MATHEMATICS  PLACEMENT & CHALLENGE  EXAMINATIONS

Most entering freshmen will need to take either the unproctored Colorado State University Mathematics Placement Exam or the proctored Mathematics Challenge Exam if MATH 101 does not satisfy the math requirement for their degree program.  For ease of reference below, MPE refers to either the Mathematics Placement Exam or the Mathematics Challenge Exam. The MPE is waived for students needing MATH 117 or MATH 105 if they have earned:

• a score of 3, 4, or 5 on the Advanced Placement Calculus Exam (AB or BC);
• College Algebra credit through the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program; or
• transferable University credit in College Algebra.

The MPE is a 50-item exam designed to assess students' current knowledge of prerequisite material for the entry-level mathematics courses, and the content of the one credit precalculus courses MATH 117 – MATH 126.  The goal is to place students into the highest course in which they can be successful. Students who demonstrate basic proficiency with the content of one or more of the courses MATH 117 – MATH 126 are placed out of the corresponding course(s) and may register for the next course.  Students whose performance indicates competence comparable to that expected of students who have completed a course are placed out and awarded academic credit in the corresponding course when the exam has been completed in a proctored setting. 

Students whose MPE scores suggest they are not well prepared for entry-level mathematics courses should complete the Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) Tutorial and attain an acceptable score on the ELM Exam to become eligible to take MATH 105 or MATH 117. All students taking the MPE are placed into at least MATH 101, Math in the Social Sciences although there is no longer a prerequisite for this class. The ELM Tutorial is described in the next section found below.

Incoming students have the opportunity to take the unproctored Math Placement Exam remotely one (1) time prior to their term of admission. Incoming students may also make arrangements with ProctorU (for a fee) to take the proctored Math Challenge Exam until their eligibility to take placement exams remotely ends. When classes are in session, the Math Challenge Exam is given on a "walk in" basis during the regular hours of the PACe Testing Center (138 Weber). The exam may be taken twice in a proctored setting. Exam results are available immediately and students can re-check their results online by selecting the "Math Placement" button on the Math Department web site. Credit by examination is only awarded when the exam is taken in a proctored setting.

A one-time examination fee of $15 is charged to the student's University account the first time he or she takes the MPE. This one-time exam fee covers all eligible attempts of the MPE (plus any earned placement credit), as well as any work completed on the ELM and Precalculus Tutorials.

A scientific or graphics calculator is needed for the MPE.  Students may use their own calculator when taking the exam remotely, but must use a calculator provided by the PACe Testing Center at other times.   Calculators that have a "QWERTY" keyboard, TI-89 and TI-Inspire calculators are not allowed.

Students are urged to prepare for the MPE.  A comprehensive set of review materials can be found online at the CSU Mathematics Department web site ( www.math.colostate.edu/mpe ).

Students cannot rely on automat­ically receiving earned placement credit, and should register for placement credit they have earned. Students may confirm their eligibility for placement credit in person with the staff in the PACe Office (137 Weber) or online at placement.math.colostate.edu.

 

 

 

ENTRY LEVEL MATHEMATICS TUTORIAL

Students who are not well prepared for the entry-level mathematics courses MATH 105 and MATH 117 should complete the ELM Tutorial and pass the proctored ELM Exam in the PACe Testing Center (WB 138). The ELM Tutorial is a structured review of basic algebraic concepts. It includes video instruction, practice problems and review exams. Students must work through the material and qualify to take the ELM Exam by scoring adequately on the four unit/review exams.

When classes are in session, the ELM Exam is given on a "walk in" basis during the regular hours of the PACe Testing Center (138 Weber). University credit cannot be earned from the ELM Exam. Students who do not qualify for the desired entry-level mathematics course must repeat the ELM Exam. After two unsuccessful attempts, students must review the tutorial material and re-qualify to take the ELM Exam by passing the final review exam once again.

Course Assistants in the PACe Learning Center (136 Weber) are available to assist students who are working on the ELM Tutorial. There is no additional fee for either the ELM Tutorial or the ELM Exam (if taken on campus in the PACe Testing Center). Incoming students may also make arrangements with ProctorU (for a fee) to take the ELM Exam until their eligibility to take placement exams remotely ends.

PRE-CALCULUS TUTORIALS

Incoming students for the Fall semester who did not place out of PACe classes (MATH 117-126) that are needed to satisfy prerequisites for courses that are immediately critical to their degree program (such as CHEM 111, CS 163, CS 164, MATH 160, PH 141) may participate in the Precalculus Tutorials. Students must purchase a Precalculus Tutorial e-text access code from the CSU Bookstore to access the tutorial materials. The tutorials include video instruction, practice problems and review exams. Students must work through the material and qualify to take a proctored Precalculus Tutorial Placement Exam by scoring adequately on the four unit/review exams for each section of the tutorial that they complete. The Precalculus Tutorials should not be confused with registering for and completing the PACe classes (MATH 117-126).

The option to take a Precalculus Tutorial Placement Exam ends on the Thursday prior to the start of fall classes, when the pre-fall walk-in placement session ends. Incoming students may also make arrangements with ProctorU (for a fee) to take a Precalculus Tutorial Placement Exam until their eligibility to take placement exams remotely ends. University credit cannot be earned from a Precalculus Tutorial Placement Exam.

Course Assistants in the PACe Learning Center (136 Weber) are available to assist students who are working on the Precalculus Tutorial. There is no additional CSU fee for a Precalculus Tutorial Placement Exam.