<p>Hi there, I'm currently thinking about majoring in Civil Engineering when I go to college this Fall but I have a bit of a problem. I don't think I will be able for the level of Math that I will have to take. I'm an international student, so in my high school, I've taken Math for all five years and I ended up with a B in my final Leaving Cert exams (These are nationwide exams that decide what colleges you can get into, similar to UK A Levels) but I still think I won't be able to keep up. Here's a link to the exam paper I sat and got a B in:
<a href="http://examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2011/LC003GLP000EV.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2011/LC003GLP000EV.pdf</a> Part One
<a href="http://examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2011/LC003GLP200EV.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2011/LC003GLP200EV.pdf</a> Part Two</p>
<p>Could someone look at these exam papers and see would I be prepared for college level math or should I pick another major.
Thanks!</p>
<p>Looks like mostly advanced algebra and a bit of very basic calculus.
If you’re going to school in the U.S., you’ll be a bit behind as you’ll most likely be starting at calc 1, but it’s not the end of the world.
As long as you’re fine potentially having to take a few summer classes, you have nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply and yeah, there’s only basic calculus on the course. I don’t mind taking summer classes at all, here in Ireland you can’t even apply to an engineering degree without the more advanced Math course so if taking a few extra classes means I can become an engineer, I’m fine with that!</p>
<p>At most schools in the US, the engineering degree programs are structured so that you can start in first semester freshman calculus. Being able to start in a more advanced math course can be desirable in terms of reducing schedule constraints, but is not necessary at most schools (i.e. you won’t be “behind”).</p>
<p>You can try this on-line math placement test. If you score green in all or most areas, you should be ready for first semester freshman calculus for math, physics, and engineering majors:
[Calculus</a> Placement Exam | Department of Mathematics at University of California Berkeley](<a href=“http://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/placement-exam]Calculus”>http://math.berkeley.edu/courses/choosing/placement-exam)</p>
<p>You’d probably have to start with Trig and Pre-calc at most US Universities, because I didn’t see any of those topics on those tests. It’s also quite possible that you’d have to start as low as College Algebra.</p>
<p>Basically, you are probably a year behind the minimum requirements for most engineering programs. Can you take college level Trig and Pre-calc over a summer session before you enroll in your first year?</p>
<p>OminousRun, are we looking at the same links? There’s quite a bit of Trig and Algebra on them papers, and remember that these are just exams papers with a certain amount of questions, in reality I’ve studied each section thoroughly. I’m not trying to argue with you, because I understand I will be behind but I think you’re making me out to be worse off than I am. For example, I took quite a few sample College Algebra CLEP exams and tried AP questions and I done fine in them. Thanks for the reply though and everyone else too!</p>