Calculus recommendations are based on your ALEKS profile
What did you think of your time with the ALEKS? We hope you found it interesting. After your session, you will receive a score. Based on that ALEKS profile, we will determine if you should enroll in one of our calculus courses, Precalculus (Math 9), or do some additional preparation. We will enforce the following guidelines.
Score range 76-100: You have the preparation you need to enter one of our calculus courses automatically. Here’s a page to help you decide which one to enroll in.
Score range 72-75: We think that ALEKS might be able to help you get ready for calculus. Do 15 hours of preparation and learning in ALEKS and contact our Directors of Assessment, Professors Mary Long and Luvreet Sangha before July 31. We will confirm your hours and allow you one more ALEKS session. If this does not increase your score to the calculus range, then Math 9 is the right course for you. Remember, it’s not about what you might have known once, it’s about what you know now.
Score range: 68-71: Maybe it’s a longshot, but if you will do 25 hours of preparation and learning in ALEKS by July 31, you can try a second ALEKS session. This option is for very motivated learners!
Score range 61-75: Your work in ALEKS shows that Math 9 is the right course for you. This course is specifically designed to help you build a solid foundation for calculus. It includes a required lab component with support for active learning and non-routine problem-solving skills that may have been missing from your previous mathematics preparation.
Score range less than 60: Your score indicates that you need some preliminary work before entering Math 9. We urge you to complete an Intermediate Algebra course before you take Math 9 at Santa Clara University. Such a course is widely available through community colleges. If you don’t have a community college nearby, you should take an on-line course, for example this one from the University of North Dakota. Once at SCU, you should enroll in MATH 9.
If you missed the deadline for taking the CRE, take it as soon as possible. If you missed the deadline to ask for a second session with ALEKS, contact the CRE directors.
Other options to prepare for calculus:
Math Advance Program
Students who take the CRE by June 15 will be considered for Math Advance. This is a free 3-week online program offered in August to help a small group of students get off to a strong start in their university math sequence, and to connect them with experienced SCU student partners before the school year begins. There are two sections of Math Advance. Math Advance Calculus is designed for students who are just short of the cutoff for being eligible to take calculus in the Fall; it will help bring those students over the threshold. Math Advance Precalculus is designed for students who will be taking Precalculus in the Fall, but could benefit from some extra practice and instruction in skills and concepts from high school math. More details can be found at the Math Advance web page.
Take precalculus during the summer:
If you want to take calculus, but the CRE tells us that you are not ready, you can take a course equivalent to Math 9 at an accredited college or university. Show our CRE Directors evidence that you have completed such a course with a C or better and we will admit you to Math 11 or Math 30, on a space-available basis.
If you have any questions you can talk with our Directors of Assessment, Professors Mary Long and Luvreet Sangha.