seiclan

My daughter and I noticed that she needs to take two online placement tests, one in math and one in chemistry, prior to orientation in order to register for the chemistry and math classes for her major. Has anyone here taken these? Are they hard? Easy? She took Chemistry two years ago and although she did well, dosen't think that she remembers much.

zebes

My S took the math placement exam, didn't need the chem for his major. Anyway, he felt that math was very easy. He'd had up through Honors calculus in high school (no AP). For the most part, he's been an A/B math student. Hopes that helps.

zebes

seiclan

Yes, that helps. She also is currently maintaining a A average in Honors Calculus so she shouldn't have a problem with that exam. We are both concerned about the Chem one though. She has to take at least three chemistry classes with labs for her major, if she has to take additional intro chem classes it would really not be optimal.

jagman0730

seiclan,

What is your daughters major so I can be of more assistance?

seiclan

She is doing Health Science- General Pre-Allied Health.

dvm258

The placement test recommended I take Calculus I, and I only took Honors Calc in HS, with no AP. I also used a lot of process of elimination and SAT strategies on the test, almost by nature, and so I was worried about if the Calculus I class would be too advanced for me. I talked to my adviser and we decided I would take Pre-calc because that would still fulfill my math requirement for almost all the majors at UCF except Engineering, which I'm not really interested in. Also, pre-calc is still a class freshman need approval to enter, so it's not like I'm truly low balling my math classes by choosing college algebra or finite math.

infeatheredeyes

Most of the advisers don't even look at the placement tests recommendations. They didn't even mention their existence in my advising.

They pretty much have you sign up for whatever you think you can handle. Now I don't know if this is because my group was honors and they thought we could do pre-cal or cal or whatever, or if they kind of just let you do what you want.

seiclan

Did you sign up for MAC 1114 honors or the regular MAC 1114? Did you have any problem getting into classes?

dvm258

I signed up for non-honors MAC 1140, which is pre-calc. I also am in Burnett Honors, and they never mentioned the placement test either until I took mine out and asked one of the advisers about it.

infeatheredeyes

I signed up for Mac 1140 as well, non-honors because I already had 2 honors classes for fall semester.

jagman0730

Honors students don't have placement tests generally.

seiclan,

First and foremost, I would recommend your daughter set her major to 1) Molecular Biology / Microbiology if she plans on a medical profession in the future or 2) switch to Nursing if that is her career choice.

If you daughter is an honors student, she doesn't need to take the easy way (Pre-Clincal Allied Sciences) to prepare her for medical school. M&M (as it is referred to as) will do her more justice.

As for classes, she should start with CHM 2045C (Chem Fund. I) and math is completely up to her... MAC 1114 is Trig and is the class you would take before calc. Pre-Health students only need to take up to calc 1... so if she is really smart in math, tell her to knock it out early and be done with it. Otherwise, I would say take Trig. I have a really good teacher for her to try to find too.

seiclan

My daughter is NOT an honors student at UCF but she did Ace Honors Calculus at her high school. Can she skip Trig and go right to Calc?

She is leaning toward a graduate Physician's Assistant program at this point. Is the Pre-Clinical Allied Sciences really easier then M and M? Isn't that a good thing??? It would seem that easier would be better in terms of GPA for grad school applications. I have a hard time believing that it is easier though having looked at the curriculem for Allied Health (3 chems, 2 physics, bio, anat, phys, microbio etc.... ).
Online it looks like CHM 2045C is completely booked...Will they open spots at future orientations?

jagman0730

1) If she is looking to be a P.A., then her current major should be just fine. Yes, easier is better, but not always. The classes you listed are some of the easiest that pre-health students will take on their course to medical school. It's scary what it takes these days. I am not saying the Pre-Clinical A.S. is a knock-off major. NO science major easy. When I say easier, I mean bc of the electives she will take versus another major. I hope you didn't take this the wrong way. In your daughters case, I would recommend she stay put, and wish her the best of luck

2) I would recommend that she look for a Calculus 1 class to take and not waste her time. Trig is easy and would be a good A, but to graduate on time and not overload herself with work each semester, I would say go for calc... especially if she was successful in high school. Tell her to look for Walter Acevedo for a professor. I had him for calc 1 and it was a breeze. If she was placed in Trig, that is going to be all she can get for now, but I am almost positive she can get the over ride if she goes in and sees an advisor during add/drop

3) Regarding the full CHM 2045C class. Pass this on to your daughter to get use to UCFs system of class scheduling/seats. All major science courses (i.e. chm 2045, organic chem, microbio, etc) are science classes required by a wide variety of majors (surprising I know), so UCF doesn't open the class capacity, but yet only 10-15 seats per orientation. That particular class will hold about 450 students. Any class that is full now will NOT be full during add/drop, and that is the best time to get the classes she may need but are full at the moment. Add/Drop is the first week of classes that allows students to change their class schedule completely by adding and dropping courses without being penalized.

seiclan

Very helpful information Jagman, thank you so much!

seiclan

OK, daughter FINALLY did the placement tests yesterday. The printout for the math one said "It is strongly recommended that you should begin your mathematics career at UCF by taking the next course above MAC 1105 which is required by your major". MUST she register for the MAC 1114 (college trig)which is required for the health science major OR can she register for the MAC 2311 (Calculus 1) which is required for the M and M major that she may or may not switch into in the next year or two??? BTW Acevedo is not teaching Trig or Calc this Fall .