Placement of Students for AP Calculus Exams - Recommendation Details

Sep 20, 2026

Placement guidance for students entering introductory mathematics at the University, focusing on how AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC exam results interact with placement testing and ACT/SAT math scores. It explains when students with AP credit should continue into specific calculus courses versus when advancement is discouraged, including options like MA 113, MA 114, MA 110, MA 213, and MA 213 alternatives. It also covers registration changes after AP scores and provides a grid of criteria-based recommendations using ACT, SAT, CalcPlace, and AP outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Placement of Students for AP Calculus Exams

Placement process and credit rules

Recommendations by AP exam scores and placement grid

Contact, registration changes, and support

Placement of students who take AP Calculus exams The Mathematics Department asks that every student who will enroll in an introductory math course take a math placement exam. More information about placement into introductory mathematics courses may be found at [http://tinyurl.com/ukplace/](http://tinyurl.com/ukplace/ or)[ or](http://tinyurl.com/ukplace/ or) by visiting httpla~~p~~c:wwwment~~ ~~.imathnform.~~ ~~ukat~~y~~io.en~~d~~u~~/~~ and following the link to 100 level courses and then the link to AP Calculus AB exam Students who earn credit through an AP exam and are not interested in taking additional Calculus courses should not repeat a course for which they have credit. Many interesting fields of study are available to students with a strong mathematics background, thus students should think carefully before choosing to not continue their study of mathematics. Students who want to continue their study of mathematics should begin by following our normal procedures to obtain a placement based on their ACT or SAT math score and their placement exam score. Students who earn a 5 on the AP Calculus AB exam, may choose to enroll in MA 114, Calculus II. Students who earn a 4 on the AP Calculus AB exam are discouraged from enrolling in Calculus II, MA 114 as their first mathematics course at UK. We do not recommend that students with a 3 on the AP Calculus AB exam enroll in Calculus II, MA 114. They may enroll in MA 113, Calculus I or MA 137, Calculus I with life science applications. AP Calculus BC exam Begin by following our normal procedures to place the student based on their ACT or SAT math score, placement exam score and Calculus AB exam score. Students who earn a 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam may choose to enroll in Calculus III, MA 213. Students with an AP Calculus BC exam score of 4 are discouraged from enrolling in MA 213 as their first mathematics course at UK. We do not recommend that students who earn a 3 on the AP Calculus BC exam enroll in MA 213. Students do not earn credit when they take a course for which they have AP credit. However, the Mathematics Department believes that students should have a strong foundation in introductory courses before moving on to more advanced courses. If students need to change their registration after receiving AP scores, they must contact their advisor to adjust their registration. The Mathematics Department will do its best to make spaces available so that students may move into the appropriate class. Grid on reverse side Placement recommendations for students with AP Calculus credit who plan to take additional Calculus courses. Students must only meet one of the criteria on a line of the grid to earn the recommendation for that line. | ACT | SAT | CalcPlace | AP Calc AB | AP Calc BC | Recommendation | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 23-26 | 540-610 | 50+ | | | MA 110 | | 27+ | 620+ | 75+ | 3 | | MA 113 | | | | | 5 | | MA 113 or MA 114 | | | | | | 5 | MA 114 or MA 213 | Russell Brown, DUS Mathematics 15 June 2010

FAQs

What placement steps are required before enrolling in an introductory math course?

Students must take a math placement exam before enrolling in an introductory math course. Placement recommendations may also consider ACT/SAT math scores and the placement exam score.

How are students placed after earning an AP Calculus AB score of 5 or 4 or 3?

A 5 may be used to choose MA 114 (Calculus II). A 4 is discouraged for MA 114 as the first course, and a 3 is not recommended for MA 114; instead, students may enroll in MA 113 (Calculus I) or MA 137 (Calculus I with life science applications).

What guidance applies after an AP Calculus BC exam, and what if a student wants to change registration?

Students begin placement using ACT/SAT math scores, the placement exam score, and the AP Calculus BC exam score. A 5 may allow enrollment in Calculus III, MA 213, while scores of 4 or 3 are discouraged for MA 213 as the first course. If registration must change after receiving AP scores, students should contact their advisor to adjust it.

Sep 20, 2026

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