Placement tests....

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I appreciate all of your thoughtful inputs to my queries. I have few more questions that I hope "Antiquark" or others can help me with.</p>

<p>When are the placement tests given? Are the placement tests in Physics and Math or are Chemistry and Biology also tested? How long are each of the placement tests? How is it administered? Are the tests sent home and the student is supposed to answer within a time frame? If it is sent home, how long do the students have before it has to be mailed?? </p>

<p>Any information and all info on the placement tests is appreciated.</p>

<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>

<p>Antiquark basically told you everything you need to know.</p>

<p>The only difference is on the writing test. I'm pretty sure you need to take two frosh hums regardless of your score on that. (It's called the WAFT, if you're interested.)</p>

<p>For chemistry, they first send you a survey that asks you about your chemistry experience. You are then sent a placement test based upon your responses to the survey.</p>

<p>You only take Bi 1 third term, (or Bi 8 & 9, second and third term, for people who like Bio and have the room for the 9 extra units 2nd term), and while I wish you could place out of it, as far as I know there is no way of doing so (a few years ago you could take a test and write a paper for the class, but that is no longer the case).</p>

<p>The CS tests are pretty easy. The CS 1 test is very doable if you thoroughly understood everything in AP Comp Sci AB. CS 2 is a little harder, but still relatively easy, (at least compared to the other placement tests). (I only took, and passed CS 1, since there is very little need to take CS 2 unless you're a CS major. Even the non CS programming classes, like the Ph 20 sequence (computational physics) only require CS 1 as a prereq).</p>

<p>The physics placement is not really something to study for (assuming it stays the same), but I can't tell you more than that. Besides it is only for section placement, which isn't always very accurate either. Of the 2 supersections this year during first term, only one was actually advanced, and a few of the people who weren't very good at physics found the subsections to be so dumbed down as to not actually be helpful. Besides, you are free to switch between whatever Ph 1 section you want once you get here. The test to get out of Ph 1a can be taken once you get here. (If you get into a supersection, you will be given the "get out of Ph1a" at the start of frosh camp, everyone else has to wait till classes start.)</p>

<p>The other really important placement test is Math. If you don't take the Math 1 placement you'll will get put in Section 1 of Math 1a and Math 8 (a sort of tutorial class for Math 1a) which means you have to waste pass/fail units second term on an extra class. As Antiquark said, if you didn't just take AP Calculus this year you should study stuff. Even if you're somewhat discouraged by the test, you should take it and send it in, because there are some students who are placed in a regular section of Math 1a, but are forced to take Math 8 as well, which is still better than having to take Math 0.9, since you don't have to take Math 1d second term. You can also take the tests to place out of Math 1 in frosh year. In order to place out of any of Math 1, you need to place out of Math 1a and Math 1b, (super hard single variable calculus (1a) and linear algebra (1b)).</p>

<p>If you're interested in seeing what these courses are like, here is a listing of the course websites:</p>

<p>Chem 1b: Welcome</a> to the Ch 1 Zone!</p>

<p>Physics 1: [Physics</a> Courses<a href="choose%20which%20class%20you%20are%20interested%20in%20hearing%20about">/url</a></p>

<p>Math 1a: [url=<a href="http://math.caltech.edu/classes/ma1a/index1.html%5D%5BMa1a"&gt;http://math.caltech.edu/classes/ma1a/index1.html][Ma1a&lt;/a> - Fall 06-07] - Calculus of One and Several Variables](<a href="http://www.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/physicscourses.html%5DPhysics"&gt;http://www.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/physicscourses.html)&lt;/p>

<p>Good luck. I hope my reply was reasonably coherent.</p>

<p>This should hopefully be obvious to most prefrosh, but I'll say it anyway: If you see links to tests/quizzes/answers on the course website for a class you haven't taken and that you have any chance of taking in the future, don't look at them! Lots of times questions are reused for tests and quizzes. Lectures notes and lecture slides are almost always fine. Syllabuses are definitely fine. Problem sets are questionable. It's not a big deal if they reuse the problem sets year after year (as long as you don't look at a solution set), but it's conceivable that some profs might use some previous year's set questions as the basis for test questions. If the set questions are in the book it's probably fine, but in other instances, I would email the professor to check.</p>

<p>On that note, if you ever accidentally violate the honor code, contact the professor or head TA as soon as possible, and they'll almost certainly find a fair solution for you without having to involve the Board of Control or auto-failing you. The easiest way to avoid accidentally violating the honor code is just to read test instructions very carefully. You usually get a chance to read the cover page of an exam long before you take it, so read it multiple times. Make sure you know how long it is, what materials you are allowed to use, whether or not breaks are allowed, etc.</p>

<p>there should be 5 math placement tests, for the 5 core math classes (1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b). i remember (at least as of 4 years ago) that you have to pass out of math 1a and 1b together (and so many people have to take 1a because they do not pass out of 1b)</p>

<p>There is an option to place out of Bi 8 and Bi 9 by taking a special exam. However, you'll be required to take the advanced cell or molecular bio course (Bi/Ch 111 and Bi/Ch 113) in their place. This is a fantastic option if you're a bio major with that level of background, but I have yet to meet anyone who passed out of either course. These are not AP Bio-level courses (and neither is Bi 1), so don't expect to pass out of them.</p>

<p>So the only way to do well on the math placement is if you got a 5 on AP Calc BC? My son took normal high school calculus and AP Calc AB online, as that was all that was offered at his school. Is it even worth taking the math placement then? You can't take "normal" math without a 5 in AP Calc BC?</p>

<p>You don't need to have taken AP Calc BC, but you will have to know the material that is covered in it pretty well. People who have taken a good AP Calc BC course recently probably will not have to do much review to be successful on the exam. People who have had AP Calc AB or some other calculus course will need to make sure they know all of the topics covered. He should definitely take the placement test no matter what.</p>

<p>I had taken only Calc AB. I bought an AP Calc BC review book and quickly learned taylor series, and that was all I really needed. I was placed into the normal Math 1a track.</p>

<p>Edit: I should add that Ma1a was very tough for me, but not because I hadn't taken Calc BC. I agree with Antiquark that your son should take the placement test.</p>

<p>The course catalog lists a course, English 2, as "Introduction to College Writing" for freshman needing remedial English. The course lists for fall 2007 and 2008 do not list this as an available course. Exactly how hard are the graders on the essays, and what score/condition requires a student to take a remedial English course (or greatly restricted humanities selection)? How many of these students are there per year, usually?</p>

<p>Roughly 20 people have to take En 2 each year. If English is your first language, you should be very capable of getting a passing score on the essay, just make sure you put some effort into it.</p>

<p>so what basically is enough to pass the WAFT..? I sort of neglected it a bit (or dunno, I just panicked and was not sure what to write so I procrastinated hoping that a solution will come of the sky.. because I had so many arguments, but didn't know how to.. put them in a compositon :/).. In the end I wrote an essay for 2 and half hours and submitted it 12 minutes before the deadline... Is this... really bad?</p>

<p>jsd472, it was written here somewhere before that it's need to have a score 6 out of 12? sort of like SAT essay, right?</p>

<p>Well, he took the math placement and said there was only one question that wasn't material he hadn't covered by taking AP Calculus AB. He felt pretty good about it. Hopefully one question doesn't put you in remedial math.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, he hadn't noticed that he had the physics placement due at the end of this week until a few days ago. They e-mailed the info on writing and math, but the physics stuff was in some booklet they sent when he was in the middle of high school finals. I'm assuming others read that stuff more carefully than my son.</p>

<p>Anyway, if anyone out there hasn't taken the Calculus, it is mostly doable with a one year course under your belt.</p>

<p>If anyone remembers do the placement tests continue to come in at this speed for the rest of the summer? Or is it jsut this one rush at the beginning and then all the deadlines at (I think July 11)? I've been on my senior trip for mos tof the deadlines and have been caught off guard a few times. This has to be the end. Right?</p>