AP Subject Credit for Math

Please note: The College of Chemistry, the School of Business Administration, and the department of Economics use their own scales to determine AP subject credit for math. Please check with them directly and plan accordingly.

I took the Math AP test (AB or BC) and received a score of at least a 3; which math class can I receive credit for?

A minimum score of a 3 on the Math AB or BC exam is equivalent to Math 1A. A score of 5 on the BC Math is equivalent to Math lA and 1B.

So, if I got a 3 or 4 on the AB Math, I can enroll directly in Math lB?

Yes (with the exceptions mentioned above). However, if you feel that your math background is not as strong as you would like, you are not penalized for taking Math 1A. For example, if you received a 3 on the AB Math and decide to take Math lA, you will still receive 2.7 units for the AP test and 4 units for Math 1A.

The Math Department has found that while a score of 3 or 4 shows that a student is ready to take college calculus, it is not an accurate indicator of how a student will do in a college math course. High school calculus is not necessarily the same as college calculus. The professor's expectations of what the students should know and have internalized (and not just memorized) can differ greatly from what high school students might expect.

Various factors such as the strengths of a student's math background, the schedule for the first semester, and work, commute, and any other time commitments play a crucial role in how a student will do in his/her first math course at Cal.

If I received a 5 on the BC Math, can I enroll directly in Math 53, Multivariable Calculus, or Math 54, Linear Algebra and Differential Equations?

Yes. The only prerequisite for Math 53 and Math 54 is Math 1B. Math 53 and Math 54 are independent of each other. Please note: Math lB covers the introduction to ordinary differential equations (first order ODE, population dynamics, second order ODE, oscillation and damping, and series solutions of ODE). If you enroll in Math 54, you will need to cover the aforementioned topics on your own.

Which Math course should I enroll in?

That depends on your math background and your intended major (see below). Math 16A-16B covers much of the same basic topics as Math 1A-1B, but lacks in-depth calculus and so, is less rigorous and demanding. Mathematics 32, Precalculus, is designed to prepare students for Mathematics lA or 16A. The prerequisite for Math 32 is 3 years of high school mathematics.

On a side note, Math 16A-16B is a terminal one-year calculus sequence; in order to take Math 53 or 54, you must pass Math 1A-1B (or equivalent) with a letter grade of C- or better.

Do I have to take a placement exam?

Students who enroll via TeleBEARS in Mathematics lA, 16A, or 32 should take the Math Placement Exam (which is offered during the first week of classes) and receive the following mminimum score of:

• 35 for Math IA
• 32 for Math l6A
• 24 for Math 32 (or 18 on the Precalculus Placement Exam); and have received at least a score of 560 on the SAT I: Math or have received at least a score of 570 on the SAT II: Math Level I, or have received at least a score of 520 on the SAT II: Math Level II/IIC.

The date, time, and location of this exam is listed in the Schedule of Classes under the Math Department heading. Students who are repeating lA, 16A, or 32 must also retake the Math Placement Examination. Copies of sample placement questions are available in 970 Evans.

Are there exceptions for the placement exam?

Yes. Students do not need to take the Math Placement Exam for Math lA, 16A, or 32 if within the past year, they:

• received a letter grade of C- or better in Math 32 at Berkeley, or
• scored a 3 or better on the Advanced Placement Examination (AB or BC), or
• scored at least a score of 650 or better on the SAT I: Reasoning Test--Math, or
• scored at least a score of 670 on the SAT II: Math Level I, or
• scored at least a score of 620 on the SAT II: Math Level II/IIC.