High school students should be aware that "College" Algebra (essentially high school Algebra II) is no longer taught at the University of Georgia. If you think you may major in Business or Science, or any major that requires Calculus, you will need to be prepared to take at least Precalculus when you arrive at UGA. During Freshman Orientation you will take a Mathematics Placement Test (see below). You will want to do your best on this test to avoid being placed in a lower-level course that might delay completion of your degree. (For instance, some students who have already had Calculus end up re-taking Precalculus because they have forgotten much of what they knew!) So it is strongly recommended that you keep your skills sharpened by taking a Mathematics course in your senior year of high school, even if you have already completed the Math requirements for graduation.
During Orientation in the summer before your freshman year (or before transfering to UGA from another college), you will be given a Mathematics Placement Test. Based on the results of this test and your expected major, you will be placed into either Calculus, Precalculus, Mathematical Modeling, or Academic Assistance. (Note that Mathematical Modeling does not prepare students for the Calculus stream, although it does satisfy the Mathematical Skills component of the Regents' Core Requirements for non-science majors.) The Placement Test is multiple-choice format, and includes a variety of problems at different levels to help determine your current preparation.
WARNING: Calculators are not permitted on the Placement Test. On the one hand, this means that you won't encounter any numerical computations that are too complicated. On the other hand, you will be expected to do simple computations (such as adding two fractions) in your head or on paper.
To give you an idea of what to expect on the Placement Test, and to help you prepare for it, here is a list of topics covered on the test. For students wanting to do a general review of the material covered on the placement test, there is also a more detailed list of objectives for a similar test given at the University of Wisconsin.
The Mathematics Department is offering a limited number of intensive sections of Precalculus. These will meet five days per week, rather than the usual three. The extra time will be spent reviewing the necessary algebra skills (see the syllabus ). They will cover the same amount of precalculus material by the end of the semester as the regular sections, and all sections of Precalculus (regular or intensive) will carry three semester hours credit. To find out more about intensive sections of Precalculus, speak to your advisor.
A MATH 1113 (Precalculus) Tutorial is available on floppy disk from the University Bookstore for a nominal charge. This disk also includes tutorials on Algebra. You may work through the tutorials and problems on this disk before taking Precalculus.
You may take a course in College Algebra at another institution before enrolling in Precalculus at UGA.
You may register for a non-credit course through the Division of Academic Assistance. UNIV 1110 provides a slightly more detailed review of algebra than the intensive precalculus course; it also treats some topics in trigonometry. ACAM courses, on the other hand, concentrate exclusively on algebra and proceed at a more relaxed pace. Visit the Division of Academic Enhancement web page for further information.