Mathematical Sciences Testing Center
Emergency Policies Regarding Registration for Math 105/108/113/123/125 (for Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 semesters)
Given the current COVID-19 crisis, the Math Testing Center is closed for an undetermined amount of time. The situation in Virginia is constantly changing and these policies will update in response to that. Please check here regularly for updates on Math Department policies.
If you are trying to register for Summer 2020 or Fall 2020 classes, you may self-place and register for the course that you feel you are most prepared without taking the Math Placement Test.
If the campus is opened to students and faculty sufficiently in advance of the Fall 2020 semester, then all students registered for Math 105, 108, 113 (and CS 112), 123 and 125 will be required to meet the prerequisites (or pass the math placement test) by the last day to add or they will be dropped from their course.
*Note: Self-placement during this emergency time period will not guarantee that you receive the same placement for other future semesters.
While we are not currently offering the Math Placement Test, please keep in mind that the purpose of this test is to place students into the course that they are most prepared for. The decision of which class to self-place should not be purely determined by the courses required for your degree. There are both academic and financial consequences for placing into a class that you are not ready for. Please reach out to your advisor if you are unsure of which classes to take.
For students who need Math 113 for their degree, we recommend the following placements:
For students who have previously received a grade of… | We recommend they register for… |
|---|---|
A or B+ in an AP/IB-HL calculus class with trigonometry or A in a Precalculus with Trigonometry class | Math 113 |
B/C in an AP/IB-HL calculus class with trigonometry or B/C in a trigonometry class | Math 123 (and math 124 in the Spring) |
D/F in an AP/IB-HL calculus class or Precalculus class or No background with trigonometry | Math 105 |
Those who have not taken math for a long time or who have weak algebra skills | Math 008 (rolling enrollment) and then Math 105 |
For students who need CS 112 for their degree:
Please contact the Computer Science Department for information on placement into CS 112.
For students who need Math 108 for their degree, we recommend the following placements:
For students who have previously received a grade of… | We recommend they register for… |
|---|---|
A/B/C/D in a calculus class such as IB-SL (no trigonometry required) or A/B/C in a College Algebra or Precalculus level class | Math 108 |
F in a calculus class or D/F in a College Algebra or Precalculus class or Those who have not taken math for a long time or who have weak algebra skills | Math 008 (rolling enrollment) and then Math 108 |
For students currently enrolled in Math 008
For students currently enrolled in Math 008, we recommend that you complete the tutorial program and try to get a mastery of 95%. Although you may currently enroll in any of the above courses, we recommend that you enroll in one of the following; Math 105, 108, 123 or 125 in the Summer or Fall semesters. If you would like your Math 008 completion to count as official prerequisite for Math 105 or Math 108, then you must take a proctored version of the Final Knowledge Check. Students who pass the proctored final and complete the full Math 008 tutorial will have met the prerequisites for Math 105,108 and 125 and will not be dropped from their course at a later date. Details are available once you are registered for the Math 008 program.
Math Placement Test Resources
If you have questions about the Online Algebra Tutorial Program, pleased send an e-mail to Gabriela Bulancea at gbulance@gmu.edu.
Please look at the Testing Center FAQ's first, if you still have questions, send an e-mail to Catherine Sausville at csausvil@gmu.edu.
Time limit for each section
| Section | Time limit |
|---|---|
| Algebra I | 45 minutes |
| Algebra II | 30 minutes |
| Transcendentals | 30 minutes |
| Basic Algebra | 36 minutes |
Scores Needed for Courses
Math 106, Math 110, Math 111 & Stat 250
Section and Score Needed:
- N/A
Options without that score:
Retake the test after one week, OR:
- The placement test is not required for these classes.
Math 108 and 125
Section and Score Needed:
- Algebra I: 13 or more
Options without that score:
Retake the test after one week, OR:
- Enroll in the Online Algebra Math Tutorial offered through the mathematics department. Enroll in Math 108 or 125 upon successful completion.
Math 105
Section and Score Needed
- Algebra I: 13 or more
Options without that score:
Retake the test after one week, OR:
- Enroll in the Online Algebra Math Tutorial offered through the mathematics department. Enroll in Math 105 upon successful completion.
Math 123
Section and Score Needed
- Algebra I: 13 or more
- Algebra II: 7 or more
Options without that score:
Retake the test after one week, OR:
- If you did not receive a score of 7 or higher on Algebra II, please contact Catherine Sausville at csausvil@gmu.edu for information about enrolling in Math 123.
Math 113
Section and Score Needed
- Algebra I: 13 or more
- Algebra II: 7 or more
- Transcendentals: 7 or more
Options without that score:
Retake the test after one week, OR:
- Less than 13 on Algebra I:
- Enroll in the Online Algebra Math Tutorial offered through the mathematics department. Enroll in Math 105 upon successful completion. Then enroll in Math 113 after achieving a grade of C or better in Math 105.
- More than 13 in Algebra I, but did not pass Algebra II nor Transcendentals:
- Take Math 105, then after achieving a grade of C or better, you then would enroll in Math 113.
- More than 13 in Algebra I and more than 7 in Algebra II but do not pass Transcendentals:
- Take Math 123, then after achieving a grade of C or better, you could enroll in Math 124. Both Math 123 and Math 124 will be equivalent to Math 113.