Advanced Placement Credit for Calculus
Scores on the CEEB Calculus AB / BC exam, the General Certificate of Education Advanced (“A”) Level Exam (GCE), and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher-Level Exam determine credit and placement as follows:
| 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 | ||
More credit may be obtained by taking a placement exam during orientation week.
Cornell Placement Exams
Recommended for: (1) students who have had at least a semester of calculus but did not take a placement exam; (2) students who believe their placement is incorrect; (3) students who are uncertain of their grasp of the material. Students may use the higher of two placement recommendations. A failing score is not recorded on the student’s record.
| Calculus Placement Exams Offered at Cornell During Fall 2013 Orientation | |||
| Test | Date & Time | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Math Advanced Standing Exam | Sunday, August 25, 10:15 AM |
Announced during academic briefings. | Optional for engineering majors. A passing score may be used to place out of MATH 1910 and/or 1920. No placement exam for linear algebra or differential equations. |
| Mathematics Department AP Exam |
Sunday, August 25, 10:15 AM |
228 Malott Hall (Bache Aud.) |
Optional for non-engineering majors. Covers essentially the same material as the CEEB Calculus curriculum. A passing score may be used to place out of MATH 1110 and/or 1120. No placement exam for linear algebra or multivariable calculus. |
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 high scores are strongly encouraged to start with the most advanced course they have permission to take, but they should also not hesitate to forfeit their AP credit and drop back to an earlier course if the advanced course is too difficult.
- 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 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.