Math Placement at UCSD

Assessing Incoming Student Preparedness Through Placement Data

The University of California system requires incoming freshmen to complete a math placement test to assess their readiness for college-level math courses. In turn, the results of this test determine the initial math course placement for students. At UCSD, a significant number of students are being placed into remedial or lower-level math courses, indicating a gap in their preparedness for college-level math.

How to Use Table

1. Hover over any cell in a row to spotlight the entire row.

2. Click on the math placement course name (left-most side) to learn more. Then use the Definitions section to clarify unfamiliar course labels.

Placement Entering Fall FA20 FA21 FA22 FA23 FA24 FA25
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Math 2 32 0.50% 191 2.50% 390 6.00% 490 7.00% 528 7.20% 665 8.50%
Math 3B NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 388 5.30% 256 3.30%
Math 3C 532 8.20% 979 13.00% 1136 17.30% 953 13.60% 257 3.50% 111 1.40%
Math 4C 333 5.20% 347 4.60% 326 5.00% 448 6.40% 403 5.50% 251 3.20%
Math 10A or 4C 71 1.10% 82 1.10% 101 1.50% 141 2.00% 149 2.00% 173 2.20%
Math 10A (not 4C) 410 6.40% 563 7.50% 517 7.90% 586 8.40% 555 7.60% 516 6.60%
Math 20A 722 11.20% 760 10.10% 523 8.00% 606 8.70% 536 7.30% 691 8.90%
Math 20A or 10B 391 6.10% 423 5.60% 338 5.20% 373 5.30% 397 5.40% 359 4.60%
> Math 20A 3114 48.30% 3030 40.30% 2062 31.50% 2264 32.40% 2981 40.70% 3745 48.00%
No Placement (needs Math) 22 0.30% 159 2.10% 238 3.60% 214 3.10% 244 3.30% 173 2.20%
Does not need Math 822 12.70% 982 13.10% 920 14.00% 917 13.10% 881 12.00% 859 11.00%
Year Total 6449 100.00% 7516 99.90% 6551 100.00% 6992 100.00% 7319 100.00% 7799 100.00%
Figure 1: UCSD Freshman Math Placement Distribution (FA20 - FA25)
Source: SAWG on Admissions Final Report
Summary
Click a math course name (left-most column) to generate a summary here.

Definitions

Math 2
Remedial course covering elementary and middle school Common Core math subjects (grades 1-8).
Math 3B and 3C
Introductory college-level math courses focusing on algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.
Math 4C
Linear Algebra course for students in STEM fields.
Math 10A and 10B
Calculus I and II courses covering limits, derivatives, integrals, and series.
Math 20A
Multivariable Calculus course covering functions of several variables, partial derivatives, and multiple integrals. Taken for students in STEM fields.
No Math Placement
Students who do not meet the requirements for any math course placement. Indicating a lack of preparedness for college-level math.
Does Not Need Math
Students who are not required to take any math course because they have met the prerequisites for their intended major.
Math 2 32 0.50% 191 2.50% 390 6.00% 490 7.00% 528 7.20% 665 8.50%
Math 3B NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 388 5.30% 256 3.30%
Figure 2. Closer look at Math 2 and Math 3B placements
Source: SAWG on Admissions Final Report

The data above illustrates the distribution of math placements for incoming freshmen at UCSD from Fall 2020 to Fall 2025. While Math 2 was designed to be remidial, in 2023, the UCSD math department revised their courses to better align with the student needs. The math department noticed a growing learning gap among their incoming freshmen, prompting them to restructure Math 2 to focus entirely on elementary and middle school Common Core math subjects (grades 1-8). A notable, and alarming, trend is the growing percentage of students placed in Math 2 or no math placement at all, indicating an increasing number of students who are underprepared for college-level math. Conversely, there is a decline in the percentage of students placed in higher-level courses like Math 20A and above.