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New Student Academic Resources

New Student Registration

First-Year Students

Incoming first-year students will have access to a wide range of academic resources through the New Student Orientation (NSO) Portal (websites, videos, virtual office hours, zoom academic info sessions, and department-specific info sheets) as they begin to make preliminary decisions about their schedules. The NSO Portal is also where information can be found about language placement exams; please note that formats and deadlines vary by language. 

New first-year students enrolling at CMC in the fall semester will build their schedules in three stages: 

  1. July pre-placement in two or three courses: : first-year students will fill out a pre-placement survey in which they rank their preferences for First-Year Humanities Seminar/First-Year Writing Seminar and one other general education (GE) requirement, choosing from a range of humanities GEs (Literature, Philosophy, and Religious Studies) and social sciences GEs (Economics, Government, History, and Psychology). First-year students intending to pursue our 3+2 Combined Major  will also be pre-placed in the Integrated Sciences GE. The NSO Portal will have course descriptions for these pre-placement courses. The pre-placement survey will open on June 30. First-year students must fill out their pre-placement survey on the Orientation Portal by July 9. Students who do not fill out a pre-placement survey will automatically be placed in the applicable GE courses by the Registrar. Pre-placements will be made in the order of the "priority groups" randomly-assigned to each student. (More info about this protocol can be found on the Registrar’s website).  
  2. Remote pre-registration, August 6-7: First-year students will register for their remaining courses, in the order of their randomly-assigned priority group. The NSO Portal will have instructional videos on how to register for courses. During this time, the GE courses students were pre-placed in cannot be changed.  
  3. On-campus registration, August 28: First-year students will have an opportunity to finalize their schedules during on-campus orientation (before course registration reopens for all other returning students). During this time (and according to their pre-assigned priority group), first-year students can make any changes they wish, including adjustments to GE courses they were pre-placed in.

Transfer Students

In order to receive an accurate transfer evaluation, new transfer students should be sure to submit official final transcripts with all final grades to the Office of Admission, and monitor their CMC email addresses for correspondence from the Office of the Registrar.

The registrar will review the transcripts of all incoming fall transfer students during the summer and work with them one-on-one to enroll them in a slate of classes. This typically takes place in July. New transfer students will receive all correspondence relating to their transfer evaluations and fall schedules in their CMC email accounts. Transfer students may also meet individually with a member of the Registrar's Office staff at any stage in the process.

Transfer evaluations and registration for incoming spring transfer students take place in January before spring classes begin. They follow the same procedure as fall transfer students.

Mathematics Placement

You can use these guidelines to determine which level of mathematics you should take.

  1. If you have never taken calculus before, you should consider Calculus I (MATH030), Introduction to Statistics (MATH052), Discrete Mathematics (MATH055), or Computing for the Web (CSCI40CM) to satisfy the Math GE requirement.
  2. If you received a score of 4 or 5 on the Calculus AB AP exam, you should take Calculus II (MATH031 or MATH031A) or Discrete Mathematics (MATH055).  Depending on your background, you may consider taking a higher-level math course, and we encourage you to discuss with a departmental advisor.
    • MATH031A covers all of single-variable calculus, starting with a review of limits and derivatives and covers integration, sequences, and series.
    • MATH031 is the second semester of single-variable calculus and assumes a firm understanding of limits and derivatives from MATH30.  It covers integration, sequences, and series.
  3. If you received a score of 4 or 5 on the Calculus BC AP exam or a score of 6 or 7 on any IB (HL) mathematics exam, you should take Calculus III (MATH032 or MATH032H), Linear Algebra (MATH 060 or MATH060C), or Discrete Mathematics (MATH055). Depending on your background, you may consider taking a higher-level math course, and we encourage you to discuss this with a departmental advisor.
    • MATH032 covers multivariable calculus and vector analysis with applications to physical and social sciences.
    • MATH032H is open to first-years by invitation or instructor’s permission. It is an introduction to rigorous mathematics for students having a substantial background and demonstrated interest in mathematics. The topics covered will be those of MATH032 with more emphasis on rigor and deeper understanding of the underlying mathematics.
  4. If you have taken some calculus before but are not sure about placement, please contact a departmental advisor. Generally, if you have seen limits and derivatives and some integration, take Calculus II or above.  If you’ve seen limits, derivatives, integration, sequences, and series, take Calculus III, Linear Algebra, Discrete Mathematics, or above.

Additional Notes

  • Any course offered by the CMC Department of Mathematical Sciences may satisfy the general education requirement, and any calculus course offered at the other undergraduate Claremont Colleges may also satisfy the general education requirement. Mathematics or computer science courses that are offered at the other Claremont Colleges and that are substantially equivalent to CMC Mathematical sciences courses may also be used to satisfy the general education requirement, with the approval of the department chair. Students may take a pre-calculus course either in Claremont or off-campus for credit towards graduation but not for the general education requirement in mathematics.
  • Calculus III (MATH032 or MATH 32H), Linear Algebra (MATH060 or MATH 060C), and Discrete Mathematics (MATH 055) can be taken in any order or concurrently.
  • Introductory-level MATH courses are required for the following majors.  Note that additional higher-level MATH courses may be required.
    • Math major: MATH032 (or 32H) and MATH060 (or 60C) are pre-requisites for all upper-level math courses.
    • Economics and Economics-Accounting majors: MATH030.
    • Integrated Sciences major: MATH030 is a prerequisite for SCI030 and MATH031 (or 31A) for SCI040 and SCI050.
    • 3+2 major: MATH032 (or 32H). There may be additional math requirements for admission into certain programs at Engineering Partner Schools.
    • Data Science major: MATH 060 (or 60C) and MATH 055.  MATH 032 (or 32H) is a prerequisite for the required course MATH 151.
    • Computer Science major (application process through HMC): MATH032 (or 32H) by end of sophomore fall, MATH 055 and MATH 060 (or 60C) by end of sophomore spring semester.

Transfer Credit and First-Year Students

Students admitted to CMC as first-year (“freshmen”) degree seekers are encouraged to request transfer credit for college work they have taken prior to matriculating to CMC. We accept up to 4 CMC courses (16 semester units or 24 quarter units) of such college credit. In addition, students may transfer a maximum of 4 units for Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. Students can satisfy up to 4 general education requirements through off-campus programs (transfer credit, AP/IB, study abroad, etc.).
Students with pre-matriculation coursework must provide the registrar’s office with written documentation from their high school stating that the courses were not required to meet any requirement for high school graduation, and from the transferring college or university that the courses comply with CMC’s transfer credit policies.
The registrar's office cannot pre-approve courses to transfer to CMC for students that have not yet matriculated.

Where should I take courses before matriculating?

You should look for courses offered at regionally accredited institutions, taught in a context and environment that provides direct contact with regular college faculty and other degree-seeking college students. At a minimum, the courses must apply toward the Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) granted by the college or university where they are taken.

What courses are transferrable to CMC?

The courses you take must be comparable to undergraduate liberal arts courses offered at The Claremont Colleges during the academic year to transfer to CMC. Our transfer credit policies in the catalog describe what types of courses are transferrable.

What course disciplines should I avoid?

Look for courses in traditional liberal arts disciplines. Specific areas to avoid include marketing, management, human resources, business administration, cooking, fashion, education, nutrition, kinesiology, real estate, or other vocational topics.

Can I transfer in courses for general education or major requirements?

We understand that you may want to get a head start on your required courses, but you should expect to complete your GE and major courses while enrolled at CMC. Pre-matriculation credit is typically elective credit toward graduation.

Can I transfer in courses I took while in high school?

CMC draws a bright line between high school and college coursework. Running-start and dual-enrollment courses are not transferable to CMC, nor is any college coursework that qualifies toward a student’s high school curriculum. CMC requires documentation from the student’s high school that verifies the courses were not required to meet any requirements for high school graduation, and from the college/university that that verifies the courses meet CMC’s transfer credit requirements. Students must complete the Pre-Matriculation Transfer Credit Verification form to provide this information. 

How much credit will I receive for a course?

CMC uses a standard conversion ratio to convert semester and quarter credits/hours to CMC course units. One CMC course unit is the equivalent of 4 semester units or 6 quarter units.

Can I receive credit for my Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate tests?

CMC gives credit for some AP/IB test scores, and placement for others. Some AP/IB scores receive neither credit nor placement. Please see CMC’s AP/IB policy in the catalog for more information.

Transfer Credit and Transfer Students

Students admitted to CMC as transfer students are allowed to transfer up to 16 CMC units of college credit (equivalent to 64 semester hours or 96 quarter hours), including any eligible Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. After enrolling at CMC, there is a limit on the number of general education (GE) requirements that may be further satisfied with transfer credit.

How much credit will I receive in my evaluation?

Transfer students will receive credit for all transferrable courses they have taken up to 16 CMC units. One CMC course is the equivalent of 4 semester units or 6 quarter units.

What courses are transferrable to CMC?

The courses you take must be comparable to undergraduate liberal arts courses offered at The Claremont Colleges during the academic year to transfer to CMC. Our transfer credit policies in the catalog describe what types of courses are transferrable. Courses in traditional liberal arts disciplines with equivalencies offered by the Claremont undergraduate colleges are typically transferrable. Specific areas that usually do not transfer include marketing, management, human resources, business administration, cooking, fashion, education, nutrition, kinesiology, real estate, or other vocational topics. 

How will my transfer courses count towards CMC's general education and major requirements?

During your transfer evaluation, the registrar will consult with various department chairs to establish what academic requirements may be satisfied with transfer credit. These determinations are made after you commit to attending CMC.

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