I'm an engineering freshman coming in with 23 credits.
The University of Michigan explains that:
"Upper Division tuition is assessed to undergraduate students with 55 or more credits toward program (CTP) as of the beginning of the term."
55-23= 32
So if I took 31 total credits for my freshman year (two semesters; 15 creds one + 16 creds the next) would I be able to avoid paying Upper Division tuition for my first semester of my sophmore year? (even if I took 18 credits that term)
Also the rest of you guys with AP cred should look into this and save yourselves some money!!!
I believe you are correct. We are thinking the same thing for our son, who is coming in with 25 credits thanks to AP exams. He is taking 15 credits first semester, and we have already had the discussion about planning for second semester, and that it is important for him to take no more than 14 credits, keeping him UNDER 55 for one more term!
Is it possible for a student to pick and choose when certain AP credits are applied? If so, is that done through their academic advisor? That sounds like a great option. He will need the chemistry and calc, but the others could wait.
If you apply those credits anytime during your Michigan education, and you could have been charged for them, you'll be charged retroactively so there's really no point in holding off credits you plan on applying.
I have 15 AP credits I'm not sure about transferring or not, and am wondering if that extra $1k is worth it in tuition for those credits. My advisor told me that grad schools won't care about having Econ 101 or US History on my transcript, but I can't help but wonder if having those credits could benefit me in the future. What do you all think (just in general about the topic, not the specific APs)?
If you're planning to study abroad, the AP credits could come in handy. I did a semester abroad this winter as a sophomore, and although my advisor said the credits should transfer, they didn't. Thankfully had 15 credits from APs that saved my ass and I don't have to do an extra semester to make up for the study abroad.
in most cases, it is advantageous to transfer the credits. if in doubt, transfer the credits.
there are only a few special cases in which you shouldn't -- one of them being if you are extremely tight financially.
Michmom, yes, to my knowledge it is possible to pick and choose which credits are transferred, but unless you are absolutely positive that those credits will not come in handy later on, then I recommend just transferring them. In terms of who to contact, your son's advisor would be a good place to start. I have a feeling they might forward you to the registrar's office, though.
If he can keep his credits after the first year under 55 we'll be happy. There is definitely a trade-off with AP credits, but it sure does give him some flexibility in his schedule and gives a little "wiggle room" as far as class load. Yes, he'll be at upper level tuition after first term of sophomore year (one term early), but I believe in the end it will be worth it.
MichMom, I am unsure but if your plan is to hold off from transferring AP credits until he is already upper level and then do it, it won't work. They will charge you retroactively based on what you would have paid if you had transferred them from the start. The only benefit might be if you simply cannot afford the increase it in the first year, but you will be able to afford to pay the difference in the second year.
No - we'll let them stand (they're showing up on his unofficial transcript). The most important thing now in terms of scheduling is keeping him between 12 and 14 credits next semester so that he doesn't hit 55. (25 AP, 15 credits fall 2011, 12-14 winter 2012 and he'll be safely under.) It'd be a shame to be so close and go over by one or two credits when it can be avoided with a little planning.
Those credits may come in handy later on when you want to go abroad and take fewer credits, want to take a semester with less credits to concentrate on a particular course or to graduate a semester early. Even with the upper division billing, you save a lot more $ on tuition graduating early. And you can still live in Ann Arbor for the Spring Semester doing other things.
According to D's counseler, you can pick and choose which credits to take and you can delete some if you get close to 55. But if you delete them and then add them back in, you will be charged as if you never deleted them. The people in the registrar's office didn't just fall off the turnip truck. Also, keep in mind that most of the AP credits will only be general elective credits so they may be of limited value to apply toward your degree (unless of course the student has little or no other general elective credits).
gen ed credits are completely worthless. drop those.
on a side note, the people who work at the registrar's office are pretty nice as long as you are upfront with them. I dropped all of my gen ed credits from useless AP classes (e.g. stats) before my second semester to avoid paying upper division tuition, and they let me drop those credits after I picked my classes (but before I had to pay tuition).
