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. (Skip to 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 Enrollment Guidance for Community College Coursework below.

Tips:

• California Virtual Campus - cvc.edu - shows all online courses available through California community colleges.
• UC Online - offers online courses across the UC system

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

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), MATH 15B (Elementary Algebra), MATH 15C (Intermediate Algebra), MATH 15D (Geometry Refresher), or MATH 116X support course. 
• Grossmont/Cuyamaca Community Colleges offers Math 175 (College Algebra) with support coursework depending on the campus. Consider Math 75 (Foundations for College Algebra). 
• Southwestern College offers Math 101: College Algebra (with 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 where you want to enroll. See Enrollment Guidance for Community College Coursework below. You must submit a final transcript to UCSD Admissions once the course is finished. 

If the course you take is not yet equivalent to the calculus level (equal to MATH 10A or 20A), you must 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 (such as an unofficial transcript with your final grade) to request to retake the MPE.

This option is for students who place into MATH 2. Plan to spend at least 100 hours studying before taking the PUP-E. To self-study without a formal course, try this:

• Take an online non-credit course 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, enjoy game-ified content, and need more extensive preparation.
• Take an online course 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.

After self-study, 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 place into MATH 3B. If you pass the MATH 2-to-3B PUP-E and believe you can place even higher, you may take the MATH 3B-to-3C PUP-E right away.

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

Step 1 - Research course offerings

Step 2 - Consider the semester system

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. Look carefully at the course dates, as these will not match the dates of UCSD's quarters. 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.

Step 3 - Apply

• You can apply to multiple California community colleges at https://home.cccapply.org/us/
• San Diego Mesa College's Concurrent Enrollment Steps- https://www.sdmesa.edu/student-support/admissions/concurrent-enrollment.shtml 
• Look at San Diego City College's Help: https://www.sdcity.edu/help.aspx 

Step 4 - Advising/Enrollment/Placement

If you have questions about enrolling at a community college, you will work with that 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 prerequisites and enrollment requirements are enforced by the community college, and UCSD placement exams do not have any influence over enrollment at other schools.

Step 5 - Bills/Payment/Financial Aid

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

Step 6 - Take the course

Step 7 - Send the final transcript to UCSD Admissions

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

Step 8 - Request to retake UCSD's MPE (if needed)

If the course you took is not equivalent to the calculus level (equal to MATH 10A or 20A, or higher), you must retake the UCSD Math Placement Exam (MPE) to enroll in the next math course at UCSD. Contact mathtesting@ucsd.edu with proof of passing the course (such as an unofficial transcript with your final grade) to request to retake the MPE.

If the course you took is equivalent to a math course at UCSD, you can enroll in the next course in the sequence (if needed for your major) without retaking the MPE.