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 MPE, a practice, review material in the form of a PDF, and an Online Workshop.  

The Math Readiness Program Canvas course is available to all incoming students starting May 14 and includes the following resources to review algebra and trigonometry:

• Online Workshop – Algebra and Trigonometry Review
• Review Material and Practice Problems in PDF

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 proctored online MPE is available from May 14 to August 9.

The MPE is a free test given on Canvas.  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.

Your best score on the proctored MPE will be used to determine if you will be placed in Precalculus or Calculus I. If you do not take the MPE, you will be placed in Precalculus (MATH 119) in the fall.

The proctored MPE can be taken using Lockdown Browser + Webcam or taken in a Zoom meeting. When you schedule a proctored MPE using Signup.com, you will have the option of being assigned a MPE in Canvas using Lockdown Browser + Webcam proctored by recording via Webcam that can be taken any time, or you can join the scheduled Zoom meeting to take the MPE proctored by Professor Myrick.

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 and Data Analysis,
• 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). 

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

• Math Placement: Calculus I (MATH 131)

20-27

• Math Placement: Calculus I (MATH 131)
• Recommendation: review the free Online Workshop to improve your algebra and trigonometry skills.

18-19 + SAT 620 or higher or ACT 26 or higher

• Math Placement: Calculus I (MATH 131)
• Recommendation: review the free Online Workshop to improve your algebra and trigonometry skills.

0-19 

• Math Placement: Precalculus (MATH 119)
• Recommendations:
  • review the free Online Workshop to improve your algebra and trigonometry skills
  • take the MPE again
  • take Precalculus (MATH 119) in summer CSI session
  • take College Algebra for Precalculus (MATH 118) in the summer CSI session
  • take an equivalent course at a college in your local area

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

Online Workshop

A free Online Workshop provides a review in algebra and trigonometry in Hawkes Learning. Click on any assignment under a topic you need to practice. In each assignment you can review the textbook by clicking Learn, you can practice problems with hints and help by clicking Practice, and you can work problems with no hints or tips under Certify.

This workshop covers basic skills of algebra and trigonometry to prepare students for Precalculus, Calculus I, and for the MPE. The workshop is for you to use as much or as little as needed.

Self-paced Review of PDF Material

The module in this Canvas course titled Review Materials and Practice Problems in PDF 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.

MATH 118 and MATH 119 in the Summer in CSI

The Citadel Success Institute (CSI) will offer MATH 118 (College Algebra for Precalculus) and MATH 119 (Precalculus) in CSI July 6 – July 31, 2024, for incoming cadets. Please visit the website: https://www.citadel.edu/root/csi for details.

If taking MATH 118 or MATH 119 in CSI, you must take the proctored MPE by July 2. All students with no proctored MPE score will be placed in MATH 118 in CSI.

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

Taking College Algebra or Precalculus at a Local College

If you cannot take MATH 118 or MATH 119 in CSI 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: “mmyrick@citadel.edu”, and my Canvas login username: “mmyrick@nation.citadel.edu”. Your Canvas password in your Lesesne Gateway password.
3. On the Dashboard, select Math Readiness Program.

To be placed in Calculus I (MATH 131), you are required to sign up for a proctored session for the MPE that will be proctored by Zoom meeting or using Lockdown Browser + Webcam available May 14 through August 9.

Use the weblink: Signup.com to sign up for a proctored MPE.

You can take the online MPE at most five times.

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

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

Time and days offering a proctored MPE starting on May 14 and ending on August 9 (Eastern Time):

May 14 – June 20:

Zoom meetings will be Tuesday and Thursday 12:00-1:30 pm Eastern Time.

Lockdown Browser + Webcam MPEs will be assigned and can taken any time.

Use Signup.com to schedule a proctored MPE on Zoom. You can take a proctored MPE on Canvas any time using Lockdown Browser + Webcam.

June 24 – July 2:

Zoom meetings will be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 12:00-1:30pm Eastern Time.

Lockdown Browser + Webcam will be assigned and can be taken any time.

Use Signup.com to schedule a proctored MPE on Zoom. You can take a proctored MPE on Canvas any time using Lockdown Browser + Webcam.

July 9 – July 25:

Zoom meetings will be Tuesday and Thursday 12:00-1:30pm Eastern Time.

Lockdown Browser + Webcam will be assigned and can be taken any time.

Use Signup.com to schedule a proctored MPE on Zoom. You can take a proctored MPE on Canvas any time using Lockdown Browser + Webcam.

July 29 – August 9:

Zoom meetings will be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 12:00-1:30pm Eastern Time.

Lockdown Browser + Webcam will be assigned and can be taken any time.

Use Signup.com to schedule a proctored MPE on Zoom. You can take a proctored MPE on Canvas any time using Lockdown Browser + Webcam.