AP Credits as Lower Level Electives?

maryversity
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 02:41:23 +0000

Here is the AP credit chart http://www.umd.edu/catalog/attachments/AP.pdf

AP credits can be used for classes as defined in that chart, so when you say count for lower level electives, I’m not sure what you are asking.

Electives needed for graduation are determined by your major. Gen Eds are the “electives” defined by the university that must be completed in addition to your major requirements in order to graduate.

So, if you have an AP credit that has no transfer equivalent for a Gen Ed nor an elective needed within your major, then you still get those “credits” which give you seniority. This means you come in with that number of credits, so after the first semester, when class signups are determined by seniority of number of credits, you could have a sign up date for spring classes before other freshmen or conceivably even before a few sophomores (who came in with no credits).

So, for example, let’s say you have AP Art History. You get 3 credits for that but if you are not an art major (for argument’s sake we’ll say you are majoring in engineering) it doesn’t count as an elective towards your major, nor does it count as a gen ed. However, you still get “credit” for that so after taking 15 credits worth of classes your first semester, your transcript will show that you have 18 credits earned toward graduation, but still only 15 towards your major. Will it save you from taking any classes? Nope. However, it gives you 3 credits more than Mary who came in with no AP credits and took the same exact classes you did first semester, so you get to register for spring semester before she does and may get the last seat in a class you want where she would have to go on the waitlist. Make sense?