<p>no. They can be used as elective credit, or they are also useful as “having taken” those extra credits. NU requires that you take at least 45 credits to graduate (4 per quarter = normally 48). If you want to drop a class, however, and only take three one quarter, then you have more cusion with the AP courses to make sure you have the 45, but you likely wont be dropping more than 3 courses during your collegiate career. </p>
<p>So, with two extra english courses, you would only have to physically take 43 classes at NU, with the extra two soaked up as AP Credit.</p>
<p>Under the same logic, if you have enough credit you could potentially graduate a quarter or two early.</p>