Beginning in fall 2022, American River College removed the majority of below-transfer MATH courses (that is, courses with a course number below 300). The default MATH placement for all incoming students will be a college-level MATH course.
B-STEM Placement Grids
The following placement grids display the measures that are used to determine a Business, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (B-STEM) student's initial math placement. The specific measures that determine math placement are the highest course completed in high school and high school GPA.
All students – regardless of GPA or highest math completed – are eligible to take MATH 333: Introduction to College Algebra with the accompanying MATHS 33 support course. Students who are interested in taking MATH 333 without support or one of the other MATH courses listed need to meet the GPA and/or highest math completed requirements for that specific course as listed on the rubrics.
Students who did not complete high school or who have been out of high school for 10 years or more should use the Guided Self-Placement tool.
| High School GPA | High School Math | ARC Math Placement |
|---|---|---|
| 3.4 or higher | Has not passed Intermediate Algebra | MATH 333 |
| 3.4 or higher | Passed Intermediate Algebra with C- or higher | MATH 340, MATH 342, MATH 372, MATH 373, or MATH 375 |
| 3.4 or higher | Passed Trigonometry with C- or higher | MATH 355 |
| 3.4 or higher | Passed Precalculus with C- or higher | MATH 355 or MATH 400 |
| Lower than 3.4 | Has not passed Intermediate Algebra | MATH 333 and MATHS 33 |
| Lower than 3.4 | Passed Intermediate Algebra with C- or higher | MATH 310, MATH 311, MATH 320, MATHS 45 + MATH 340, MATHS 45 + MATH 342, MATHS 72 + MATH 372, or MATHS 73 + MATH 373 |
| Lower than 3.4 | Passed Trigonometry with C- or higher | MATH 355 |
| Lower than 3.4 | Passed Precalculus with C- or higher | MATH 355 or MATH 400 |
FAQ
There are many factors that contribute to what math course you should take, including your intended major, the highest math course you have completed, and your high school GPA. Schedule an appointment with your counselor to get help choosing the math course that best fits your educational and career goals.
MATH 333 is replacing MATH 120 as the transitional course to higher-level math courses for B-STEM students. If you have been placed in MATH 333, then you need to take this course as a prerequisite to higher math courses.
MATH 333 is designed to cover fundamental algebra topics that will be used throughout later B-STEM coursework and will help lay a solid foundation of mathematics on which to build in your later classes.
There are college resources available to assist you in your math course. The ARC Tutorial Center provides scheduled and drop-in tutoring appointments, as well as virtual tutoring appointments. You will also find tutoring services and other resources available through the MESA/STEM Center.
There are also developmental math resources available through regional Adult Education centers. Please note that these Adult Education centers are not Los Rios Community College District resources.
No, students who have successfully completed MATH 120 are not required to take MATH 333. MATH 120 still meets the Los Rios college graduation requirements and the course prerequisite requirements that it always has.
The Math 120 prerequisite will be replaced by Math 333 for most courses where it is listed, such as statistics or liberal arts math classes (like STAT 300 or MATH 300) and courses outside mathematics.
If MATH 120 currently shows on your education plan and you have not yet successfully completed MATH 120, then MATH 333 will be the course you can take in place of MATH 120 beginning in the Fall 2022 semester. If MATH 120 is not on your education plan, then this change will not impact you.
Yes, MATH 333 is replacing MATH 120 and will meet the same Los Rios college graduation requirements and the course prerequisite requirements.
Though MATH 333 is a college-level course and will transfer, it will not meet the B4 Quantitative Reasoning requirement for the 2022-23 academic year. We are submitting MATH 333 to CSU for approval of B4 Quantitative Reasoning, but this approval will not happen until the 2023-24 academic year at the earliest. Enrollment in MATH 333 for the 2022-23 academic year should therefore be limited to B-STEM students who will meet B4 through an alternate (and currently-approved) B4 course.
New B-STEM students who have been placed in MATH 333 and continuing B-STEM students who have been placed in MATH 120 and have not successfully completed the course will need to take MATH 333.
Adult Education Resources
| Service Area | Organization/Program |
|---|---|
| ARC | Twin Rivers Adult School – GED Preparation |
| ARC | Highlands Community Charter School – HS/GED |
| CRC | Elk Grove Adult and Community Education – GED and HiSET Test Preparation |
| CRC | Galt Adult School – High School Equivalent Diploma |