<p>It's been a while since I was a prefrosh, so I don't remember things too well and things may have changed. Current frosh will probably know the details better.</p>
<p>For most people, there are only two placement exams that really matter: </p>
<p>First, there is a written essay exam to evaluate if you can write at a college level. This shouldn't be too hard if you're a native English speaker, but do put effort into it since if you don't pass, you'll be required to take a writing class that does not count for your core humanities requirements, which are already quite large. If you get a perfect score, I think you get to skip out of a "frosh humanities" class that most people have to take two of. Getting a perfect score (out of ten or twelve or something) is pretty difficult. You'll be given an article (probably science/tech related) and be expected to form a coherent argument and write a well-worded essay, maybe a few pages long, over the span of several days. This will be emailed or mailed to you over the summer. Make sure you don't neglect it. </p>
<p>Secondly, you'll be given a Ma 1a placement exam. If you don't do well on this, you'll have to take "Ma 0.9," which is a special remedial section of Ma 1a for people without solid calculus backgrounds (if you only took AP Calculus AB, for example.) If you got a 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam, you should be able to do well enough on the exam to be in a normal section, but make sure you actually try. If you took calculus several years ago, you should review. For this exam, I believe they either email you a website with it or mail you a copy. It's closed book and limited time and you are expected to be able to proctor yourself under the honor code like you will have to for most exams at Tech. If you get placed in the "Ma 0.9" section, you'll also have to take Ma 8 first term and Ma 1d second term. These don't fulfill any requirements and you'll have less room to take an elective second term frosh year, so you don't want this. If you do not have a solid background in calculus, though, this will prevent core math from destroying you.</p>
<p>There are two other exams that you'll probably take that aren't extremely important and mostly aim to place you in a recitation section of chemistry and physics most appropriate for you. These don't matter so much since you still all go to the same lecture and do the same sets. The advanced recitation sections will usually cover material in the subject that is not directly related to the course that the TA thinks is interesting. These are fun if you don't need the extra review lectures in order to do well in the course. You can switch sections too (or go to a section you're not enrolled in), so if you find that you'd prefer to be in another section, the test doesn't matter. If you're planning on testing out of Ph 1 or Ch 1, you will have to do well enough on these two exams to get into the most advanced sections first.</p>
<p>Finally, there are placement exams for actually testing out of a core requirement. Most people do not place out of anything, so don't feel obligated to try and pass out of things unless you feel like the class would be a review for you. You have to specifically request these exams, for the most part. You'll be sent information on how to do so. Most are done during the summer at home, but I think physics might be done after you get to Caltech (it's still take-home.)</p>
<p>For physics: Ph 1a basically covers the same material as the AP Physics C Mechanics exam. The questions tend to be a little trickier, but if you got a 5 on the AP exam recently, you have a good chance of passing out. This is the only thing that most people can pass out of. Passing out of this frees up an extra spot to take another elective course first term. Passing out of the other two terms of Ph 1 (b and c) is much more challenging. These terms go far beyond a standard, full AP curriculum. If you have taken college-level electricity and magnetism that is significantly more advanced than the AP, you may be able to pass out of this. If you are also able to pass out of Ma 1, I highly recommend taking Ph 12 your freshman year. If not, you may have to hold off on physics until your math catches up. Alternatively: beg the registrar. This often works. Ph 12 is an amazingly awesome class if you like physics. :) Plenty of people who aren't physics majors take it, and it fulfills your sophomore physics requirement.</p>
<p>For math: Passing out of any terms of Ma 1 is tough. They may still not allow you to pass out of Ma 1a alone, so you'll have to have taken math past calculus. If you do not have a reasonable background in doing proofs (advanced college courses, research in pure mathematics, USAMO, IMO, etc.) you probably will not be able to place out of any terms. If you can pass out of Ma 1, you take Ma 2 frosh year and are done with your core math requirements in one year! </p>
<p>For chemistry: Ch 1 also goes far beyond the typical AP curriculum. Unless you've taken more advanced chemistry courses, had an absurdly amazing AP class, or have done a lot of chemistry competitions, it's going to be really tough. If you're a chemistry/biology/related major, you'll take Ch 41 or Ch 21 freshman year instead. If you're not one of these majors, you might be able to get away with not taking any chemistry at all, regardless of what the chemistry department says (ask the registrar.)</p>
<p>For biology: I have no idea if a placement exam even exists. If you like biology a lot, I recommend taking the Bi 8/9 track with biology majors instead of Bi 1. Bi 8/9 go far beyond AP Biology and Bi 1 is on a specific topic in biology (it's nothing like AP biology,) so 99% of people will have no need to skip them.</p>
<p>For computer science: If you're a good programmer, you should be able to pass out of CS 1 and CS 2, which are both requirements for the CS major. You'll be emailed about this over the summer. I think both "exams" are just little programming problems. If you find yourself relying on a lot of resources to do the exams, you should probably not pass out of these classes. If you've only taken AP CS and done no programming past that, you probably cannot pass out of these.</p>
<p>For humanities/social sciences: While you are required to take freshman humanities courses, there are enough offered that you can pretty easily avoid taking something like you took in high school. You are allowed to take advanced HSS classes without taking the introductory ones, if you want. However, for many HSS subjects (such as economics,) the introductory courses are much more advanced than the AP ones.</p>