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Home Admissions Placement and Assessment Services English and Math Placement Math Placement

Understanding Your Placement

Students are placed into a specific level in each of three math placement categories based on their high school coursework, GPA, and state guidelines under AB 1705. Your placement level determines which courses you should take, depending on your major (pathway). We encourage you to see a counselor to help you determine your correct pathway.

Check Your Placement in eServices

Math Placement Categories

BusMath – Business Math
Your BusMath placement will be one of the following:
BusMath Placement Level Courses to Take Notes
BusMath 2

One of the following:

  • MATH 341
  • MATH 341 + MATHS 45
  • MATH 342
  • MATH 342 + MATHS 45

ARC Math Courses
Your application shows you passed Integrated Math 3, Intermediate Algebra, or the equivalent, with a "C-" or better. If the information you submitted on your application differs from your transcript, you may want to submit your final transcript information to receive your correct placement. See placement re-evaluation to learn more.
BusMath 1

One of the following:

  • MATH 341 + MATHS 45
  • MATH 342 + MATHS 45

ARC Math Courses
Your application shows you did not complete Integrated Math 3, Intermediate Algebra, or the equivalent. If the information you submitted on your application differs from your transcript, you may want to submit your final transcript information to receive your correct placement. See placement re-evaluation to learn more.

SLAM – Statistics and Liberal Arts Math

This pathway is for students whose majors do not require Calculus or Business Math. If your major requires Calculus or Business Math, refer to your STEM or BusMath Placement.

Your SLAM placement will be one of the following.
SLAM Placement Level Courses to Take Notes
SLAM 2

One of the following:

  • MATH 300
  • MATH 300 + MATHS 95
  • MATH 310
  • MATH 320
  • MATH 333**
  • MATH 333** + MATHS 33
  • STAT C1000
  • STAT C1000H
  • STAT C1000 + STAT 10

ARC Math Courses
  • Your application shows either your high school GPA was 3.0 or higher, or your high school GPA was 2.3 or higher and you passed Pre-Calculus or higher with a "C-" or better.
  • STAT C1000 used to be called STAT 300.
  • ** MATH 333 is not open to students whose majors require Calculus, Business Math, or Statistics.
SLAM 1

One of the following:

  • MATH 300 + MATHS 95
  • MATH 310
  • MATH 333** + MATHS 33
  • STAT C1000 + STAT 10
  • STAT C1000H

ARC Math Courses
  • Your application shows your high school GPA was lower than 3.0. If the information you submitted on your application differs from your transcript, you may want to submit your final transcript information to receive your correct placement. See placement re-evaluation to learn more.
  • STAT C1000 used to be called STAT 300.
  • ** MATH 333 is not open to students whose majors require Calculus, Business Math, or Statistics.

STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

This pathway is for students whose majors are calculus-based (MATH 400 or MATH 355).

Your STEM placement will be one of the following:
STEM Placement Level Courses to Take Notes
STEM 5

One of the following:

  • MATH 400
  • MATH 355
  • MATH 400 + MATHS 60
  • MATH 355 + MATHS 65

ARC Math Courses
  • Your application shows you passed Pre-Calculus, Integrated Math 4, Trigonometry, or equivalent with a "C-" or better. If the information you submitted on your application differs from your transcript, you may want to submit your final transcript information to receive your correct placement. See placement re-evaluation to learn more.
  • If you want to brush up on prior skills, it is recommended that you take Calculus with support.
STEM 3

One of the following:

  • MATH 375
  • MATH 375 + MATHS 75
  • MATH 383
  • MATH 383 + MATHS 83
  • MATH 400 + MATHS 60
  • MATH 355 + MATHS 65

ARC Math Courses
  • Your application shows you passed Integrated Math 3, Intermediate Algebra, or the equivalent with a "C-" or better. If the information you submitted on your application differs from your transcript, you may want to submit your final transcript information to receive your correct placement. See placement re-evaluation to learn more.
  • If you want to take a preparatory course before calculus, we recommend you take the six-unit MATH 375 Pre-Calculus (with or without MATHS 75 Support for Pre-Calculus) as the course to best prepare you for your calculus sequence.
  • You can also take MATH 383 Preparation for Calculus (with or without MATHS 83 Support for Preparation for Calculus), which is a four-unit course focused on preparing students for Calculus I.
STEM 1

If you choose to take two courses before Calculus, choose two of the following:

  • MATH 372 + MATHS 72
  • MATH 372
  • MATH 373 + MATHS 73
  • MATH 373

If you choose to take one course before Calculus, choose one of the following:

  • MATH 375 + MATHS 75
  • MATH 375
  • MATH 383 + MATHS 83
  • MATH 383

If you choose to go directly to Calculus, choose one of the following:

  • MATH 400 + MATHS 60
  • MATH 355 + MATHS 65

ARC Math Courses
  • Your application shows you did not complete Integrated Math 3, Intermediate Algebra, or the equivalent. If the information you submitted on your application differs from your transcript, you may want to submit your final transcript information to receive your correct placement. See placement re-evaluation to learn more.
  • We recommend you take MATH 372 + MATHS 72 (College Algebra and its support course), then MATH 373 + MATHS 73 (Trigonometry and its support course), and then Calculus.

Placement Options Across Los Rios Colleges

Each of the four Los Rios colleges offers placement options that align with state guidelines. These options are not identical; you are advised to check your placement at each of the four colleges. You can compare placement levels across colleges:

Need to Update Your Placement?

If the information you submitted on your application is different from your transcript or you completed a high school math course after applying to ARC, you may be eligible for a placement re-evaluation. Submitting your final transcript could improve your placement. See placement re-evaluation to learn more.

FAQ

What if my high school or college transcript is from a foreign country?

If you have a foreign transcript, please check your Los Rios Gmail and Apps Dashboard for an email with the subject of "How to Get Your English and Math Course Placements." This email contains a link to Guided Self-Placement. If you have not received that email, you can email placement@arc.losrios.edu to request the link.

What if I placed in STEM 5 but I don’t feel ready to take Calculus?

We strongly recommend that you enroll in Calculus with concurrent support. The content of the support course is designed to provide arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and learning skills support to students as they learn concepts in their calculus course.

If I took Calculus and didn’t pass it and I now want to take a preparatory course, which course can I take?

This depends on your STEM placement level.

  • If you are placed in STEM 5, you may take MATH 400 + MATHS 60 or MATH 355 + MATHS 65.
  • If you are placed in STEM 3, you may take MATH 375 (you may also choose to take MATHS 75, its concurrent support).
  • If you are placed in STEM 1, we recommend students take MATH 372 + MATHS 72, MATH 373 + MATHS 73, and then MATH 400 (or MATH 355).

Are there any resources to help me review topics needed to be successful in the course shown on my placement?

The following are some of the numerous online resources available to students so they can study and review on their own. They are not endorsed by Los Rios Community College District or American River College.

If my placement level is STEM 1, how do I know which of the course combinations to take?

You may enroll in any of the courses shown on your placement level. In STEM 1, your application indicates that you have not completed Integrated Math 3, Intermediate Algebra, or the equivalent, so we recommend you take a course with its paired support course. The content of the support course is designed to provide arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and learning skills support.