Math Placement

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KiwiBird

USAFA Cadet, Co 2025
Joined
Oct 8, 2020
Messages
287
I just took the two required math placement tests, and I got about a 50% on each, which is honestly a bit better than I expected. How will these scores impact my placement? The problem is that I am confident that I wouldn't need a lower course, just a refresher. My last math class, AP Calculus, finished during the first shutdown my junior year. That was more than a year ago. I did not take any math this year because I already took all of it my school had to offer. So I only did that poorly because I am a bit rusty, not because I am completely clueless. If I would have had someone review it all with me, I am certain I would have performed better, there just wasn't a convenient or effective way of doing so. Anyway, even if I am placed in a lower math course my first semester, if I did really well, would I be able to jump ahead the next semester to get back on track?
 
KiwiBird said:
I just took the two required math placement tests, and I got about a 50% on each, which is honestly a bit better than I expected. How will these scores impact my placement? The problem is that I am confident that I wouldn't need a lower course, just a refresher. My last math class, AP Calculus, finished during the first shutdown my junior year. That was more than a year ago. I did not take any math this year because I already took all of it my school had to offer. So I only did that poorly because I am a bit rusty, not because I am completely clueless. If I would have had someone review it all with me, I am certain I would have performed better, there just wasn't a convenient or effective way of doing so. Anyway, even if I am placed in a lower math course my first semester, if I did really well, would I be able to jump ahead the next semester to get back on track?
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I did pretty well on the first one, and not so hot on the second one. I would recommend that you trust USAFA to place you where you will succeed. It actually might be beneficial to get a whole year of refresher because then you would have one less thing to worry about in your doolie year. The point is that you should just worry about doing the best you can, and taking things as they come. USAFA has been doing this for quite a while, so I imagine they know what they’re doing.
 
I scored around an 80 on both, and was placed into calc 2. I would expect you to be put into calc 1, but it’s possible you are put in calc 2. If you are in calc 1, use that as an opportunity to get an A, as you should already know a majority of what is being taught in class. If you are put in calc 2, you may have to work harder, but will be done with math classes a semester earlier. If you major in something “fuzzy” (humanities, biology, chemistry, management, etc.) you only have to take up to calc 2. STEM majors (engineering mostly) you will have to take calc 3 or even higher.
 
My DS had to take the two before BCT and then another at the end of BCT. They take a methodical approach to the placement it seems so liek others have said, go with their recommendation and talk it over with your counselor or the math dept if you have questions/concerns.
 
My DS was in the same boat. Took Calc BC his junior year in High School and just to get a math class his senior year, took AP Stats. As a result, he was rusty when he took the placement tests. He started in Calc 1, even though he did well in Calc AB and BC in high school. He aced Calc 1 and Calc 2 his doolie year, and is headed to Calc 3 this fall. He's not behind. You will have an extremely difficult doolie schedule, and it goes fast. So if they tell you should be placed in Calc 1, use that time to brush up on those calc concepts and pad your gpa. Concentrate on Chem, Physics, Computer Science, Foreign language, and history (oddly, the class that all of my doolie sponsees found the hardest) and don't worry about it.
 
I got a 100, 68, and 86 on the three tests. (The third would have been a 100, but I swapped the - for a + in the integration by parts formula...) Do you think this will be enough to place into calc 2? I have already taken through calc 3 at a university, so going back to calc 1 would be disappointing. I know nobody here can give a definite answer, just looking for past experiences.
 
Ditto to what Peter2025 said (I got pretty much the exact same scores...and integration by parts also messed me up). I'm in pretty much the exact same situation, but I think that going back to Calc 1 would be almost a nice break in math (but I intend on majoring in computer science and there's different math requirements there). Also curious as to where those scores would possibly place me.
 
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