All entering students are required to take the Mathematics Placement Assessment. A student’s placement score is a measure of their current preparation for calculus courses taught at Allegheny College and is used to determine which course is the most appropriate starting point for that student. In particular, the score will place a student into either MATH 100 (Algebra for College Mathematics), MATH 140 (Calculus I with Precalculus, Part 1), or MATH 151 (Calculus I).
The placement assessment consists of 30 questions covering algebra, pre-calculus, and trigonometry topics, including geometry and measurement; algebraic manipulation; equations, inequalities, and factoring; trigonometry; functions and their notation, including linear, polynomial, rational, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions; graphs of functions; and word problems and modeling.
The Mathematics Placement Assessment can be accessed via Self Service. Placement results will be displayed as soon as the assessment is completed.
AP Credit and Transfer Credit
Students who submit an official AP score report to Allegheny or who receive transfer credit for an Allegheny Mathematics course may be eligible to start in a Mathematics course other than MATH 100, MATH 140, or MATH 151.
Students who took an AP Calculus test should use the following guidelines:
| AP Test | Score | Credit Received | Recommended Placement |
| Calculus AB | 4 or 5 | MATH 151 (Calculus I) | MATH 152 (Calculus II) |
| Calculus AB | 3 or below | None | Take placement assessment |
| Calculus BC | 4 or 5 | MATH 151 (Calculus I) and MATH 270 (Optimization and Approximation) | MATH 152 (Calculus II) |
| Calculus BC | 3 with an AB sub-score of 4 or 5 |
MATH 151 (Calculus I) | MATH 152 (Calculus II) |
| Calculus BC | 2 or below OR 3 with AB sub-score of 3 or below |
None | Take placement assessment and consult Mathematics department |
Students with transfer credit should use the following guidelines:
| Allegheny transfer credit | Recommended Placement |
| PRERQ*MAT | MATH 151 (Calculus I) |
| MATH 140 | MATH 141 (Calculus I with Precalculus, Part 2) |
| MATH 141 | MATH 152 (Calculus II) |
| MATH 151 | MATH 152 (Calculus II) |
| MATH 152 | Consult Mathematics Department |
| MATH 270 | MATH 152 (Calculus II) or consult Mathematics Department |