Placement identifies the best course for you in English and Math. All students are placed and enrolled into transferable English and Math courses which are best suited to your major.
When a student applies to either Mission College or West Valley College, the West Valley-Mission Community College District obtains your program of study and the last math course successfully completed in high school with a "C-" grade or better. Using this information, students are placed into English and math classes in accordance with AB 1705 state guidelines.
Once you have completed the placement process, you may enroll in English C1000, Academic Reading and Writing, or English C1000 with support (English C1000E at Mission College; English C1000 paired with English 099X at West Valley College).
AB 1705 legislation requires students to be placed in the first math course within their program of study and to not repeat a math course a student had successfully completed. The graphics and table below describe the placement options for students. Please note that a student should always meet with a counselor who can best advise on your placement and how it fits in with your program of study, and work with you on an educational plan tailored to the specific student.
| Program of Study | Placement |
|---|---|
| Undeclared majors or certificate programs with no math requirement. | Students will not receive a math placement and will not be eligible to enroll in a math course through the placement tool. Students are encouraged to meet with a counselor to discuss academic and transfer goals and determine the most appropriate math pathway. |
| Non-STEM programs where a math course is specified as a major requirement. | Students will receive placement into the first-level math course(s) appropriate for their program of study. Please note that pre-calculus-level courses are not available for these programs. |
| STEM programs where a math course is specified as a major requirement. | Students will receive placement into the first-level math course(s) appropriate for
their program of study, typically MAT/MATH 003A. Placement into pre-calculus or calculus-preparation
coursework is determined as follows:
|
| Associate degree programs where math is not a major requirement, but a general education math course is required. | Students will receive placement into beginning transfer math courses that satisfy the general education math requirement for the student’s program of study. |
West Valley-Mission Community College District Math Courses
West Valley College
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Meeting with a counselor helps ensure your placement aligns with your current program of study, educational goals, and transfer plans. A counselor can also help you develop an educational plan and identify the courses and support needed for success in your chosen pathway.
A math course with embedded or corequisite support gives you extra guidance, practice, and access to support while you take your college-level math class, helping you build confidence and improve your chances of success without delaying your progress toward your pathway. It may be unnecessary if you already feel confident in your math skills, have recently completed similar coursework successfully, are comfortable learning independently, or have a strong background in the subject covered by the course.
If you have not declared a program of study or your program of study does not require the student to complete a math class, the student will not receive a placement because the placement tool only provides math placements that are part of the program of study.
Please meet with a counselor to review your educational goals, program of study, and prior academic experience. Together, you can determine whether a different placement would better support your academic pathway and success.
Please complete the appropriate form below:
Students pursuing two majors will have both a primary and secondary program of study. The placement tool provides recommendations based on the primary program only. If your secondary major requires a different math pathway, please meet with a counselor to review your educational goals and determine the appropriate math course. Your counselor can also assist you with any prerequisite clearance process that may be needed for enrollment.
If your transfer institution requires calculus in addition to the math requirements for your program of study, please meet with a counselor to review your transfer goals. Your counselor can determine the appropriate math pathway and provide the documentation needed to complete a prerequisite clearance request for calculus enrollment.
Please see the International Student webpage on the college website for more information:
Each Mission College and West Valley College have placement procedures to assist students in finding the level of course most appropriate for the student.