<p>I recently took the Math Placement Exam and did not to as well as I thought I did. I'm going into Engineering next year and am in AP Calculus AB right now in high school. I got a 20 out of 33 on the MPE, which did not put me in the Math 151 category. I can take it again in 30 days and hopefully then I can get the score needed to take Math 151. Otherwise, worst case scenario, I have to totally regress and go back to taking pre-calc (I aced this junior year) and be a complete semester behind. This is my worry. I do NOT want to be in that position. </p>
<p>I have no problem taking their recommended Just in Time program in college, I just want to be able to take Math 151. Does anyone know, is the MPE the same every time you take it, or is it a different test? I think I struggled mostly on the algebra based part of it.</p>
<p>Any suggestions or comments about this? It makes me feel incredibly stupid that I wasn't able to pass, especially given the fact that I'm doing fine in Calculus AB...</p>
<p>It is common for achieving students to not do as well as expected on the placement test. I’m guessing you were just rusty and did not prepare. Go review a few of the algebra and trig rules. I’m guessing you will do much better with some preparation. You’ll find that your advisor will not be surprised if you did poorly your first time and aced the test the second time.</p>
<p>I know I said in a previous post that the flowchart results were just recommendations, but I had the high-end scorers in mind when I said that. So sorry!</p>
<p>I think there are firm restrictions on those who score towards the low end of the chart.</p>
<p>At least for some departments, if you score on the low end, the staff will not (idk, for lack of a better phrase) ‘unlock your hold,’ which will effectively prohibit you from enrolling in Math 151. To register for Math 151, you must have credit for, or be registered in Math 150 – or you must score a 22 or higher on the MPE. It’s something that apparently must be ‘unlocked’ in order for you to register for 151 or higher.</p>
<p>I do remember that their logic for all of this Math Placement Exam/flowchart business is that they discovered that poor performance in Math 151 is the greatest predictor of poor performance in the engineering program. If they can get you the groundwork for Math 151, you’ll be successful in 151, and you’ll be much more likely to succeed in the program as a whole. So, that’s their logic. And I don’t think they’ll bend on this. </p>
<p>To summarize: I think those who score on the low end are locked in by the flowchart results, but those who score on the high end can choose 151, 152, or even 251 for the brave of heart! :)</p>
<p>@SergeantCowboy, there are various practice tests online. If you google something like ‘tamu math placement exam practice tests’ and search around, you’ll see various tests and various links to practice tests. I think if you just practice a few times before your re-take, you’ll be fine the next time around.</p>
<p>I understand their logic perfectly and have no problems with it, but I just can’t seem to get past the fact that I’m doing perfectly fine in Calc I (equivalent to math 151) and then they recommend me to go back to pre-calc. I was 2 questions away from passing it, and to be honest I didn’t review or study or anything like that, so maybe that was my problem too.</p>
<p>It seems that the results of the MPE are binding for those who score below a 22. What I am going to do is call them and explain that I do not have time to take their Pre-calc online program ($100 and 6 weeks long), but would still like to enroll in calculus. I’ll even do the once a week Just in Time help program if they think that will make a difference. </p>
<p>I am just worried that if I do not score a 22 that they will not unblock me from Math 151 and I will essentially have to “go back” and take pre-calculus, which is absolutely ridiculous.</p>
<p>^Yeah. I think I understand your concerns. You don’t want to ‘waste time’ in a course that you think you already comprehend.</p>
<p>Just to be clear, you’re a prospective engineering student, right?</p>
<p>Did you know that you can retake the MPE up to 3 times prior to NSC? You just have to wait 30 days between retakes. So just study up a little, and/or take the practice tests, and then retake the MPE again in 30 days. You should have at least 1 opportunity to do this prior to your NSC, and possibly 2 or 3 more opportunities depending upon your NSC date. If you score above a 22 on any of those tests, then you’ll be able to enter Math 151.</p>
<p>Well, I hope you find a way to make this work out. I think your best bet is to simply re-take the test, preceded by a little review. :)</p>
<p>Correct. I will be entering the Engineering school next year. I called them and they reset the 30 day waiting period for me. I will take it again and expect at the least to get the passing score. Best thing I can do right now is make sure I know their review problems as best as I can. I guess it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I had to take pre-calc. Better than going into Math 151 and completely bombing it I guess.</p>
<p>^True that. It would be far worse to bomb Math 151 than to breeze through pre-calc. Think about the ramifications if you were bombing a course in your first college semester ever. THAT would feel really bad. You’d likely be stressed out of your gourd that first semester. That’s no way to start college. </p>
<p>I think you can rest easy that whichever way it goes for you, you’ll be in the right place for your first college math class.</p>
<p>Yeah. Regardless I think that if I bone up on my alg. 2 and pre-calc I should be able to breeze through this next test. I would be pretty unhappy if I had to take pre-calc at TAMU. The people I talked to said that you wouldn’t really be that much behind but I still feel like you would…everyone else is taking Math 151 and you’re still in pre-calc.</p>