<p>OK, so S took online math assessment prior to BB. His degree works still shows recommendation for Math 125 (Calc I), however.<br>
He took AP BC Calc this year, so I understand that those scores will not be reflected for some time.<br>
BUT, why doesn’t UA/Degree works give you SOME indication of how you placed higher than Math 125? Is there any way I can get his ‘score’ for that UA online math assessment? This, combined w/ AP score in July would be helpful in our making a complete decision about Calc II or Calc III…
Who would have access to that online math assessment score…and who should I call at UA?</p>
<p>From what I understand, the math assessment test is half algebra and half pre-calc with maybe a couple of actual calc questions. There wouldn’t be enough actual calc questions to help you determine the level of calculus.</p>
<p>A student who places into Math 121/125 has scored between 440 and 588 on the placement test. The highest math placement you can achieve via the online assessment is Math 121/125. Even with a perfect score on the math placement test, the student’s Degree Works will show a recommendation of Math 121/125. </p>
<p>The online math placement test does not assess skills higher than precalculus skills. All higher placements require the student to enter UA with Calculus credit via AP, IB, CLEP or transfer credit. So there is really nothing that you can learn from the online math placement test that your son took that will help you in deciding between Calc II and Calc III.</p>
<p>Bumping this from last year. I was trying to figure out if my kid should take the math assessment or not, but based on this and the fact that he is taking calculus this year, that is 55 minutes he doesn’t have to spend. Hope this is helpful for someone else!</p>
<p>Thank you, it is helpful. My son is completing AP Calculus BC now and completed AP Calculus AB his junior year (scored a 5). </p>
<p>Could others chime in with advice on what level math he should begin for Freshman Engineering-Civil and CBHP?</p>
<p>Math placement is one area you are going to have a lot of debate and differing opinions. This was the one item my engineering son and I struggled with the most. We changed our minds and his schedule multiple times, ultimately deciding to have him start off in MATH 126. My son (who scored very well on his AP) came out of 126 with an excellent grade. He did say there was one thing he learned in class that he did not learn in high school.</p>
<p>I asked Dean Karr about this placement dilemma mid-semester last fall when he was in Chicago for a recruiting event. His preference is for students to take math and physics at UA unless there is a compelling reason not to (he gave an example of a student who came to him with a complete four year plan charted, needing to start one level ahead due to a special program he wanted to take in his junior year or so).</p>
<p>Class2012Mom - do you think the “math/physics at UA” advice applies for CS majors? I don’t really think CS majors will need more physics, will they? Math is a tougher question. My S will come in with credit for 125/126. I think he is planning to start with Math 301 (Discrete Math) which only requires 125 as a prereq, I believe. I guess if he decides to take more calculus he can decide to take 126 later if he wants…? Not being a math person, I have no idea how these classes interrelate, if at all.</p>
<p>My question to Dean Karr was specifically in terms of engineering majors. I should have made that clear. </p>
<p>I know that kjchpmom’s son is a CS major and came in with a lot of math and physics AP credit. She could probably offer better advice for your situation than I could.</p>
<p>I assumed you meant for engineering majors. 
I just get confused because CS is in the engineering school, but it seems like it might have different needs than the rest of the engineering majors. Physics is not required for CS majors anyway, so I think it is fine for my S to use AP credit for Physics to fulfill the natural science sequence requirement. It’s the math that I have no idea about. Maybe I will have S call the head of the CS department before Bama Bound to see what he suggests.</p>
<p>Since I started this thread, I will add an update since we grappled with this choice “To APply or not to APply” AP credits in math and science. (Rolleth Tide!)</p>
<p>My S in aero may be the one (or similar to the one) that Dean Karr is talking about. He had his 4 years all planned out because he wanted to do a 6-mo internship (which is next to impossible) in between sophomore and junior year, and combine it with a semester off to do so. (Once Junior year hits, the aero courses are only offered in a certain order and only during certain semesters, so there is no flexibility whatsoever.)</p>
<p>That being said, the time to be a bit flexible <em>is</em> your freshman year. My S went directly into Calc III as an incoming Freshman (having done well on both AP + the HS classes), and has not regretted that one bit. He did very well in Calc III last semester…and is doing well in both Math 238 (DiffEQ) and Math 237 (Linear Alg) this semester. Because he has done this, he only (“only” - ha, ha) needs to take 2 more math electives and he’s an instant math minor. (I laugh because fitting in anything additional to a BS in Aero in 4 years - a minor, double major, STEM MBA, or scholars… will be a miracle, quite honestly) </p>
<p>Similarly, my S also chose to apply his 8 Physics AP credits, and go directly into Statics this semester (something that isn’t normally done until Soph year). Statics is like that Jenga piece - it is a prereq to so many other courses, so taking it ‘early’ will allow him much more flexibility Sophomore year. He is doing well in it, too, so I have to believe that doing well on AP tests stands you in good stead for moving on. </p>
<p>Again, his case only applies to aero-eng’g students, who, once they look at the flowchart will realise that you have to plan very carefully the path you take. Every family needs to weigh up this AP dilemma themselves, of course.</p>
<p>Thanks for bumping this thread - It is very timely as the Aero and ME flow charts were just printed out yesterday.</p>
<p>Class2012 Mom -
My DS will take AP credit for at least Calc I. He takes the AP-BC this year, but regardless of score, he is leaning toward taking Calc II (Math 126). He would not take PH105/125 until spring freshman year. Would your son recommend waiting and taking Math 126 in the same semester as Physics 105/125?</p>
<p>This would allow room for my son to take 2 Humanities courses 1st semester (he will AP out of the Eng Comp) in an effort to wipe out core requirements (APs will take care of the rest). I think it would also give him some time to “see” from others what Math 126 is all about and given him some time to decide if he wants to AP out (Mom here is hoping for a 5 AP score).</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>Separate question – How time consuming outside of class are the 1 credit FEP courses? The website says class is 1/week for 3 hours.</p>
<p>Aeromom, I can assure that your son is not the student Dean Karr was referring to. The boy he used as an example wanted to participate in a foreign country’s engineering program that required particular courses to be completed by the time the program began. </p>
<p>Each student’s situation is going to be different. Each student is going to have to make his/her own decision. Wish I could remember the exact words Dean Karr used, but it was something to the effect that the he sees too many students/parents viewing degree completion as a race - which it is not. UA’s preference is for students to complete the courses in their major at UA, regardless of AP credit or not.</p>
<p>Longhaul, my son is following the EE flowchart, so his path is a little different than your son’s will be. My son did take MATH 126 and PH 105 together his first year. He had AP credit for both but chose to retake. </p>
<p>As far as humanities credits go, is your son in a foreign language course now where he could take a CLEP test for those credits?</p>
<p>My son said both ENGR 111 and 142 were fairly easy and not very time consuming - but he also came to UA having had 4 years of engineering in high school through PLTW.</p>
<p>Class2012Mom, do you think PLTW was the reason your DS found ENGR111 and 142 easy? </p>
<p>DD could not take PLTW courses at her HS because some genius in the GC office put AP Calc, AP Physics and AP Chem sections at the same time as PLTW sections. So, almost none of their tippy top students take the PLTW courses, but many middle tier pre-STEM students do (i.e., those who don’t take the AP STEM classes). I have complained for the past three years about this, but to no avail.</p>
<p>OK- I give up. What is PLTW? I am terrible at acronyms. I remember having to ask one time before what IRL was - thinking it was somehow a class.</p>
<p>MereMom, I think those classes are just basic and easy. I know of two other boys, neither of whom were in PLTW, who also thought it was easy.</p>
<p>I’m sorry your high school doesn’t allow students to do both PLTW and APs. My son got so much out of PLTW – the engineering skills, local engineering business connections, and project and presentation skills.</p>
<p>tjmom, PLTW is Project Lead the Way. It’s a 4 year high school engineering program.</p>
<p>This isn’t about the math assessment, so forgive the diversion, but I confirmed today that the FEP core course are changing for the Fall from 111, 131, 141 to a 3 credit course ENGR 103.</p>
<p>Was told the website will be updated soon.</p>
<p>My son is a business major and took precalc in HS. He scored a 28 on math ACT. Degreeworks has him as Math 112 without testing. Any recommendations? Should he try to test and place in 121 or would you recommend 112 first? It looks like he would have to take 112 and 121 for business requirement? Thanks</p>
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<p>Have him take the placement test. Many students do not take 112 first and do wonderfully at UA. If one places into MATH 121/125, they are not required to take MATH 112. Note also that MATH 121 is not a prerequisite for any other math course. If your son might have a desire to go to grad school or take other math courses, I would strongly recommend taking MATH 125 (Calculus I) instead.</p>