If you got a class schedule with “Math 99” on it and immediately searched for the phrase, you’re not alone. Thousands of students type “math99” or “math 99” into Google every semester, usually right after registration, and most of them are asking the same three things: what does this course actually cover, will it count toward my degree, and why do I have to take it at all.
Here’s the short version. Math 99 is not one single national course. It’s a course number that community colleges and universities across the country reuse for developmental or preparatory algebra classes. The content, credit value, and rules around it change depending on which school you attend, so the answer to “what is math 99” really depends on your specific catalog. This guide walks through what it typically covers, whether it counts for credit, who has to take it, and how to get through it without wasting a semester.
What Is Math 99 in College?
At most schools, Math 99 sits below college level math. It’s designed to close the gap between whatever math a student learned in high school and the algebra skills a school expects before letting you into credit-bearing courses like College Algebra, Statistics, or Precalculus.
At the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, for example, Math 99 is officially titled “Algebraic Literacy.” According to the school’s own course description, it covers factoring, polynomials, rational expressions, radicals, absolute value, complex numbers, linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, and graphs of functions, and it’s explicitly built to prepare students for Math 1040, the school’s College Algebra course.
Other schools use the same number for a slightly different level of the same idea. At Wilbur Wright College and Malcolm X College, both part of City Colleges of Chicago, Math 99 is “Intermediate Algebra with Geometry,” a follow up to Math 98. That version adds geometry topics like the Pythagorean theorem, perimeter and area, and volume of solids on top of the algebra content.
At Wenatchee Valley College in Washington, Math 99 leans more toward quadratic, exponential, and logarithmic functions, and it’s aimed at students heading into a non STEM college level math course rather than a full algebra track.
The pattern across all of them is the same. Math 99 reviews and builds algebra skills. It sits in a school’s developmental math sequence, usually somewhere between arithmetic review courses and the first math class that actually counts toward a degree.
Does Math 99 Count Toward a Degree?
This is the question that matters most, and the honest answer is usually no.
At UCCS, the course description states plainly that Math 99 “does not count toward bachelor’s degree,” even though it carries five credits that show up on your transcript and affect your enrollment status. Developmental courses at most schools work this way. They cost tuition, they take up a seat in your schedule, and they can affect your financial aid pace, but they don’t apply toward the credits you need to graduate.
A national database of course definitions from Lawinsider backs this up as a general rule: developmental courses are typically defined as classes below college level that cannot be applied toward a certificate or degree program. That’s not unique to Math 99. It’s how remedial and developmental education works almost everywhere in the United States.
There’s a real cost to this setup, and it’s worth knowing about before you’re stuck in it. Research from the Carnegie Foundation, cited in a piece on the Stanford College Puzzle blog, found that roughly 65 percent of students placed into developmental math sequences never make it through to a credit bearing course. Students often have to pass two or three remedial classes in a row before reaching the first class that actually counts, and a lot of people run out of money, time, or motivation before they get there.
That statistic isn’t meant to scare you. It’s meant to explain why schools and researchers have spent the last decade trying to shorten or replace these sequences, and why some colleges now offer faster paths like corequisite courses that let you take remedial support and the credit bearing class at the same time.
Financial Aid and Math 99
Because Math 99 is developmental, it can interact with financial aid rules in ways students don’t expect. Some schools, like Brigham Young University Idaho, only recognize a specific short list of remedial courses as eligible for federal aid, and they cap how many remedial credits a student can use aid for over their college career. If you’re relying on federal aid, check with your financial aid office before assuming Math 99 is automatically covered the same way a regular class would be.
Math 99 Prerequisites: How Do You End Up in It?
Nobody chooses Math 99 for fun. You usually land there through one of a few paths.
- A placement test score, like an ALEKS math score, a WPT MFND score, or a GED or HiSET math score that falls below your school’s cutoff for credit bearing math.
- Completion of a lower numbered developmental course, like Math 98 or Math 90, with a passing grade.
- A recommendation from an academic advisor after reviewing your high school transcript or transfer credits.
At Malcolm X College, for instance, enrollment in Math 99 requires completing Math 98 with a C or better, or hitting an ALEKS score of 30 or higher, among other options. At UWGB, students need a P grade in Math 99 itself, or a WPT MFND score above 465, before they can move into Math 101.
If you’re not sure why you were placed into Math 99, your academic advisor or the math department can usually tell you exactly which score or prerequisite triggered it, and whether there’s a way to retest into a higher course.
What Topics Does Math 99 Cover?
The specific unit list depends on your school, but most Math 99 courses draw from the same pool of algebra fundamentals. Here’s a comparison of what several real course catalogs list.
| School | Course Title | Core Topics |
| UCCS | Algebraic Literacy | Factoring, polynomials, rational expressions, radicals, complex numbers, linear and quadratic equations, inequalities |
| Wilbur Wright College / Malcolm X College | Intermediate Algebra with Geometry | Rational exponents, radical and rational expressions, systems of equations, Pythagorean theorem, area and volume |
| Wenatchee Valley College | Intermediate Algebra | Factoring, quadratic and exponential equations, logarithmic functions, graphing, vertex and intercepts |
| Study.com online option | Essentials of Algebra and Statistics | Problem solving, exponents, rational numbers, linear equations, inequalities, systems of equations, functions, basic probability and statistics |
If you want to know exactly what your Math 99 covers, pull up your school’s course catalog page directly. The topic list there is the one that will actually show up on your syllabus and your exams.
Can You Take Math 99 Online?
Yes, and for some students it’s a genuinely useful option. Study.com offers an online course called “Math 99: Essentials of Algebra and Statistics” that’s evaluated for four semester hours and is designed to transfer into more than 1,500 colleges as a lower division math elective or preparatory credit. The exams are open book, unproctored, and untimed, with 15 questions per chapter test, and students can move through the material at their own pace.
That said, this is not the same as your specific school’s in house Math 99 class, and it won’t automatically substitute for a placement requirement at every institution. If you’re considering an online version to satisfy a prerequisite, confirm with your academic advisor first that your school will actually accept the transfer credit. Policies here vary a lot by school, and getting stuck with credit that doesn’t transfer is a common and avoidable mistake.
How to Pass Math 99 Without Losing a Semester
Developmental math courses have a reputation for being where a lot of students stall out, but the ones who move through it quickly tend to do a handful of things differently.
- Treat it like a real class, not a formality. Math 99 doesn’t count toward your degree, but a failing grade still affects your GPA and your progress requirements for financial aid. Show up and do the work like it matters, because it does.
- Use your school’s free tutoring center. Nearly every community college has a math resource center or tutoring lab, often staffed by students who recently passed the same course. Take advantage of it before you fall behind, not after.
- Retest if you think placement was wrong. If your placement score was close to the cutoff, ask about retesting or a placement challenge. Some students place directly into a credit bearing course after a second attempt.
- Ask about corequisite options. Some schools now offer a version where you take developmental support alongside the credit bearing course in the same semester, which can save you an entire term compared to the traditional sequence.
- Practice consistently instead of cramming. Algebra builds on itself. A student who does 20 minutes of practice problems four nights a week will usually outperform one who studies for three hours the night before a test.
Math 99 vs Other Developmental Math Courses
Schools often run a sequence of these courses, and the numbering can get confusing fast. A rough map of how it usually works:
- Arithmetic or pre algebra review (often numbered 90 or below): basic operations, fractions, decimals, percentages.
- Beginning algebra (often numbered 97 or 98): real numbers, exponents, polynomial operations, factoring, linear equations.
- Math 99: intermediate algebra, often with radicals, quadratics, and sometimes geometry or statistics folded in.
- First credit bearing math course: College Algebra, Quantitative Reasoning, or Statistics, depending on your major.
If you’re unsure where Math 99 falls in your school’s specific sequence, your registrar’s course catalog will list the exact prerequisite chain, including which grade you need and which placement scores exempt you.
FAQ
Does Math 99 count as college credit? At most schools, no. It’s a developmental course that appears on your transcript and affects your credit load and GPA, but it typically doesn’t count toward the credits required for your degree. Check your specific school’s catalog, since a few institutions do treat it differently.
Is Math 99 the same as Intermediate Algebra? Often, yes. Several schools, including those in the City Colleges of Chicago system, literally title Math 99 “Intermediate Algebra with Geometry.” Other schools use different titles for the same course number, so don’t assume the content is identical everywhere.
How hard is Math 99? It covers real algebra content, including factoring, quadratics, and systems of equations, so it’s not a throwaway class. Students who struggled with algebra in high school often find it challenging at first, but it’s designed to be manageable with regular practice and tutoring support.
Can I skip Math 99 if I think I’m ready for college algebra? Ask about retesting or a placement challenge. Many schools allow a second placement test attempt, and some accept AP, IB, or transfer credit as an alternative way to bypass developmental math entirely.
Will financial aid cover Math 99? It depends on your school and your aid type. Some institutions cap the number of remedial credits eligible for federal aid, so confirm the details with your financial aid office before you register.
