5.111, 7.01x, 18.01A ASE pass rates increase

Number of students taking 18.01 ASE increases by over 40 percent

By Suleman Thaniana and Zawad Chowdhury Sep. 12, 2019

9096 ase graph 2019 — The calculus ASEs were taken by a larger number of students compared to last year, while chemistry and biology saw slight decreases in attempts.
Eber Nolasco-Martinez, Dean Fanggohans, Arun Wongprommoon, Wenbo Wu

Students took over 1,162 Advanced Standing Exams (ASEs) during this year’s orientation week, with an overall pass rate of 69.6 percent.

The pass rate for the 5.111 (Introductory Chemistry) ASE was 47.5 percent this year, drastically increasing from last year’s 25.5 percent. Fifty-seven of the 120 test takers passed this year, the highest percentage in the past several years.

This year, 18.01 (Calculus I), had the lowest pass rate at 38.1 percent (down from last year’s 39.4 percent). However, participation in this ASE increased, with 139 taking the test versus fewer than 100 last year.

This increase might be related to the change in policy for the class of 2023, which requires at least 60 percent in the Math Diagnostic alongside a score of five on the AP Calculus BC exam (or an international equivalent)— or passing the 18.01 ASE — to receive credit for 18.01. In the past, only a score of five on the AP exam was required.

The amount of students taking the 18.01A qualification test has also increased, with 157 test takers, of whom 68.8 percent passed.

The 7.01x (Introductory Biology) ASE maintained its high pass rate from last year. Of the 137 students taking the exam, 66.4 percent passed, compared to 151 participants and a pass rate of 65.6 percent from last year.

The 18.03 (Differential Equations) and 18.06 (Linear Algebra) ASEs continue to maintain high pass rates, at 92.7 and 95.7 percent respectively.

The most popular ASE continues to be 6.0001 (Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python), with 296 participants this year, of which 89.5 percent passed the exam.

ASE data for 2019 and past years was provided to The Tech by Elizabeth Young, associate dean of advising and new student programming.

The Chemistry Department declined to give data on ASE participation and pass rates for 5.12 (Organic Chemistry). The Physics Department did not respond as of press time.