Gateway Math and English Courses | Montgomery College, Maryland

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Gateway Math and English Help Ensure Academic Success

MC students are generally more successful when they take the required math and English courses, what the College calls “gateway courses,” in their first year. They earn better grades and have greater success at attaining their education goals, such as earning an associate’s degree or transferring to a four-year college/university. In fact, 87 percent of new students who complete gateway math and English classes in their first year at MC return the next year!

What Students Are Saying About English Gateway Courses

English 101 gave me the early experience and confidence boost I needed.

Daniel Heffron, Student

English 101 was the perfect introduction to the rigorous yet rewarding world of college classes. While it's no piece of cake, the satisfaction and reward from completing it sure remind me of one.

Paul Beltran, Student

English 101 demonstrated the importance of linguistic strategies and critical thinking skills through challenging yet creative assignments, which I believe ultimately prepared me for a successful college experience. The course introduced the key complexities of writing and communication that helped with assignments in my other courses as well as duties outside of the classroom.

Marilyn Ortega, Student

English 101 taught me how to effectively create outlines which resulted in stronger essays. It also taught me the importance of time management that will help me successfully complete my degree.

Da'Nausha R. Hall, Student

Taking English 101 absolutely helped me to become a better writer and to write more meaningful papers. I am very glad I took this class in my first semester at MC because I truly feel it prepared me with the crucial skills needed for all the writing in my current classes.

Claire Hamilton, Student

What Students Are Saying About Math Gateway Courses

I took Math 117 my freshman year. Taking math credits early on allowed me to gain fundamental knowledge and skills that have helped me accelerate in my other classes, as well. Statistics involves real world scenarios that help you to place math calculations in the business field. Taking Statistics my freshman year piqued my love of learning and made my first year amazing.

Maggie Corcoran, Student

Exploring the realm of calculus has helped me to appreciate the concept of change. This has led to my having increased confidence to explore a myriad of other math courses. The quicker you decide to take this class, the better of a service you will do for yourself by honing skills that apply to anything else that you may want to accomplish.

Jules Torres, Student

I am so glad I enrolled in MATH 120! Not only did the course provide a basic understanding of concepts needed for my future education, but it also allowed me to practice fundamental skills that are essential for my chosen career. With the guidance of my professor, I was also able to gain more confidence in my abilities, and learn important life lessons in addition to the course material. Enrolling in a math course early is such a great way to speed up the education process and start building the knowledge that you need for your desired career.

Monesa Arteche, Student

I believe that MATH 117 was very useful not only for my academic life, but also for my daily life. It gave me fundamental information on how to interpret data, which is a very necessary skill for scientific research. In addition, after doing MATH 117, I acquired a critical view of data interpretations that are often conveyed by the media. Having a sense of how to interpret research data helps me to avoid being deceived by biased information that can make me draw wrong conclusions on various topics, such as politics, economics, and social studies. I feel that having learned statistics helped me a lot inside and outside the academic world. Furthermore, it was easier than I thought!

Claudia Borges Tavares, Student

I never really liked math, I always found it complicated and hard to understand, but this semester math grew on me. Statistics is actually really interesting and can be helpful to understand everyday situations. As the weeks went by the class got a bit more challenging and I found myself a bit scared. Going to office hours and the embedded coach’s Zoom meeting really helped me have a successful ending. I'm glad I took this class. At first I was scared but it all turned out well. To future students, use all your resources available and attend office hours if needed.

Lady Tabi, Student

Gateway Course Options

MC requires students to complete gateway math and English to earn an associate’s degree. Taking them in your first year is an easy way to start off right. You should take one math and one English course from these gateway courses:

Find out which math course is right for you. Contact your academics advisor or your counselor.

And don’t be nervous about taking MC’s gateway math and English courses. Your professors and advisors are dedicated to your success, plus, you will have access to no-cost tutoring and other support services that help you every step of the way.

Taking the required gateway math and English courses in your first year or, better yet, your first semester, is a great way to help ensure academic success at MC. Please contact your advisor or the math and English departments for more information.

What People are Saying

We've endeavored to design a mathematics curriculum that meets you where you are and helps you get where you want to go. With features like corequisite support classes and embedded coaching, it is now easier than ever before to be successful in a gateway math course. Take your math class early in your first year. You'll be glad you did.

Milton Nash, Dean of Mathematics, Statistics and Data Science