It sounds like the issue is there are too many high schools offering classes in AP calculus which don't do a decent job of actually teaching the concepts to the

It sounds like the issue is there are too many high schools offering classes in AP calculus which don't do a decent job of actually teaching the concepts to the students. Having a good teacher for these classes makes all the difference. Additional testing at the college level would help assess a student's ability level but it does not solve the problem of time wasted when the course must be retaken. Another issue this brings up is it causes a larger gap to form between trigonometry and calculus 2. Where memorization of hundreds of trig identities builds on top of the identities learned in trig. If a student takes Trig -> pre-calc->AP calc -> Calc 1 -> Calc 2 They will have a much harder time in Calc 2. That is what happened to me. I had to take Calc 2 a couple times before I got it sorted out. http://www.ansep.net/programmatic-outcomes/statistical-data http://www.ansep.net/programmatic-outcomes/statistical-data I think the answer is to get more qualified teachers in the schools teaching the AP level classes. There is a program in Alaska called ANSEP (Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program) who have this figured out. Middle school students who enter the program come to the university during the summer time and take math classes from university professors. Many of the students are completely finished with their math track (for engineering programs) before they start university their freshmen year. These kids are all the way through partial differential equations at 17. The graduation rate for ANSEP students who enter engineering programs is around double the national average. There are many other important aspects to it. Including mandatory study sessions and living with other students who are also taking the same classes. Students are also given well paid internships in the industry during the summer time. When looked at as a whole, there is no doubt that they have figured out a far more effective means for getting students through STEM programs and jobs once they graduate. Full Disclosure: I am good friends with a few of the people running this program.