Advanced Placement Credit for Calculus

back to First Steps in Math

Scores on the CEEB Calculus AB or BC exam, the General Certificate of Education Advanced (“A”) Level Exam (GCE), or the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Exam (IB) determine credit and placement as follows. (The GCE exam may not be used to place out of Calculus II unless it is taken in Singapore.)

Calculus Credit and Placement for Students not in Engineering
AB BC GCE IB Placement out of Credits Permission to take
3, 4, 5 3 A, B, C 6, 7 Calculus I (MATH 1106, 1110) 4 MATH 1120, 1220, 1910, or 2310
— 4, 5 Singapore
A, B, C		 — Calculus I (MATH 1106, 1110) and
Calculus II (MATH 1120, 1220, 1910)		 8 MATH 1920, 2210, 2230, 2130, or 2310
Calculus Credit and Placement for Students in Engineering Programs
AB BC GCE IB Placement out of Credits Permission to take
— 4, 5 Singapore
A, B, C		 — MATH 1910 4 MATH 1920

Loss of AP Credit

Students with 4 or 8 AP credits will forfeit 4 credits if they take Calculus I at Cornell or receive transfer credit for an equivalent course. Students with 8 AP credits will forfeit 4 credits if they take Calculus II at Cornell or receive transfer credit for an equivalent course.

Placement Recommendations

  • Students who receive the borderline score of 3 on the Calculus AB exam are advised to follow their instincts when deciding between Calculus I and Calculus II, but are strongly advised not to take MATH 1220.
  • Repeating a course at the honors level is advisable only if the student is willing to invest the extra time and effort that an honors course requires.
  • Students who receive higher scores are strongly encouraged to start with the most advanced course they have permission to take, then drop back to a more elementary course if the advanced course is too difficult.
  • Students who find the more advanced courses too difficult should not hesitate to forfeit their AP credit and drop back to an earlier course.

Cornell Placement Exams

Students who have had at least a semester of calculus but did not take a calculus placement exam and students who wish to improve their existing AP score may take one of the following placement exams during fall orientation. Students may use the higher of two placement recommendations.

Calculus Placement Exams Offered at Cornell During Fall 2009 Orientation
Test Date & Time Location Details
Engineering Math Advanced Standing Exam Sunday,
August 23,
10:15 AM		 Announced during academic briefings. Optional for engineering majors.  Determines placement in the engineering math sequence.  Contact Engineering Advising for further information: (607) 255-7414.
Mathematics Department
AP Exam 		Sunday,
August 23,
10:15 AM 		228 Malott Hall
(Bache Aud.)		 Optional for non-engineering majors.  Covers essentially the same material as the CEEB Calculus AB and BC curriculums. No sign-up necessary.

Last modified:June 8, 2009