How Exams Work
Distance Calculus uses a Mastery Learning format. There are no multiple-choice exams, no surprise topics, and no scantrons. Every piece of work you submit is real mathematics, graded by a human, with the goal of confirming what you actually know.
The full course assessment is intentionally multi-modal - we don't make a single high-stakes exam carry the entire grade. Several different evaluation tools each check a different facet of your understanding, and your earned letter grade reflects the combined picture.
Homework Assignments (the Foundation)
Homework is the largest part of your course experience and the prerequisite for any final exam.
- You submit homework electronically through the course software (LiveMath or Mathematica).
- An instructor or teaching assistant marks up your submission with detailed feedback.
- You revise and resubmit. Under Mastery Learning, this cycle repeats as many times as it takes - typically 2 to 6 rounds per assignment - until the notebook is genuinely complete at 100%.
- Each assignment ends at one mark: "C" = Complete. There is no "78" or "B+" on a notebook.
You must drive every assignment in the course to "C" before you are eligible to begin the final exam sequence. There is no credit-by-examination path: the only way to the finals is through the homework.
The Final Exam Sequence
After all homework is Complete, your earned letter grade is determined by some combination of the following, depending on the grade you're aiming for:
1. Proctored Final Exam (required for every passing grade)
- Live, over video call, with your Course Professor or Teaching Assistant.
- Under exam conditions; no notes, no software, no chatbot, no outside help.
- Pass at 70% or higher to earn any passing letter grade.
- May include a brief oral exam of 1-3 problems to confirm academic honesty across the entire course engagement.
- This is intentionally the easiest of the final exams; the take-home exams below are harder.
2. Take-Home Final Exams (required for B and A grades)
- Open for 48 hours so you can fit them around work and family schedules; actual engagement time is typically 4-8 hours.
- Completed independently under the honor system, with computer-algebra software permitted just as in homework.
- Not graded recursively - submitted once, scored once.
- B-Level Take-Home unlocks B-grade evaluation (passing at 70%) and the door to A-grade evaluation (passing at 85%+).
- A-Level Take-Home is required for A-grade students, also at 85%+ to pass.
- Exam engagement may be screen-recorded and submitted for instructor review.
3. Video Portfolio (required for A grade)
- You screen-record solutions to 2-5 assigned problems, narrating your reasoning.
- The closest analog to "come to the board and work this problem" that you'd encounter in a classroom course.
- Specifically required for A-grade students; serves as a final mastery demonstration.
Quick Grade Map
| Grade | All Homework "C" | B-Level Take-Home | A-Level Take-Home | Video Portfolio | Proctored Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Yes | - | - | - | Pass at 70%+ |
| B | Yes | Pass at 70%+ | - | - | Pass at 70%+ |
| A | Yes | Pass at 85%+ | Pass at 85%+ | Required | Pass at 70%+ |
See the Grade Policy page for the full rules, and How Distance Calculus Courses Work for the broader course flow that leads up to the final exam sequence.
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Distance Calculus - Student Reviews
Posted: May 17, 2025
Courses Completed: Calculus I
This Calculus class saved my life! I needed to take this class to be able to secure a spot in my grad school program, and this was perfect for me - super flexible to my schedule, the teaching was great, and the material was super clear.
I felt like I really learned Calculus and also really enjoyed it!
I felt like I really learned Calculus and also really enjoyed it!
Posted: Jan 13, 2020
Courses Completed: Calculus II
This is the most interactive and productive online course I have ever taken. I had taken calculus before but never understood some of the underlying concepts until I took this course.
If you want to really learn calculus in a way that will stay with you for the rest of your life, take this course.
If you want to really learn calculus in a way that will stay with you for the rest of your life, take this course.
Transferred Credits To: The college of New Jersey
Posted: Jan 18, 2021
Courses Completed: Linear Algebra
The program used gives an amazing insight into everything that's happening, that you wouldn't get in a traditional course. All of the lessons are clear and clean, and the professor is very helpful along the way. I learned a lot and am happy with taking this course
Email: courygaffney@gmail.com
Transferred Credits To: Virginia Tech
Posted: Aug 28, 2026
Courses Completed: Finite Math
I will preface this review by saying that if you are looking to take the easiest course possible, cheat through it, and learn as little as possible, this is not the course for you. Below, I will provide my uncensored opinions to this course:
First, this course uses software called LiveMath. This software can be a little bit challenging to get the hang of, but once you do get the hang of it, it's super easy. Remember that for all new things, it takes a bit to get used to it. Overall, I was highly satisfied with this course. I thought that the instructions were extremely detailed, including a video and a textbook explaining every different concept. In addition, this course offered exposure to a lot of different aspects of finite math. I think that many would agree with me on the following, that, you know, when a teacher is passionate about what they are teaching, it is so much more enjoyable, and you can definitely see that in this course. This course can be challenging at times. Maybe it'll be easy for you, maybe it'll be hard, but I think it's important to remember that the things that challenge us are, you know, the things that make us learn and the things that make us better. There's also a math chat option for if you need help or if you have any questions. Overall, I would recommend this course. I actually initially went into this course looking for an easy course to just help me get the credit requirements, but it ended up being an amazing learning experience and completely shifted my perspective on math overall. And another thing that I thought was great in this course is throughout so many different lectures, the professor would explain how each different thing can be applicable in life. And I think that, you know, that is a lot of what people think about when they are learning something. They're like, will I ever use this? Do I need to learn this? And a lot of this actually is really applicable. And I think that even if, you know, you may not be doing these math equations in your future, I think that, you know, the psychology behind these and the rules can be applied to so many different fuacets of life.
First, this course uses software called LiveMath. This software can be a little bit challenging to get the hang of, but once you do get the hang of it, it's super easy. Remember that for all new things, it takes a bit to get used to it. Overall, I was highly satisfied with this course. I thought that the instructions were extremely detailed, including a video and a textbook explaining every different concept. In addition, this course offered exposure to a lot of different aspects of finite math. I think that many would agree with me on the following, that, you know, when a teacher is passionate about what they are teaching, it is so much more enjoyable, and you can definitely see that in this course. This course can be challenging at times. Maybe it'll be easy for you, maybe it'll be hard, but I think it's important to remember that the things that challenge us are, you know, the things that make us learn and the things that make us better. There's also a math chat option for if you need help or if you have any questions. Overall, I would recommend this course. I actually initially went into this course looking for an easy course to just help me get the credit requirements, but it ended up being an amazing learning experience and completely shifted my perspective on math overall. And another thing that I thought was great in this course is throughout so many different lectures, the professor would explain how each different thing can be applicable in life. And I think that, you know, that is a lot of what people think about when they are learning something. They're like, will I ever use this? Do I need to learn this? And a lot of this actually is really applicable. And I think that even if, you know, you may not be doing these math equations in your future, I think that, you know, the psychology behind these and the rules can be applied to so many different fuacets of life.
Transferred Credits To: GWU
Posted: Jul 29, 2026
Courses Completed: Calculus II, Multivariable Calculus, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra
After completing all the math offered by my highschool, I switched over to Roger Williams for Calculus II and onward. Overall, it has been a pretty great way to understand the topics online, with transferrable college credits. The exams are not terrible, and the courses cover the vast majority (if not all) of topics covered by traditional courses, with some unique ones added to. So far, I have taken four courses, with another one or two before I graduate.
The only problem with the course is the lack of pen and paper work. This shouldn't come as a crazy surprise with an online course, but there is not much emphasis on symbolic computation. Mathematica or other software does most of the heavy computation for you. The lectures usually show how to solve the problems through paper, but those skills are rarely put into practice. Literacy Sheets act as a way to do some of that (especially with the Calculus II & III course).
All in all, this isn't a huge issue. I just memorize and practice things like double integration, Laplace, ODE solving, matrix diagonalized form, row operations, etc. With a little outside work, this resolves itself. Without Roger WIlliams, I probably would not have been able to take any of these math courses in highschool.
So overall, a great choice for highschool advanced math, especially with transferrable credits.
The only problem with the course is the lack of pen and paper work. This shouldn't come as a crazy surprise with an online course, but there is not much emphasis on symbolic computation. Mathematica or other software does most of the heavy computation for you. The lectures usually show how to solve the problems through paper, but those skills are rarely put into practice. Literacy Sheets act as a way to do some of that (especially with the Calculus II & III course).
All in all, this isn't a huge issue. I just memorize and practice things like double integration, Laplace, ODE solving, matrix diagonalized form, row operations, etc. With a little outside work, this resolves itself. Without Roger WIlliams, I probably would not have been able to take any of these math courses in highschool.
So overall, a great choice for highschool advanced math, especially with transferrable credits.
Email: abarger@protonmail.com
Posted: Jun 25, 2026
Courses Completed: Multivariable Calculus
The professor as well as the TAs give great feedback when you need help with problems and the videos are great at explaining concepts. Return time on work is good and the work is not too much to handle.
Transferred Credits To: University of Wisconsin
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