<p>In addition, if your AP Calc AB/BC scores give you a higher placement, this also makes the MPE scores irrelevant.</p>
<p>"In addition, if your AP Calc AB/BC scores give you a higher placement, this also makes the MPE scores irrelevant. "</p>
<p>Then WHY do they make you take the test? Why do they ignore the SAT IIs? It seems rather odd. Isn’t this the kind of thing you would expect at a Community College and NOT at a University? Has anyone here ever been “placed” in a lower math class, even though they had AP Calc BC (5) credit?</p>
<p>This kind of stuff makes me wonder about enrolling here … no matter how much $ they throw at me … it’s a respect issue …</p>
<p>i’m soooo sorry but when and where do you take the test. i got accepted there as a freshman in bio major</p>
<p>[University</a> of Maryland - New Student Orientation](<a href=“http://www.orientation.umd.edu%5DUniversity”>http://www.orientation.umd.edu) on the bottom right it says “Online Math Placement Exam”</p>
<p>Take it anytime before your Orientation date.</p>
<p>plumazul – the point of taking the MPE is that it indicates your level of math skills… the reason they allow your AP Calculus scores to give you a higher placement is in the event that you took the MPE when you were having a blank moment or something.</p>
<p>For example, if you take the MPE and it puts you in a MATH115 (precalculus) level, but you’ve taken courses or gotten scores to qualify you for a higher level, you could get placed into MATH140 (calculus), for example.</p>
<p>I’m rather confused as what you mean about it being a respect issue… they’re not disregarding your AP credit at all; that’s the exact opposite of the quote you put earlier in your post.</p>
<p>@freshjazz,</p>
<p>First, I LOVE jazz (I play piano 
…</p>
<p>ok, … why is there no C(hemistry)PE, no P(hysics)PE, no H(istory)PE, etc. …??
IF your AP scores are used for placement, then <em>WHY</em> TAKE THE TEST?? IF you got an 800 on the MathII, WHY take the test?</p>
<p>This is just NOT the kind of thing you expect to find in a large SELECTIVE research University, … this IS the norm at a community college … it is demeaning, insulting … and a waste of my time …</p>
<p>I plan to take NO math courses, I wonder if they will STILL want me to take the test?</p>
<p>They do math placement because it’s more universal, and more standard throughout the university, whereas other classes (Chem/Phsyics/History/etc.) are fairly unique to the individual departments.</p>
<p>As far as I understand it, the exam isn’t intended to be a demeaning/insulting/wasteful test, and I never heard from anyone who saw it that way. It only takes an hour or so, so it’s not a huge time commitment, either way.</p>
<p>Also: “It is important to note that some majors and colleges REQUIRE that you take the Math Placement Exam and will never use other courses or test grades. If you are not sure if you fit into that category, please contact your college to find out.”</p>
<p>What’s your intended major?</p>
<p>Look, the MPE is more for people who aren’t going to place into MATH140 and it’s used to make sure they get in the right track. Yeah, for the really smart people who go on this board, the MPE is a useless formality, but for most people at MD who need to be placed in the right pre-cal or college algebra class, it’s really important.</p>
<p>It’s not a big deal; you’ll get placed in the class you need to get placed in, so don’t worry about it. Just take the test. It’ll only take like 30 minutes out of your life.</p>
<p>Oh, and be glad you don’t have to take it at 8:00 in the morning on Day 1 of Orientation, like I had to.</p>
<p>Hey does anybody know how long the third part of the exam is and what topics in algebra 2 I should study?</p>