Information on the Quantitative Reasoning Program
Quantitative Reasoning Program Overview
Before arriving on campus, students are placed into many courses by departments which incorporate the student’s QR-score together with other relevant information:
- The Economics and Math departments will provide an initial course placement for ALL matriculated students based on each student’s responses to the Math Questionnaire, the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) assessment tool, and their submitted AP information.
- The Biology, Chemistry, and Physics departments each require a specific subject placement exam, and that assessment is used together with the QR score to determine the best entry-point course for each student into that discipline.
Students may schedule a meeting with the QR Director, Eric Gaze, in the Baldwin Center for Learning and Teaching, located in H-L Library 112, at their earliest possible convenience. Note that the Math Department offers consultations on the Sunday of Orientation (before classes start) and students may discuss their QR placement with Eric Gaze at this time in Searles Science Building.
The Baldwin Center academic support for students includes drop-in tutoring, study groups, individual tutoring, writing assistance, academic mentoring, and coaching. Find schedules and links at www.bowdoin.edu/baldwin-center/for-students.
Students who score below 50% on the QR-test are typically placed into one of the following courses, and are strongly encouraged to enroll in one of these during their first year in order to strengthen quantitative reasoning skills:
- MATH 1050 (offered every semester) for a general entry-point course with an emphasis on quantitative, statistical, and financial literacies
- PHYS/CHEM 1093 (offered every fall) prepares students for additional work in the physical sciences and engineering by focused practice in quantitative description, interpretation, and calculation.
- CHEM 1091 (offered every fall) is the first of a two-semester introductory college chemistry sequence
This sequence covers the same content as CHEM 1101/1102 with additional instruction focused on developing quantitative reasoning and problem-solving skills in the context of learning Chemistry - ECON 1050 for students interested in Economics.
Students who score between 50% and 60% on the QR-test may face some challenges in MCSR and INS courses and are encouraged to take one of the following MCSR courses in their first year:
- Any of the courses listed above
- BIOL 1101 (offered every fall)
- EOS 1305 (offered every spring).