That is less than ideal, when is the DE Calc class?
Definitely something to ask his counselor and/or the HS’s testing coordinator.
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Some questions that may affect the decision:
- Which AP exam – AB or BC?
- Which Boise State courses would the student get credit for if choosing DE?
Boise State accepts a 3 on AB for MATH 170, and a 3 on BC for MATH 170 and 175, according to https://www.boisestate.edu/registrar/transfers/prior-learning-credit/ap/
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If the class is genuinely identical, I’d compare what each option gives you afterward rather than the course itself.
AP has the advantage of a standardized exam and potentially broader recognition when colleges evaluate the course/credit. Dual credit can be attractive if the Boise State credit is transferable to the college your son eventually attends.
I’d check the transfer policies of a few colleges he is seriously considering, especially for calculus/major requirements. Also look at whether the dual-credit grade becomes part of a college transcript, since that can be different from simply earning AP credit.
If college credit transferability is the main goal, I’d probably choose the option that gives the most predictable credit at the colleges he may attend.
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Hi ucbalumnus, we just looked in his HS course catalog and in the nice link you sent. Looks like it’s the Calc AB class and would likely cover the MATH 170 at Boise State if taken as dual credit. Thanks for info.
Hi saadmalik–Thanks for perspective. These are questions he and I must try to answer in coming months, so in meantime we may try to do both dual credit and independent AP-test credit for this class.
Our D27’s schools have DE courses, no AP courses, but they will host AP exams if students want. D27 would often pair a DE course with an AP exam to get both forms of credit. If the course is adequate, then just get familiar with the AP test format and do a couple of practice tests. (She also took a couple of AP exams without a (sufficient) course, but this requires more self-study.)
You never know how the college search will go, so it can be good to have both forms of credit, DE and AP. And I guess good AP scores can reinforce good DE grades, in the eyes of colleges.
So in your case I’d suggest do both. Take the course as DE, and also do the AP exam.
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My rising senior took Calculus as a dual enrollment directly through the college offering this summer between 11 and 12th. Her HS revamped their dual enrollment offerings so while her older sibling was able to take d/e Calc full year at the hs to earn the credit, they no longer offer it as d/e at the HS and instead she’d have to take AP Calc and she is not an AP math candidate so the dual enrollment option and summer term was a clear winner for her. I tend to be of the mindset that the dual enrollment credit is more of a sure thing than AP testing as I have seen students ace their coursework and test poorly on the AP exam. Perhaps the best solution if your student wants to be exposed to the rigor across the full year is to take the AP course, complete the test and if he does poorly - recapture with a summer term course directly at the college the summer after?
FWIW - all of my current college students’ dual enrollment transferred to her in state pre-health major (stats, algebra, calculus, physics, bio 1, chem 1, english, psych, soc etc.) and the colleges didn’t seem to question if they were taken at the HS or directly at the college in person or online.
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Be sure if your child does the DC route and wants to take the AP exam that your school will have a seat for him. Also be aware that AP registration is very early. It is not an exam you can take at the last minute. If I recall, the final registration deadline is usually in November.
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Thanks for describing your experiences, collegeboundin25. That’s good to know that the credits transferred well in-state.
Thanks to all here for info you’ve provided. I’ve learned a lot from it. BTW, I just got a reply back from an acad. counselor at his school. She says that the credits for all his “dual credit” classes are “transcripted” at area colleges and universities. She says that generally you just order the transcript records to be sent to the colleges you are applying at, and that it’s not common to need to send other records such as syllabi, final tests, etc. I recognize, however, that the nationwide acceptance of these transcript records will be lower than for AP credit. I’m leaning to keeping my son close to home anyway (especially since the “covid years”), so dual credit is probably still a good deal for us.
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Having both college and AP credit does increase the chance of at least one type being accepted, but do not expect double credit for the same content.
But that is more important for cases where the frosh level college course content can vary across colleges, and may go beyond the AP course content. Calculus (for math, physics, and engineering majors) is one of the less variable frosh level college courses, and the AP course matches well to that content, but that is not necessarily true for other subjects for which AP courses exist.
Also note that some private colleges have restrictive rules on accepting dual enrollment college credit that are not based on specific evaluation of the course content, such as refusing credit for “college in the high school” (as opposed to taking the course at the actual college) or where the course is used to meet high school graduation requirements.
A student considering professional (e.g. medical, law) or graduate school should note that college courses taken while in high school and their grades do become part of their college record that must be included in professional or graduate school applications. Similar applies if the student starts college and then applies to transfer to a different college. Note that in the transfer situation, the new college may re-evaluate prior college and AP credit differently from the first college.
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