Assessment

Proctored Environment: Students are encouraged to take their proctored assessment at a DMACC location.
Time Limit: You will have 120 minutes to complete the assessment. There will be a maximum of 30 questions.
Scratch Paper: You will get the use of a pencil and scratch paper, if you need one to solve a particular problem.
Exam Password: When prompted for the exam password, the proctor will enter it.

Remote Proctoring Option

DMACC also offers the option to take the ALEKS assessment remotely using ALEKS Respondus Monitor, a completely automated remote proctoring vendor. There is no human proctor involved.

Read also: Decoding the 5.0 GPA Scale

Technical Requirements: You will need to install the ALEKS Respondus LockDown Browser and ALEKS Respondus Monitor in order to take the placement exam remotely. Be sure you have a working microphone and webcam.
Environment: Select a distraction-free environment for the exam.
Prohibited Actions: No outside assistance is permitted. Do not communicate with others and from other materials. The webcam lens must not be covered up or otherwise obscured. No outside calculators are permitted, except when it is allowed to be used. No use of cell phones or other electronic devices are permitted.
Preparation Checklist: Please read and follow ALL steps to best prepare your testing area. Avoid wearing sunglasses, baseball caps, or hats that extend beyond the forehead. Don't lie down on a couch or bed while taking an assessment. Don't take an exam in a dark room. Avoid backlighting situations, such as sitting with your back to a window.

Understanding Your ALEKS Score

Score Range: Your placement result (overall score) is a number between 0 and 100.
Course Eligibility: Your ALEKS score indicates which course you are eligible to begin.
Advisor Consultation: Discuss your score with your academic advisor.

Retaking the ALEKS Assessment

Retake Policy: Yes, you may take up to four additional Placement Assessments.
Highest Score Used: The highest score will be used for math placement.
Prep and Learning Modules: Students are required to spend time in their Prep and Learning modules.

ALEKS Score Validity

ALEKS scores are valid for 12 months once you complete your first assessment. Students with ALEKS scores older than 18 months may submit their ALEKS scores to the Registrar's Office at DMACC.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Financial Aid

To maintain eligibility for financial aid at DMACC, students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. These requirements include maintaining a minimum GPA, completing coursework at a minimum pace, and completing the program within a maximum timeframe.

SAP Requirements

Minimum GPA: Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or higher to remain eligible for financial aid.
Minimum Pace of Completion: Students must complete course work at a minimum cumulative rate of 67%. Completed course work is defined as any course for which the student receives a passing grade.
Maximum Time Frame (Duration of Eligibility): Federal regulations limit financial aid eligibility to 150% (96 credits for a two-year program) of the published length of the educational program, as measured in attempted credit hours. The student's total academic history is monitored regardless of whether he/she has previously received financial aid.

Monitoring SAP

The student's academic records are reviewed at the completion of every semester of enrollment to determine compliance with the SAP policy.

Failure to Meet SAP Standards

If a student fails to meet the SAP requirements, they may lose their financial aid eligibility. However, students have the option to appeal this decision under certain circumstances.

SAP Appeal Process

Appeal Submission: If special/extenuating circumstances exist, the student may submit a letter of appeal to the Financial Aid Office stating the reasons the standard requirements noted above were not met. This form is available online.
FAFSA Completion: In order to submit an appeal form, a student must also have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the applicable school year (there are noted exceptions in policy).
Appeal Review: If the appeal is approved by a review committee, eligibility for financial aid will be reinstated on a probationary level. As outlined in DMACC procedure, financial aid recipients are allowed a maximum of two appeal approvals during their enrollment at DMACC (a third may be considered, as outlined in DMACC policy).
Academic Improvement Plan: The student must also submit and agree to the terms of an Academic Improvement Plan.
Appeal Deadline: It's important to note that there is a deadline for submitting appeals as indicated on the appeal form. For details on how to appeal, see the college procedure policy ES 4300 for complete details.

Additional Academic Policies and Resources

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity, doing one’s own work in course assignments and on tests, is one of the most important values in higher education. Receiving credit for plagiarizing or cheating violates the value of all degrees conferred. It is unacceptable for students to submit another person’s work as their own. If students quote, summarize, paraphrase, or use an author’s idea, they must acknowledge the source; otherwise, they are plagiarizing. Allowing others to accept credit for work not their own is also cheating.

Read also: Understanding ASU Tuition

Course Substitutions

On a limited basis, students may request course substitutions in their programs of study. Students who wish to request a course substitution should contact the chairperson in their program of study. Non-core courses may not be substituted for courses designated as core requirements for a particular academic award. Adjunct courses may not be substituted for required courses and may not be used to meet degree requirements other than electives. In programs exceeding 24 credit hours, no more than one-sixth of the total number of credits may be substituted.

Dean's and President's Lists

Students who have earned at least six credits in any semester with a 3.50 to 3.99 grade point average are honored by being named to the Dean’s List. Students who have earned at least six credits in any semester with a 4.00 grade point average are honored by being named to the President’s List.

Honors Program

The Honors Program offers you the opportunity to be challenged at your ability level while providing one-on-one advising and mentoring. If you are a high-achieving student with a 3.5 or above cumulative GPA, upon completion of at least 12 college credits, the Honors Program can help you achieve what you want out of life, whether you transfer to a four-year college or university honors program or enter the workforce after graduation from DMACC. Honors Program credits come from the same discipline classes you will take for your degree. Honors Program students are often awarded scholarships. Go to the DMACC Honors site for more information, including the online application. The Honors Program is part of the Advanced Student Academics offerings at DMACC.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK)

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) recognizes and encourages scholarship among two-year college students. To achieve this purpose, PTK provides opportunities for leadership and service, exchanges of ideas and ideals, lively fellowship, and stimulation of interest in continuing academic excellence. A number of institutions offer scholarships for transferring PTK members.

Key Definitions

AUDIT: To attend a class without receiving credit.
COLLEGE PREPARATORY: Courses designed to aid students whose educational background requires additional strengthening to achieve success in regular college-level courses.
CORE: Courses that constitute the body of traditional liberal arts curriculum in the first two years of a baccalaureate degree.
CRN: Course Registration Number.
CROSS-ENROLLMENT: Under a special agreement, DMACC students may enroll in a class at Drake, Grand View, or Iowa State. Students must have earned 12 semester hours at DMACC and be a current, full-time student in good standing. The credits earned while on the cross-enrollment plan will be added to the DMACC transcript.
DEGREE: An award conferred by a college or university upon completion of a particular program of academic work.
DROP/ADD: After completing registration, students may change their schedules by adding and/or dropping classes. Students may add a class during the first week of classes and drop a class up to the end of the tenth week of the semester for a full-term class.
ELECTIVE: Courses students choose to take outside of the core requirements.
FULL-TIME STUDENT: To be classified as full-time during the Fall or Spring semester, students must take a minimum of 12 credit hours per Fall and Spring semester.
PART-OF-TERM: The portion of the semester in which a class meets.
PART-TIME STUDENT: To be classified as part-time during the Fall and Spring semester, students must take 11 credit hours or fewer.

Transferring to Another Institution

Students considering transfer to another college or university should contact an admissions or transfer counselor at that institution early in the planning process. DMACC offers many partnership programs with four-year colleges and universities. Schedule a campus visit as soon as possible with any institutions you may be considering. When scheduling a visit, ask for an appointment with an advisor. Also, write down the names of contact people at the transfer college. Periodically, representatives from other institutions visit DMACC. Complete an application for admission to the selected college or colleges. Complete financial aid, scholarship, and housing applications. Watch for deadlines and complete all materials as early as possible. Request to have all college transcripts sent to the transfer college. Attend a registration/orientation day at the transfer college. Some colleges allow students to preregister for classes. Transcripts may be ordered through your myDMACC account. Transcript Request forms are also available at each campus. A letter requesting a transcript will also be honored. Transcripts are sent within three to four working days after the receipt of the request. During peak periods (end of semester), processing a transcript request will take longer. Transcript requests are processed in the order they are received. Copies of transcripts issued directly to students are considered unofficial.

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