Calculus Challenge Exam

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 • 12:00–14:30 PDT

Main page • Registering for the CCE • Preparing for the CCE • Taking the CCE • After the CCE

What is the Calculus Challenge Exam, and who is it for?

The Calculus Challenge Exam is a 2½-hour written exam designed to test your understanding of differential calculus and prerequisite skills. If you have studied high school calculus and have not yet started college or university, this exam is for you.

The Mathematics Department of the University of British Columbia (Vancouver) composes and hosts the Calculus Challenge Exam. Every year, high-school teachers help a lot—many of them volunteer their time so that students can write the test in their own school. We acknowledge this important contribution with sincere thanks!

Why take the Calculus Challenge Exam?

There are many reasons to participate in the CCE.

• You can potentially earn university credit with a grade. If you score over 50% on the Calculus Challenge Exam, you are entitled to credit for the first term of calculus at a participating BC university: Simon Fraser University, Trinity Western University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Northern British Columbia, the University of the Fraser Valley, and the University of Victoria. (For more details, see the After the CCE page.)
• You can acquire these benefits with no risk. The choice of claiming the credit and grade is up to you. If you pass the Calculus Challenge Exam, you can still choose to ignore your exam score and take first-year calculus for credit instead.
• You can use the CCE as a personal challenge. Writing the Calculus Challenge Exam provides any student with a useful goal on which to focus their learning, and an exciting opportunity to perform at the level expected of first-year university students.
• Finally, the exam is inexpensive. At $100, this exam is cheaper than the AP Calculus Exam, and has the advantages of being made in British Columbia and potentially influencing your GPA.

More detailed information

Registering for the CCE. Registration is now open. You must register and pay by Friday, May 26.

Preparing for the CCE. Find the syllabus, see some recommended memorized background, and view some sample exams.

Taking the CCE. Learn about exam conditions and expectations, view the provided trigonometric formula sheet.

After the CCE. See how grades will be communicated, learn what impact you can choose to have on your university grades.

Contact information. If the information in these web pages doesn’t answer your questions, please email us at challengeexam@math.ubc.ca, or write us at our postal address:

Theresa Lee
Calculus Exam Registration
c/o Mathematics Department
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC
V6T 1Z2