Monster as races question(3.5)

[Brother Shatterstone]

Okay, I'm looking at the "Monster as Races" (DMG: pg 172) section and I was wondering if I was doing this right:

Bugbear
3 HD
+1 Level adjustment
+1 level for having an actual class

So the lowest level a bugbear could be is 5th correct? (Minus the slow progression rules in savage species)

 

[Davelozzi]

Or you could start him without a class when everyone else is still at 4th level.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

So I guess my math is good! Thanks!

It's a fifth level campaign so 5th level will do perfectly...