You may have earned academic college course credit by scoring well on Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations, or by receiving credit at a college or university that has transferred to CU. The information on this website is meant to guide you in making the decision on which math class to begin with at CU Boulder.

AP/IB Score Information

  • Once you have your AP and/or IB exam scores, review the AP or IB Equivalency Chart and look for the exam you took to see if your score corresponds to a CU Boulder Course Equivalent.
  • Don't know your AP or IB examination scores? For AP exams, you should receive an AP Score Report by mail that lists your cumulative AP Exam scores. You may also contact the College Board to obtain your scores by telephone beginning July 1. For IB exams, results are sent out in July for the May session and in January for the November session. Students may also obtain their results online.

College Credit

  • Sometimes first-year freshmen come to campus having earned college credit by taking college-level courses while enrolled in high school (see "Transfer of College-Level Credit").
  • You may have done that by taking community college courses, courses at one of the CU campuses, or perhaps by completing a "CU Succeed" course (which shows up as CU Denver coursework on the CU transcript).
    • Did you know? The University of Colorado has a combined transcript.  That means that courses taken at CU Boulder, along with the CU Denver and CU Colorado Springs campuses, all show up on the CU transcript.  So you may have established a CU transcript already if you took a CU Succeed class.

General Information About Math Courses

  • Consider repeating the last math class you received credit for
    • Even with earned calculus credit many students find it helpful to repeat the last math class for which they have received college credit to make their transition to CU Boulder engineering smoother. 
    • We recommend that you test yourself with final exams for the last course for which you received credit. This way you make sure you have sufficient mastery of the material before moving on to the next level. These exams should be taken without the help of notes or calculators. Consult with your advisor once you're done, they can help you finalize your decision. 
    • If you do choose to repeat a course for which you already have college credit, your previously earned college credit will not be counted. This also means you cannot go back and use that previous grade since CEAS' repeated course policy allows only the most recent instiance of a course to count towards your degree. Again, it is recommended that students repeat their most recent math class and it is important to remember that it will likely still be a challenging course even if you have seen some of the material before. Be sure to talk with your advisor if you have questions about what this means for you!  
  • There may be a math class on your schedule before your enrollment window begins
    • If you are starting in the fall, The College of Engineering places a math course on your schedule before we recceive AP/IB/college transfer credit as a placeholder. You can change this course when your enrollment window opens if needed.
    • Students starting in the spring or summer terms will not have a math course pre-loaded on their schedule. You should talk with your academic advisor about which course is right for you after reviewing the materials on these pages. 
  • At CU Boulder, there are two departments which teach the Calculus sequences. One department is the Applied Math Department (APPM) and the other is the Math Department (MATH).
    • The College of Engineering accepts credit for Calculus 1 - 3 and various other math courses from both of these departments to apply towards degree requirements.
    • While students can be successful in either of these departments, the College of Engineering strongly recommends students take the Applied Math Calculus sequence, as these courses are designed for the engineering curriculum.

Which Math Class Should You Take?

  • If you have earned college credit for Calculus 1:
    • Take one or more exams from the APPM 1350 Calculus 1 for Engineers course and/or MATH 1300 Calculus 1 to see if you fully understand the full range of material from the course.  To accurately assess your skill and knowledge level do not refer to reference books, do not use a calculator, and give yourself a 2.5 hour time limit.
      • If you are fully comfortable with this material, enroll in APPM 1360 (Calculus 2 for Engineers) or MATH 2300 (Calculus 2).  
      • If you are not comfortable with the full range of material on the old exam, enroll in APPM 1350 (Calculus 1 for Engineers) or MATH 1300 (Calculus 1).
      • If you are still unsure if you are ready for APPM 1360, send an email to silva.chang@colorado.edu, one of our Applied Math Department faculty. She will send you an updated Calculus 1 final exam; you can complete the final exam, scan it, and email your work to her. She will then send you a recommendation.
  • If you have earned college credit for both Calculus 1 and Calculus 2:
    • Take one or more final exams from the APPM 1360 Calculus 2 for Engineers course and/or MATH 2300 Calculus 2, to see if you fully understand the material. To accurately assess your skill and knowledge level do not refer to reference books, do not use a calculator, and give yourself a 2.5 hour time limit.

      • If you are fully comfortable with the exam material, consult with your academic advisor to determine an appropriate math class. You should also send an email to silva.chang@colorado.edu (one of our Applied Math Department faculty).  She will send you an updated Calculus 2 final exam. You can complete the final exam, scan it, and email your work to her.  You and your advisor will then be sent a recommendation.
      • If you are not comfortable with this material, enroll in APPM 1360 (Calculus 2 for Engineers) or MATH 2300 (Calculus 2). If you would like more of a refresher, you are alternatively welcome to start in Calc. 1 and enroll in APPM 1350 (Calculus 1 for Engineers) or MATH 1300 (Calculus 1). 
  • If you have earned college credit for Calculus 1, Calculus 2, and Calculus 3 or Differential Equations:

More Questions?

If you have any questions about your choice of first semester math class you may contact your academic advisor or Professor Anne Dougherty (303-492-4011 or anne.dougherty@colorado.edu).