Math Placement and Math Pathway

The course must be equivalent to MATH 10A or MATH 20A to earn calculus credit at UCSD. See UCSD Math transfer equivalencies for options. No transfer course is directly equivalent to UCSD's MATH 2, MATH 3B, MATH 3C, or MATH 4C. (See Option 2 below if you are not yet ready to take calculus at a community college).

To enroll in a calculus course for transfer, you will need to apply directly to the community college. See "Help Enrolling at a Community College" below.

After you pass the MATH 10A/20A course, you can enroll in the next course in the sequence at UCSD (e.g., MATH 10B/20B). You will need to submit an EASy request if the final grade is not yet posted on your UCSD Academic History at the time of enrollment.

Example: King Triton places into MATH 3C but decides to take calculus and a support course at a community college. He enrolls in  MATH 121+85 (Applied Calculus I, plus Support for Applied Calculus) at Southwestern College. He passes the courses, submits his transcript to UCSD, and earns 4.5 units of credit for MATH 10A plus 3.5 elective units. He enrolls in MATH 10B at UCSD the following quarter. (OR, he enrolls in MATH 122 at Southwestern College the next semester to finish the calculus 10ABC sequence there).

No transfer course is directly equivalent to UCSD's MATH 2, MATH 3B, MATH 3C, or MATH 4C. Many preparatory math courses before calculus (e.g., algebra, geometry, trigonometry, precalculus) are not UC-transferable for credit. You can see if the course is UC-transferable for credit by visiting assist.org.  If the course is UC-transferable, you will earn elective credit (toward the 180 units needed for your degree). Even if the course is not transferable for UC degree credit, preparatory math courses at a community college are a great low-cost option for students who want a traditional class experience and need more preparation. 

Examples: 

• San Diego Community College District offers Math 116 (College and Matrix Algebra) with various support courses depending on the campus: MATH 15A (Pre-Algebra Refresher), 15B (Elementary Algebra), 15C (Intermediate Algebra), and 15D (Geometry Refresher) or Math 116X support course. 
• Grossmont/Cuyamaca Community Colleges offers Math 175 (College Algebra) with support coursework depending on the campus: Math 75 (Foundations for College Algebra). 
• Southwestern College offers Math 101 College Algebra (support course: Math 83).
• MiraCosta College offers Math 126S Pre-Calculus I: College Algebra with Integrated Support.
• California Virtual Campus - cvc.edu shows all online courses available through California community colleges. 

You will need to apply directly to the community college. See "Help Enrolling at a Community College" below.  You must submit a final transcript to UCSD Admissions once the course is finished. If the course is not UC-transferable you do not need to submit a transcript to UCSD Admissions.

You must request to retake the UCSD Math Placement Exam (MPE) to enroll in a future math course at UCSD. Contact mathtesting@ucsd.edu with proof of passing the course (e.g., an unofficial transcript with final grade) to request to retake the MPE.

Example 1 (MATH 2 initial placement)

Rory places into MATH 2 and decides to take MATH 110 (College Algebra) at Palomar College. They talk with Palomar College counselors about enrolling. They pass the class, submit their transcript to UCSD, and earn 6 units of elective credit. They take the PUP-E for MATH 2-to-3B at UCSD in September. They enroll in MATH 3B in Fall.

Example 2 (MATH 3B or higher initial placement)

Ell places into MATH 3B and enrolls in MATH 141 (Precalculus) at San Diego City College. They work with City College counselors to enroll and pay for the course. They earn a D in the class, send their transcript to UCSD Admissions, and earn 6 units of elective credit. They contact Math Testing & Placement to retake the UCSD Math Placement Exam (MPE) in September and place into MATH 3B. They will need to take MATH 3B at UCSD in the Fall quarter, OR they could enroll in the subsequent course at City College in the Fall quarter and consider finishing all courses in the Calculus sequence there.

This option is for students who place into MATH 2. Plan to spend at least 100 hours before taking the PUP-E.

• Take online non-credit courses like Prealgebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, and/or Algebra 2 through Khan Academy.  This free option is good for those who work well in online settings, like game-ified content, and need more extensive preparation.
• Take online courses like Foundations of Real-World Math (RWM 101) and/or Real World Math: Algebra (MA007) at Saylor Academy.  This free option is good for students who want a non-game-ified online experience.

You must register for the MATH 2-to-3B Place-Up Pathway Exam (PUP-E) when it is next offered and pass the exam to move on to MATH 3B.

Example 1: Parker places into MATH 2 but cannot take a summer course at a community college because of their job. They spend 5-10 hours every week using Khan Academy throughout the summer. They take the PUP-E for MATH 2-to-3B at UCSD in September and pass. They enroll in MATH 3B in Fall. 

Example 2: Taylor places into MATH 2 and believes they just need a refresher from what they learned in high school. They spend a couple of hours watching YouTube videos and then take the PUP-E for MATH 2-to-3B in September. They do not pass the exam. They should enroll in MATH 2 in Fall. (They are allowed to try self-study again or a community college course in Fall instead of enrolling in the course at UCSD, but they will need to pass the PUP-E for MATH 2-to-3B at the end of Fall quarter.)

If you decide to enroll at a community college, follow these steps to help you navigate the process. 

Most community colleges are on a semester calendar and meet for about 15 weeks, but UC San Diego uses the quarter system which is 10 weeks for each class. Check when the courses are offered. To convert semester units to quarter units (if the class is UC-transferable for credit), multiple the semester units by 1.5. Example: A 4-unit class at a community college on the semester system is 6 units of credit at UCSD.

3. Apply 

If you have questions about enrolling at the community college, you will work with the community college's advising/counseling team. You may need to take a placement exam or provide test scores or unofficial transcripts in order to enroll. All prerequisite requirements are enforced by the community college, and UCSD placement exams do not have any influence over enrollment at other schools.

5. Finances / Aid

You will pay the community college directly via their bursar / accounts office. Your UCSD financial aid will not cover the cost of the course. You may need to submit your FAFSA application information to the community college to be eligible for aid. Contact the community college's financial aid office with any questions.

6. Take the course.

7. Send final transcript to UCSD Admissions

Visit the community college's Registrar / Records unit to order a final transcript once the final grade is assigned. Submit the final transcript to UCSD Admissions - view their FAQ for full information of where to send the transcript either electronically or via mail.