Placement Procedures
Math Placement
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF MATH COURSES AND DESCRIPTIONS, VISIT: MATH COURSES
Has the math sequence changed?
YES! All students will be eligible to enroll in a transfer-level math course their first semester, though some may be required to take a co-requisite support course.
- MATH 010 Structure and Concepts 1, MATH 044 College Algebra and STAT C1000 Introduction to Statistics are the appropriate entry-level transfer courses for liberal arts majors.
- B-STEM (Business, Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) students, depending on their high school preparations, will begin in MATH 035 Precalculus A, MATH 054 Precalculus B, or MATH 065 Calculus 1.
- Students who did not complete Integrated Math 3 or Algebra 2 in high school will begin in MATH 035 Precalculus A (possibly with support).
- Students who completed Integrated Math 3 or Algebra 2 in high school will begin in MATH 054 Precalculus B.
- Students who completed Precalculus in high school or were enrolled in AP Calculus in high school will begin in MATH 065 Calculus 1.
The new math course sequences are illustrated below:
How will students be placed into math courses starting Summer 2024 and beyond?
Effective Summer 2024, math placement will be determined by a student’s high school performance and overall high school GPA.
- Placement into MATH 010 Structure and Concepts 1, MATH 044 College Algebra and STAT C1000 Introduction to Statistics will be determined by a student’s high school GPA
- Placement into MATH 035 Precalculus A, MATH 054 Precalculus B, and MATH 065 Calculus 1 will be determined by a combination of a student’s high school GPA and the highest math course taken in high school
The grid below illustrates placement criteria effective Fall 2025:
| If you are eligible for... | You are also eligible for... | Provided... |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 065 |
MATH 010 with or without MATH 310 STAT C1000 with or without STAT 321 MATH 044 with or without MATH 344 |
|
| MATH 065 + MATH 375 |
MATH 010 with or without MATH 310 MATH 044 with or without MATH 344 STAT C1000 with or without STAT 321 |
| Parent Course | Corequisite Support Course |
|---|---|
| MATH 010 | MATH 310 |
| MATH 035 | MATH 335 |
| MATH 044 | MATH 344 |
| MATH 065 | MATH 375 |
| STAT C1000 | STAT 321 |
What is MATH 035?
MATH 035 Precalculus A is a new math course. It is a Cal-GETC approved math course that covers topics from pre-calculus excluding those related to trigonometric functions and is aligned with C-ID MATH 151. MATH 035 will serve as one potential starting point for students with a B-STEM major.
What is MATH 044?
MATH 044 College Algebra is a new math course and would be an appropriate starting point for students who wish to pursue a B-STEM major, but did not have adequate high school preparation in math. It can also serve as a college algebra course for non-B-STEM majors. This course is aligned with C-ID MATH 150. MATH 044 is CSU transferable and is being proposed for CSU GE area B4 and UC transfer.
What are MATH 310, MATH 335, MATH 344, MATH 375, and STAT 321?
STAT 321 Support for Introduction to Statistics is a concurrent support course for STAT C1000 Introduction to Statistics. Each section of STAT 321 will be linked to a specific section of STAT C1000. Students with a high school GPA less than 3.0 will be required to enroll in both STAT C1000 and its corequisite course, STAT 321. Not all sections of STAT C1000 will have a support course. Students with above a 3.0 high school GPA can self-select to take STAT C1000 with or without STAT 321. The content of STAT 321 will be tailored to the needs of the students enrolled in that particular STAT C1000/STAT 321 cohort. The course will focus on necessary algebra skills sequenced to best support STAT C1000 as well as material to help students develop other necessary academic skills to help lead to college success.
Similarly...
- MATH 310 is a concurrent support course for MATH 010
- MATH 335 is a concurrent support course for MATH 035
- MATH 344 is a concurrent support course for MATH 044
- MATH 375 is a concurrent support course for MATH 065
The above questions are specific to COS and math courses. For a more general set of questions concerning AB 705, see the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office FAQ.
English Placement
At COS, our goal is to help you complete your English requirements as quickly and successfully as possible. Research shows that the best way to predict who will succeed in college English is by looking at high school GPA and coursework. These factors are the best way to decide how much support you will need.
Note: While ENGL C1000 is open to high school seniors in dual enrollment and concurrent enrollment programs, COS does not offer ENGL 301 to high school students. Research also shows that taking a course below your placement level can make you much less likely to complete transfer-level English within one year. We strongly recommend all students take the highest placement level for which they are eligible.
English as a Second Language Placement
Finding the right ESL or English class for you is easy. There is no test for you to take. There are just three steps:
- Answer some questions about your previous studies and your English skills.
- Look at examples of other students' writing and decide which one matches your ability.
- Look at descriptions of the different ESL/English class levels and choose the best level for you.
After you complete those 3 steps, you will get a recommendation of which class you should take.
On your first day of class, the teacher will confirm that you are in the best class for you. If there is a better level for you, the teacher will let you know.
