Community College -> 4 Year College Testing Out of Classes

Transfer Students
1

Hello All,
I have a subpar high school transcript due to medical issues and the resulting missing schooldays and work. Therefore I am looking at going to a community college (Mass Bay) and transferring to a 4 year college, say Tufts, as a physics major. Mass Bay happens to offer a collection of tests, called CLEP, which allow one to receive credit for a course without taking it. I have enough knowledge in mathematics and physics to pass all the tests in those subject areas. I am wondering if it is better, from the point of view of Tufts, to:

  1. Test out of all that I can, and receive high grades in non-math, non-physics courses that I take
    or
  2. Test out of some, but save a few math and/or physics courses to actually enroll in

The reason for my uncertainty is that I am pursuing a degree in physics specifically, and am unsure how necessary it is for Tufts (or another 4 year institution) to see how well I do in courses which are of greater importance to physics.

Mass Bay recommended I speak to the transfer school. I tried talking to the BU Admissions office, but they could not give me any answer. Although I know that transfer applicants are usually examined on a case-by-case basis, it seems to me that a scenario in which I receive all A’s (for the sake of simplicity) in the courses I take would allow for some sort of answer.

Any advise is highly appreciated.

2

For CLEP, AP, and other tests, try looking for the credit charts on your target schools’ web sites.

3

Thank you for the advice.

Currently I am more concerned not with the credit transferring, but with maximizing my chances of admission to a good college. For example, assuming all the credit transfers, I am wondering whether option (1) or option (2) as stated above is the better choice, or if it does not matter.

4

To be more clear: If it were purely a matter of which courses I want to take, I would test out of what I can and take courses with material that is new to me.

However, if the transfer school finds either (1) or (2) preferential when deciding whether to admit me, that would be more important to me.

Financial aspects are irrelevant.