Striving for innovation: physics, engineering, and medicine

plumazul
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:49:26 +0000

Is my AP credit really invalid? Doesn’t having taken Orgo first-year explain for itself that I have a strong chemistry background, thus rendering unnecessary to take Gen Chem? Or am I to pursue higher-level inorganic (or organic/biochem?) to complete the “second-year” of chemistry requirements? …

Where should I allot my TWO MAX possible AP credits?



It appears you chose to attend an undergrad college with very restrictive policies concerning AP credit. When you made this choice, then you agreed to do things their way. I entered college with 55 AP credits and my college accepted all of them and entered them on my transcript. This means that after my first three semesters, I now have 107 credits(an academic senior) and will spend the next 5 semesters taking mostly classes that I want to take. I say this not for the OP but for anyone else contemplating these issues who has not already made a choice of undergraduate college.

OP, there are two distinct issues with your AP classes. You state that you are only allowed “two credits” from AP classes( I assume you mean AP exams?), and that this is the max. they will enter on your transcript. Secondarily, do they then give advanced placement for your other AP classes? (IOW, they allow you to move on without giving you credit for the AP class). In both of these cases, you should not retake classes that you have already mastered (i.e. got a 5 on the exam). You should instead take a more advanced class. This is the advice from every MS admin/adcom person I have ever talked to in person. If your school does not allow advanced placement, well then :(