Placement Guidelines

You are not confident in your pre-calculus knowledge, perhaps as suggested by

• A below-threshold score on the Pre-Calc Self-Assessment
• A Math SAT score between 550 and 710
• A Math SAT II score between 530 and 710
• An ACT Math score between 22 and 30

You have a strong base in pre-calculus, as potentially evidenced by

• An above-threshold score on the Pre-Calc Self-Assessment
• Your Math SAT or SAT II score is at least 710
• Your ACT Math score is at least 30

MATH 111L
Laboratory Calculus I

Consider taking our Pre-Calc Self-Assessment to confirm your preparation for this course.

(Registration in Math 111L is contingent on the proctored Calculus 1 Placement Test on the first day of class.)

SAT Score Placement Guidance

• You have not taken an AP test

• Your SAT score is above 550 (520 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your SAT II score is above 530 (500 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your ACT score is at least 22

• Your SAT or SAT II score is below 730 (700 if taken before Mar. 2016), but higher than 710 (680 if taken before Mar. 2016)

MATH 111L Laboratory Calculus I

Consider taking our Pre-Calc Self-Assessment to confirm your preparation for this course.

• Your SAT or SAT II score is at least 730 (700 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your ACT score is at least 32
• You feel you have a strong background in calculus

It is recommended that you take MATH 111L Laboratory Calculus I.  However, if you are willing to accept the inherent risk of taking a course for which you do not have credit for the prerequisite, you may enroll in second semester calculus such as MATH 122L Introductory Calculus II with Applications (offered in the fall semester) or MATH 112L Laboratory Calculus II (offered in the spring semester).  Before doing so, you should be sure to take our Calc 1 Self-Assessment to confirm your preparation.

If you wish to place beyond second semester calculus, you will need to consult with the Supervisor of First-year Instruction and describe the contents of the math courses you have had (e.g., textbook and chapters covered), how well you did in those courses, your SAT and Achievement scores, and a statement of the placement you desire. It is especially helpful if you can email a copy of the syllabus, including the title of the textbook you used and the sections you studied.

Advanced Placement (AP) Test Score Placement Guidance

• You took the AP test but did not earn credit

• Your SAT score is above 550 (520 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your SAT II score is above 530 (500 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your ACT score is at least 22

• Your SAT or SAT II score is at least 710 (680 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your ACT score is at least 30

MATH 111L Laboratory Calculus I

Consider taking our Pre-Calc Self-Assessment to confirm your preparation for this course.

• You have earned AP credit for MATH 21 Introductory Calculus I
  
  NOTE FOR FALL 2021:  Pandemic disruptions may have made AP/IPC scores unreliable.  Students are urged to take the Calc 1 Self-Assessment to confirm their preparation.

• Your SAT or SAT II score is below 710 (680 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your ACT score is below 30

Recommendation: Forego the AP credit and take MATH 111L Laboratory Calculus I so that you gain experience in college-level calculus before you proceed to second-semester calculus.  If you feel that your proficiency in calc 1 is sufficient that this would not be a good use of your efforts, you might consider taking our Calc 1 Self-Assessment.

Note: If you are not certain that you need credit for more than one semester of calculus, another strategy is not to take any math during your first semester. Then you can wait to decide after you have been in college for at least a semester and you have a better idea of the academic direction you will take. Depending on your interests for a major, you may not need any further calculus beyond the one AP credit you have already earned.

• Your SAT or SAT II is at least 710 (680 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your ACT score is at least 30

Take second semester calculus.  In the fall semester, this would be MATH 122L Introductory Calculus II with Applications.  In the spring semester, your course choice would be MATH 112L Laboratory Calculus II.

If you are not confident in your calc 1 proficiency or your math preparation in general, consider taking our Calc 1 Self-Assessment to confirm your preparation for calc 2.

• You have earned AP credit for MATH 22 Introductory Calculus II
  
  NOTE FOR FALL 2021:  Pandemic disruptions may have made AP/IPC scores unreliable.  Students are urged to take the Calc 2 Self-Assessment to confirm their preparation.

• Your SAT or SAT II score is below 710 (680 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your ACT score is below 30
• You lack confidence in your mathematical preparation or abilities
• You earned a grade of 4 on the BC AP exam and received Math 22 credit by the old rules

Recommendation: You are strongly encouraged to consider waiving your MATH 22 Introductory Calculus II credit and starting in MATH 122L Introductory Calculus II with Applications before going on to mutlivariable calculus. For many students this option will alow for a more successful experience in multivariable calculus by providing a significantly strong preparation in single variable calculus, and allowing the adjustment to Duke-level math courses to happen in the context of more familiar material, before you get to multivariable calculus.

If you feel that your proficiency in calc 2 is sufficient that this would not be a good use of your efforts, you might consider taking our Calc 2 Self-Assessment.

• Your SAT or SAT II score is at least 710 (680 if taken before Mar. 2016)
• Your ACT score is at least 30
• You earned a score of 5 on the BC AP exam
• You are confident in your mathematical preparation and abilities

If you are considering majoring in math or are interested in a more rigorous experience in the subject, consider taking MATH 222 Advanced Multivariable Calculus.  Taking this Spring course would require that you begin in the Fall with MATH 221 Linear Algebra and Applications.  MATH 222 Advanced Multivariable Calculus should satisfy any prerequisite or major requirement on campus for MATH 212 Multivariable Calculus.  In addition to the rigor, the linear algebra prerequisite will allow for a more powerful point of view on the calculus.

For many students, MATH 218 Matrices and Vector Spaces is a good choice, including students in engineering (should take 218-2), physics, statistics, computer science, some economics students such as those interested in graduate school, quantitative finance or the finance minor, and any others who might want or need to take a course in linear algebra.  This will prepare the student for MATH 219 Multivariable Calculus, which can use the linear algebra prerequisite to give a more powerful point of view on the calculus.  (Math majors can take this sequence too -- but note that 218 is not equivalent to 221 for the major requirements.  See the math major requirements on the undergraduate page for more information.)

For some students, MATH 212 Multivariable Calculus is a good choice.  This course is recommended only for students that are expecting not to need to take a course in linear algebra; if you might need linear algebra then you are advised to take 218 followed by 219.

If you are considering majoring in economics or the social sciences, consider taking MATH 202 Multivariable Calculus for Economics.  This is a good choice for students majoring in economics who are not planning to take any further math courses after multivariable calculus.  Importantly, note that Math 202 is NOT equivalent to Math 212, Math 219, and Math 222 in the major and minor requirements for math, physics, engineering, and chemistry.  Be sure to check the specific requirements of your other interests.

Enrollment in MATH 202 or MATH 212 requires credit for second semester calculus (Math 22, 112L, 122L, or 122) on your Duke transcript.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Test Score Placement Guidance

• You have earned credit for MATH 21 and/or MATH 22, as determined by the Registrar
  
  NOTE FOR FALL 2021:  Pandemic disruptions may have made AP/IPC scores unreliable.  Students are urged to take the Calculus Self-Assessment corresponding to their credits to confirm their preparation.

• You have taken the IB, the British A-level, the French Baccalaureate or the German Arbitur test

If you have earned credit for MATH 21, see the discussion above for students with AP credit for MATH 21.

If you have earned credit for both MATH 21 and MATH 22, see the discussion above for students with AP credit for MATH 22.

If your situation is different in some way, or if you desire some other placement based upon work out of the country, then you should meet with the Supervisor of First Year Instruction to discuss placement options.

Note: Requests for credit based on an internationally recognized entrance examination, such at the IB, the British A-level, the French Baccalaureate, and the German Arbitur, should be sent to the Registrar. A student can receive up to two credits for one of these tests. In general if Duke grants you credit for a course, then you should enroll in the next higher math course.

• Your multivariable calculus course DID NOT include line integrals, Green's Theorem, surface integrals, and Stokes' Theorem

• You have earned pre-matriculation credit for MATH 212

• You do not have credit for MATH 212, but you have studied all the topics covered in our course, and you feel you should take a higher level math course