Math Placement for Calculus I/Precalculus

The Math Readiness Program provides math review material for all incoming freshmen to help each student prepare not only for the Math Placement Exam (MPE), but also for any first year mathematics course one is required to take at The Citadel.   In this Math Readiness Program Canvas course, you have access to the online MPE in PlaceU, the online MPE in PlaceU practice test, review material in the form of a PDF, and two Online Workshops.  The Math Readiness Program Canvas course includes the following modules:

• Online Workshop I, Preparation for Precalculus: includes concepts of College Mathematics and will help prepare you for Precalculus in the fall and will help you review concepts of algebra and trigonometry on the Math Placement Exam (MPE). 
• Online Workshop II, Preparation for Calculus I: includes concepts of Precalculus and will help prepare you for Calculus I in the fall.

Each Module can be accessed in your Citadel Canvas account.

To determine the appropriate mathematics course for incoming freshmen, we have a placement process that is based primarily on the Mathematics Placement Exam (MPE), which covers the basics of algebra and trigonometry.  The purpose of the MPE is to assess a student’s mathematics readiness to start the calculus courses at The Citadel.  A student’s score on the MPE will provide us with information on what preparation you will need, if any, before taking Calculus I.

The MPE is a free online test given in PlaceU, a Cengage online assessment for mathematics placement.  Access the MPE in PlaceU through this Canvas course to take the Citadel MPE and Cengage does not request payment.  Detailed instructions on this can be found in the Math Readiness Canvas course.

The MPE consists of 33 multiple-choice problems in algebra and trigonometry. You will have 90 minutes to complete the exam with only pen and scratch paper – no calculator allowed.  

You can take the online MPE at most five times, proctored or not.

Your best score on the proctored online MPE will be used to determine if you will be placed in Precalculus or Calculus I. See below for guidance based on your score.

Score of 28 or higher:  

• Ready for Calculus I.
• Take the free Online Workshop II: Concepts of Precalculus: a preparation for Calculus I, to further review and refresh your algebra and trigonometry skills (in your canvas account).

Score of 22-27:

• Almost ready for Calculus I.
• Take the free Online Workshop II: Concepts of Precalculus: a preparation for Calculus I (in your canvas account).
• Take the 2022 MPE again OR take Precalculus (MATH 119) in the summer. If you complete MATH 119 with a grade of C or higher, you will be placed in Calculus I (MATH 131) in the fall.

Score of 16-21:

• Not ready for Calculus I.
• Take the free Online Workshop II: Concepts of Precalculus: a preparation for Calculus I 
• Take the MPE again OR take Precalculus (MATH 119) in the summer. If you complete MATH 119 with a grade of C or higher, you will be placed in Calculus I (MATH 131) in the fall.

Score of 0-15:

• Take the free Online Workshop I: College Mathematics, a preparation for Precalculus and the free Online Workshop II: Concepts of Precalculus: a preparation for Calculus I
• Take the MPE again OR you may take College Algebra with Trigonometry (MATH 118) in the summer. If you complete MATH 118 with a grade of C or higher, you will be placed in Precalculus (MATH 119) in the fall.

All first year students whose major programs require Calculus I (MATH 131) will need to take the Math Placement Exam (MPE).  At The Citadel, the following bachelors degree programs require MATH 131: Biochemistry, Chemistry (B.S.), Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Engineering, Cyber Operations, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, or Physics.

Other students may also elect to take MATH 131, for example,

• if considering the pursuit of a minor in Applied Mathematics or in Applied Statistics,
• if earning an American Chemical Society certificate as a Chemistry (B.A.) major, or
• if considering the pursuit of a navy scholarship.

Our experience shows that some students entering college for the first time are not sufficiently prepared for the rigors of Calculus and require a semester of precalculus or an additional semester of college algebra with trigonometry prior taking precalculus and before attempting Calculus I (MATH 131).  At The Citadel, our college algebra with trigonometry and precalculus course are College Algebra with Trigonometry (MATH 118) and Precalculus (MATH 119), respectively. 

If you fall into any of the categories listed above, you are required to take a proctored online MPE. 

Students with Advanced Placement/CLEP math credit or transfer math credit for precalculus or calculus are also required to take the MPE though their math placements will not be based on their MPE scores. 

If a student has AP-Calculus (AB or BC) credits or transfer credits for Calculus I (MATH 131) then they will have credits for MATH 131 and can register for Calculus II (MATH 132) or Calculus I (MATH 131), regardless of their MPE score.  Similarly, if a student has college transfer credit for Precalculus, then they can register for Calculus I (MATH 131) or Precalculus (MATH 119), regardless of their MPE score.

Please check your Citadel email from time to time for updates on the MPE.

28 or higher

• ready for Calculus I
• take the free Online Workshop II: Concepts of Precalculus: a preparation for Calculus I, to further review and refresh your algebra and trigonometry skills.

22-27

• almost ready for Calculus I
• take the free Online Workshop II: Concepts of Precalculus: a preparation for Calculus I and then
• take the 2022 MPE again OR take Precalculus (MATH 119) in the summer. If you complete MATH 119 with a grade of C or higher, you will be placed in Calculus I (MATH 131) in the fall.

16-21

• not ready for Calculus I
• take the free Online Workshop II: Concepts of Precalculus: a preparation for Calculus I in the summer 
• take the MPE again OR take Precalculus (MATH 119) in the summer. If you complete MATH 119 with a grade of C or higher, you will be placed in Calculus I (MATH 131) in the fall.

0-15 

• take the free Online Workshop I: College Mathematics, a preparation for Precalculus and the free Online Workshop II: Concepts of Precalculus: a preparation for Calculus I
• take the MPE again OR you may take College Algebra with Trigonometry (MATH 118) in the summer. If you complete MATH 118 with a grade of C or higher, you will be placed in Precalculus (MATH 119) in the fall.

 You will receive your MPE score right after you complete the MPE in PlaceU.

1. Self-paced offline Review

The module in this Canvas course titled Review Materials and Practice Problems in PDF, which can be found in your Citadel Canvas account, contains review materials by topic broken into 10 parts with practice problems and the solutions for each part.  You can download and print any parts of this module to work offline.  Review the concepts as needed and then work the practice problems and check your solutions.  Continue to review and practice until you are more confident with the material and better understand how to solve the problems for each part of the review.

2. Two Free Online Workshops

Two free online workshops have been developed for students to review and refresh skills in algebra and trigonometry covered in the MPE. Both of these workshops can be found in your Citadel Canvas account.

Online Workshop I: a preparation of Precalculus

This workshop covers basic skills of algebra and trigonometry to prepare students for Online Workshop II – Concepts of Precalculus (MATH 119).  Workshop I consists of 12 modules with practice problems in a test format. You can attempt the tests multiple times, in any order.

Online Workshop II: a preparation of Calculus I

This workshop covers skills of college algebra and trigonometry to prepare students for Calculus I (MATH 131). It consists of 12 modules with practice problems in a test format. Students can attempt the module tests multiple times, in any order.

Both free online workshops are ready for you to take in Canvas. Please click on: Concepts of College Mathematics: a Preparation for Precalculus – Online Workshop I (2022) to work on modules in the free Online Workshop I or click on: Concepts of Precalculus: a Preparation for Calculus I – Online Workshop II (2022) to work on modules in the free Online Workshop II.

3. MATH 118 and MATH 119 in the Summer:

The Citadel Success Institute (CSI) will offer MATH 118 (College Algebra with Trigonometry) and MATH 119 (Precalculus) in CSI I: June 6 – July 1, and CSI II: July 5- July 30, 2022 for incoming cadets. Please visit the website:  https://www.citadel.edu/root/csi. (Links to an external site.)  for details.

If taking MATH 118 or MATH 119 in CSI I, you must take the proctored MPE in PlaceU by June 2.

If taking MATH 118 or MATH 119 in CSI II, you must take the proctored MPE in Place U by June 30.

A student who receives a grade of C or higher in MATH 118 will be placed in MATH 119 in the fall, and a student who receives a grade of C or higher in MATH 119 will be placed in MATH 131 in the fall.

   4. Taking College Algebra or Precalculus at a Local College

If you cannot take MATH 118 or MATH 119 in CSI I or CSI II at The Citadel in the summer, you may take an equivalent course at a college in your local area.

1. Log into your Citadel Canvas account at https://citadel.instructure.com.
2. Your username in Canvas is your_Citadel_username@nation.citadel.edu. For example, my Citadel email address: “chenm@citadel.edu”, and my Canvas login username: “chenm@nation.citadel.edu”. Your Canvas password in your Lesense Gateway password.
3. On the Dashboard, select Math Readiness Program.

You are required to sign up for a proctored session for the MPE at Signup.com using the weblink: Signup.com.
You can take the online MPE at most five times, proctored or not.

If taking MATH 118 or MATH 119 in CSI I, you must take the proctored MPE in PlaceU by June 2.
If taking MATH 118 or MATH 119 in CSI II, you must take the proctored MPE in PlaceU by June 30.

Check your Citadel email before your scheduled test date for information. 
Please email Professor Myrick mmyrick@citadel.edu or Cadet Ernest James ejames3@citadel.edu with any questions regarding the proctored MPE.

Time and days offering a proctored MPE starting on April 4 and ending on August 12 (Eastern Time):

April 4-May 20:  MWF

Time\Day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
12:00pm- 3:00pm	April 4, April 11, April 18, April 25, May 2, May 9, May 16		April 6, April 13, April 20, April 27, May 4, May 11, May 18		April 8, April 15, April 22, April 29, May 6, May 14, May 20

May 23-June 2:  MTWRF

Time\Day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
12:00pm-3:00pm	May 23, May 30	May 24, May 31	May 25, June 1	May 26, June 2	May 20

June 6-June 17:  MWF

Time\Day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
12:00pm-3:00pm	June 6, June 13		June 8, June 15		June 10, June 17

June 20-June 30:  MTWRF

Time\Day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
12:00pm-3:00pm	June 20, June 27	June 21, June 28	June 22, June 29	June 23, June 30	June 24

July 6-July 29:  MWF

Time\Day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
12:00pm-3:00pm	July 11, July 18, July 25		July 6, July 13, July 20, July 27		July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29

August 1-August 12:

Time\Day	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
12:00pm-3:00pm	Aug 1, Aug 8	Aug 2, Aug 9	Aug 3, Aug 10	Aug 4, Aug 11	Aug 5, Aug 12

Cadet Ernest James or Professor Melissa Myrick will be monitoring each session in Zoom and every session will be recorded. 

Zoom links for these sessions:

April 4-May 20     Mon, Wed, Fri: https://citadelonline.zoom.us/j/81034835111

May 23-June 2     Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri: https://citadelonline.zoom.us/j/82476308636

June 6-June 17  Mon, Wed, Fri:  https://citadelonline.zoom.us/j/86845125669

June 20-June 30    Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri:  https://citadelonline.zoom.us/j/88475214724

July 6-July 29     Mon, Wed, Fri:  https://citadelonline.zoom.us/j/88485147519

Aug 1-Aug 12    Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri:  https://citadelonline.zoom.us/j/85242734780

You have access to Zoom in the Canvas Math Readiness Program course listed in the main menu. You will need a camera installed in your computer. If not, you may start a session in Zoom using your iPhone or SmartPhone so you can be seen by the proctor.

When you join the Zoom meeting using a Zoom link above, you will be put in a waiting room and you will be admitted into the session after we check and verify your picture ID.