So… I took the placement test couple of days ago, I didn’t check until today. So I got a perfect score on the math placement test which is 40/40. I screwed up on the Writing Placement test for which I only got a 3/6. Additionally, I also took the Latin Placement test and I got 91 out of 119(I believe?) cuz I took Latin in high school and probably want to continue doing so. so what do you guys think I might get placed in for math, English and Latin
Thanks guys
They will definitely tell you at orientation what classes you will be placed in. I got a perfect score on the math placement exam (two years ago) and that meant calc 1. but i already had AP credits for AB which is calc 1. the lady was really confused because at the time I was a history major so she wasn’t expecting that, and she was a humanities and arts advisor so she didnt know anything about math. so i guessed i would just move on to calc 2, and i did and i was fine. I’m guessing they will recommend calc 1, unless you took an AP calculus class. And if you don’t think you are ready for that, you can take a lower math class too. I don’t know what you are planning on majoring in, but if it’s not a math or science and if you don’t want to take a math class, you can often find ways around it. If you do want math or science, they will definitely work with you to find the best course schedule.
I can’t speak to latin because I’ve never taken it, but that seems like a decent score so maybe like latin 3 or something??? I have no idea tbh. They will definitely tell you what it means. But I think there’s also some wiggle room if you think you should be placed higher or lower (but obviously they have the tests for a reason).
There’s only 2 options for writing, which is basic writing or just the normal college writing. If they place you in basic writing, you have to take that before the normal college writing class. I’m guessing you probably got the normal college writing class, but I don’t know their system.
Also you don’t have to take math, writing, and latin all first semester if you don’t want. I feel like there was so much pressure to do that just because we took the placement tests. Unless you really need to for your major, you can wait. In fact, my first semester, I didn’t take math or writing or a foreign language. But of course, if you want to, you can.
Thanks for the reply, I’m a Math major so I should go forward and try to get on to cal 3? cuz I do have ap credit for cal. Also I’m considering transferring into CS major sophomore year from math, I know umass amherst is known for its cs program and it’s easily fully seated so,in your knowledge, is there any requirement to transfer into cs major internally?
@raytheking12 Here is the explanation of how to transfer into the CS major https://www.cics.umass.edu/ugrad-education/major-change-cs with all of the requirements.
@raytheking12 Calc 3 is quite a bit of a stretch, even if you’ve already taken an AP Calc class. Calc 2 deals mostly with advanced integration, which neither AP Calc AB nor BC get even close to covering. BC ends on series (Taylor, ect.) which is one extra topic that AB doesn’t cover. Calc 1 alone goes a bit further than BC, but many teachers will tell you that if you get a 4-5 on AB or a 3-4 on BC, you can get away with skipping Calc 1. However, I would really recommend you take Calc 2, especially if you’re planning on being a Math major.
Here are the topics covered in Calc 2: http://blogs.umass.edu/math132-efarelli/topics-covered-grading-scale/
And here is the information for Calc 3 (you have to scroll a bit): http://blogs.umass.edu/burrell/
Compare and see which you think you are ready for. Especially if you are a math major, you probably want to make sure you have mastered the topics before jumping ahead. There’s no shame in taking the lower math class. But also don’t waste your time either.
When I took Calc 2, the first couple chapters were things that I had already learned, but I just appreciated that I was getting a better understanding than I did when I was in high school.
Going by the list that @paws27 gave, it seems that AP Calc AB will cover chapter 6 and 7 of Calc 2 (which is also a review from Calc 1). AP Calc BC will have covered 6, 7, and dabbled a bit into chapter 11 (maybe 1-2 topics). However, like I said before, I would still strongly recommend taking Calc 2 as a large portion of the course you wouldn’t have had experienced yet (unless for some reason you went extremely far ahead of the curriculum for BC). As you said you were a math major, it would be critical that you’ve mastered these “gen. ed” math courses for your major later on.