DS24 is an incoming student at a UC and will be earning “course equivalent” credit for passing an AP test, not just general education credit. From the list of required courses for the major, this course fulfills a required class. The question I have is this: if it is noted that required courses must be taken for a letter grade, is it fair to assume that DS24 has met the requirement?
…That is to say he won’t have a letter grade (but he did not take it pass/fail). This will be one of his questions at freshman orientation later this year.
There isn’t one answer. It depends on which UC, which department (college or school), which major, and might even depend on which class.
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It would help others help you if you named the campus, major, AP test, and AP score.
However, in cases of major requirements at UCs that I have seen, use of AP scores to fulfill major requirements is not subject to the letter grade requirement. If the department says that the major accepts AP scores for some requirements, then it obviously knows that those AP scores do not come with letter grades.
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Yes, I’ll elaborate. Specifically for UCSB, Computer Science. Passing AP Environmental Science with a score of 3 or above will translate to credit for Environmental Studies 2 (ENV S 2) and this is one of the approved science electives for the major. (Above the list it is stated: “8 units are required from the following set of approved courses, and must be taken for a LETTER GRADE”)
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BS Degree | UCSB Computer Science does not really say much about AP scores, although Advanced Placement Credit and Chart | University of California Santa Barbara Catalog does say that students cannot take the course that they have AP credit for (i.e. with AP environmental science score of 3+, the student cannot take ENV S 2).
Best to verify with the department on the matter. Another likely common case would be AP calculus, which can fulfill Math 3A (and 3B for the BC exam).
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@lkg4answers @ucbalumnus, thank you for the replies.
Getting the required AP score will count for exemption from the course. It won’t count towards college GPA, but will count towards the number of units needed for graduation. Most UCs now don’t count AP credit towards standing for the purpose of course selection pass times.
Some AP credits are even more complicated. For example my S could have counted AP Phys C credit for exemption from the required Physics sequence but only if you get a 5. Then it counts as an A for the purposes of meeting the GPA requirements to qualify for the major (but doesn’t count in your college GPA).
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@gauchoengineering might have additional insight.
Honestly most of the CS majors I know here have no trouble fulfilling the science requirement (mostly covered with APs, etc.) but yes, if you have AP credit it should articulate to that course.
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Agree with this, if UCSB says they take AP scores for a class, they will take it. They do not let you retake a course if you have already fulfilled the credit for it.
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UCSB changed their pass system - the number of quarters you have completed will be the primary determinant of what day your pass time is, with the number of units you have (your class standing) determining what time in the day that you can select classes.
For example, I’m a sophomore computer engineering right now but I have senior standing - I select classes the same day as the other sophomores, but my pass time is consistently 2-3 hours earlier than some of my friends with less AP credit.
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Thank you @gauchoengineering for the clarification specific for UCSB
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