I wanted to know how the process of the math placement exams at JHU exactly works. On the JHU website, it says that the placement exam will be available all summer. Does that mean that we have to take the placement exam online? Also, is the placement exam timed? And are we allowed to use a calculator on the exam? Any help with these questions would be very appreciated.
http://mathematics.jhu.edu/undergraduate/placement-exams/
Placement exam is online, timed and additional details will be stated on Blackboard (where you take the exam).
The placement exam is online, timed, and if I remember correctly calculators aren’t allowed (the calculations are generally symbolic anyways). However you should know that your grade on the placement exam is just a recommendation and not necessarily binding or indicative of how you’ll do in Hopkins math. For example I got the placement test “placed” me in calc 2 but i registered for calc 3 anyways (because I had BC credit). I ended up doing very well in calc 3 and all the other math courses I’ve taken so far.
Basically don’t worry too much about the placement test.
The placement exam is online, timed, and if I remember correctly calculators aren’t allowed (the calculations are generally symbolic anyways). However you should know that your grade on the placement exam is just a recommendation and not necessarily binding or indicative of how you’ll do in Hopkins math. For example I got the placement test “placed” me in calc 2 but i registered for calc 3 anyways (because I had BC credit). I ended up doing very well in calc 3 and all the other math courses I’ve taken so far.
Basically don’t worry too much about the placement test.
Hi @saif235 ! My daughter took the placement exam and it placed her out of calc 2 (we have not received AP scores yet). She is looking to take calc 3 because calc 2 conflicts with another course she’d like to take. Just looking for confirmation that calc 3 will be fine as an incoming freshman. Also, does 17 credits seem like a good number for first semester?
If she is confident that she scored a 5 on the BC test (given that she scored well enough to place out of Calc 2 she probably did) she should be fine for Calc 3. The Calc 3 class is full of freshman, so don’t worry that she’ll be out of place among her peers - a sizeable number of freshman, particularly engineers, come into Hopkins with BC credit and take Calc 3 in the fall of their freshman year. I was one of those students as were about 1/3 of my floormates.
17 credits is fine for an incoming freshman. If she’s in WSE that’s more or less the average course load (the intro STEM courses add up quickly). If she’s in KSAS, 17 credits is an above average course load - 15 is closer to average and 17 is pushing the KSAS credit limit, but definitely doable. I took 18 credits my first semester and did well, but she has the option to drop or fall back on covered grades if the credit load proves too much. Of course she shouldn’t go into the semester expecting to drop or rely on covered grades but the options are there is she needs them.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask or PM me
Good luck!