Math Placement at Loyola

You need a math placement only if your program of study includes MATH 117, MATH 118, MATH 131 or MATH 161, either as required course work or a prerequisite. You do not need a math placement if you only intend to take MATH108 or STAT103 to satisfy Loyola's Quantitative Analysis core requirement.

If you are unsure if you need a math placement, new/incoming students should check their Student Portal (www.luc.edu/studentportal) and current/continuing students should check with their academic advisor.

Students must have a math placement using one of the methods below before they will be allowed to register for a calculus I class (MATH131 or MATH161) or a precalculus class (MATH100, MATH117 or MATH118).

Find out

• your current math placement.
• how to submit
  • ACT scores. (LUC's ACT code.)
  • SAT scores. (LUC's SAT code.)
  • AP calculus scores.
  • IB math HL scores.
  • high school transcripts.

Math placement can be accomplished in four ways:

1. Submit ACT or SAT scores.
2. Submit AP calculus and/or IB Math HL scores.
3. Take the ALEKS math placement assessment. See the MPA instructions on how to take ALEKS.
4. Use final high school calculus and precalculus grades of a yearlong class from within the last 2 years. "Final grades": If your transcript lists a final grade, then that is your final grade. If the transcript does not specify a final grade, then the 2nd semester grade is deemed your final grade. This option can only be used if you have received at least a B- in a high school calculus or precalculus class, and your official transcript has been submitted to Loyola. If you meet these requirements and your high school transcripts will place you higher than your current math placement, you may request this option. Access this form with your Loyola email address and LOCUS password.

The highest placement from these four methods is the definitive one. If you are registering before Loyola has received final high school transcripts, you must place using one of the other methods. You may later request a new placement based on your final high school grades.

Depending on your major, starting in MATH 100 may delay your path to graduating in four years.  It is of course important to start in a class where you are ready to succeed, but it is also important to keep on track for graduation. Please check the requirements for your degree.

While the ALEKS placement is available to you, you may take it as often as you like. But, if you are enrolled in Math 100, MATH 117 or MATH 118, only up to and including the "Last day to add and swap class". See the LUC official calendar for that exact date. After that date, you are locked into that class and the MATH 100-117-118 course sequence and you can neither take nor retake ALEKS. 

While ALEKS is available to you, you may take ALEKS a total of five times at no cost. If you wish to retake ALEKS after a fifth attempt, you must contact PlacementTest@luc.edu and pay a fee for a new bundle of five attempts. Unfortunately, unused attempts in any bundle expire each year on January 31.

After your first attempt in each bundle, ALEKS creates learning modules to help you study.

If you do not know in which math course you need to enroll, you can review the web pages of your major or program, check your Student Portal, or consult with your Orientation Academic Advisor.

Here are the details of how the different criteria give placements into different math courses.

ACT Math subscore	SAT-R Math subscore (after 3/1/2016)
0–23: MATH 100 24–25: MATH 117 26: MATH 118 27–36: MATH 131 or MATH 161	0 - 560: MATH 100 570–600: MATH 117 610–620: MATH 118 630–800: MATH 131 or MATH 161

AP Calculus AB or BC	SAT II, Math 1C or SAT Math Level 1 Subject Test	SAT II, Math 2C or SAT Math Level 2 Subject Test
1: MATH 100 2: MATH 118 3: MATH 131 or MATH 161 4 or 5 on AB: MATH 161 credit; take MATH 162 or 132 4 or 5 on BC: MATH 161 and 162A credit. Many options For important information, please see AP Calculus credit.	200–534: MATH 100 535–634: MATH 117 635–800: MATH 118	200–534: MATH 100 535–634: MATH 118 635–800: MATH 161

IB HL

Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches: 6-7: MATH 161 credit; take MATH 162 or 132 Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation: 6-7: 3 hours college credit; placement into MATH 131 or MATH 161

 

Placement into a math course based on the ALEKS placement assessment.  Read the MPA instructions on how to take ALEKS. Access to the MPA ends each term at 5 pm on the "Last day to add and swap class" according to the university calendar. See https://www.luc.edu/academics/schedules/index.shtml.

MPA score

0 - 44: MATH 100 45 - 59: MATH 117 60 - 74: MATH 118 75 - 100: MATH 131 or 161

Placement into a math course is based on the final (as defined above) high school grades of a yearlong course from within the last 2 years:

A in high school calculus places one into MATH 131 or MATH 161.

B in high school calculus places one into MATH 118.

A or B in high school precalculus places one into MATH 117.

IB course treated as AP Calculus: IB HL Mathematics: analysis and approaches
 
A in IB HL Mathematics: applications and interpretation: MATH 118
B in IB HL Mathematics: applications and interpretation: MATH 117
 
IB courses treated as precalculus:
   IB SL Mathematics: applications and interpretation
   IB SL Mathematics: analysis and approaches

No high school calculus or precalculus or a grade below B- in calculus or precalculus: MATH 100

An “A” in calculus includes a grade of A- or above in a yearlong high school calculus class. This does not have to be AP calculus, but it should cover all standard topics in differential calculus. A “B” includes a B- or above.

A precalculus class should be a yearlong class intended as the final prerequisite class before calculus.

If you do not know if you need one of these math courses or which math course you need to enroll in, review the web pages of your major or program, check your Student Portal, or consult with your Orientation Academic Advisor. Please email PlacementTest@luc.edu with any other questions.