Questions students ask most
Short answers to the things that come up every term. If you're setting up for the first time, the Getting Started pages walk through ALEKS, Excel, and the DQ workflow in more depth.
Do I need Excel installed on my computer?
Not strictly — but it's usually better. GCU gives every student free access to Microsoft 365 (including Excel) through office.com. If your computer can install desktop Excel, do that — it's faster and more reliable for the course workbooks. Chromebook users can run Excel Online in the browser and still complete every assignment.
What happens if I rush through the Initial Knowledge Check?
ALEKS uses the Initial Knowledge Check to decide how many of the 208 topics you'll need to learn through ALEKS homework. If you rush or guess, ALEKS puts more topics on your plate than you actually need, which means more homework across the term. Take it seriously, use scratch paper, and click "I don't know" on anything unfamiliar — honesty gives ALEKS the signal it needs to calibrate correctly.
Can I retake the ALEKS review questions?
Yes, for Topics 1–6. Each Review is six fixed questions with unlimited attempts — work through them as many times as you need to feel confident. Topic 7's cumulative Final Exam Review is different; it's a larger, more varied review designed as exam warm-up.
Can I use Google Sheets instead of Excel?
Not recommended. The DQ and Major Assignment templates use Excel features (named ranges, specific formulas, formatting) that Google Sheets either handles poorly or doesn't carry over cleanly. Stick with Excel — desktop or online — to make sure your work opens correctly when your instructor reviews it.
Is this site affiliated with GCU?
No. This is an independent study resource maintained by individual instructors as a companion to the course. It's not affiliated with, endorsed by, or funded by GCU. The official course — its syllabus, assignments, and grading — is owned and run by GCU through the student portal. If anything here ever conflicts with the course portal, the course portal is the source of truth.
A walkthrough is missing, wrong, or unclear — what do I do?
Email your course instructor so they can fix it. Walkthroughs on this site are authored by the listed instructors, and the fastest way to improve them is specific feedback — "the formula in Topic 3 Q2 uses the wrong column" goes a long way.