<p>I agree with Caillebotte–unless you got a 5 on the AP exam it is debatable whether you “know” the material. And perhaps not even then.</p>
<p>There is data which suggests that in general the value of science AP course are suspect. The score required to earn a 5 on the AP Bio exam is a lot lower than you might suspect. Selective colleges find that many of freshman scoring 4 or 5 on the exam are underprepared for advanced courses. College faculty report that it is clear that the high school science teachers teach to the exam. As a result a number of selective colleges no longer allow their students to use AP credit to place out of introductory (esp. science) courses . A report written by the College Board identified a number of serious problems with the AP biology curriculum. Last fall the college board released a draft of a revised AP biology curriculum which attempts to address many of problems identified in the report. Of course one problem they face is push back from both the colleges and medical schools. The current research favors learning key concepts over content. It turns out that many high school teachers do not have the background or the resources to meet teaching goals favored by a growing number of college instructors. Science faculty at schools like MIT, Yale, Williams and number of medical schools favor undergraduate courses that stress learning how to learn, thinking like a scientist and interdisciplinary courses that combine two or three fields (biology & math; biology and chemistry). In summary, the decision to use or not use your AP credit will depend on a number of factors. The rigor of your high school course, the rigor of the college level course and how much risk you are willing to take.</p>
<p>^^ as a result some colleges require you to take the next course in the series before you get credit for the AP course. My D at Columbia had to take another math class before she got credit for AP Calculus (in which she had a 5.) </p>
<p>I can see their reasoning, but it’s a pain if you don’t NEED the next level course for grad requirements.</p>
<p>Calculus in college for me was nothing like calculus in high school, even though it was supposed to be the same and I had the option of skipping it. So I was glad I elected to take it. My guess is that this may vary depending on the caliber of your college.</p>
<p>o somebody message me pleasee and explain how to make a thread… i cant figure out and im about to freak out…</p>
<p>Intro classes for the most part are very general, a little boring, and kinda bland. You save time and money if you skip ahead and often the intro classes are of little importance to the next level (science and math intro classes matter much more)</p>
<p>Upper level courses are so much more interesting and the class size is usually smaller!</p>
<p>I did very well in HS and started college as a sophomore just from AP credits. I jumped right into Organic Chemistry (known to be difficult) and got a D. I’d say to use your credits for placement if you’re sure you know the material and if you’re sure you can handle the advanced class (not something that’s known to be painful), to use your credits for credit in classes you don’t want to repeat (I also completely avoided History in college and was happy about that!), and not to jump straight into killer courses freshman first semester before you’ve figured out how college works.</p>
<p>I did AP and dual enrollment in hs and accepted all the credit they would give me (fnance and economics major). Unless you are a science major, there is no need not to accept the credit they will give you. As much as I love science, I would not retake 2 semesters of physics in attempt to boost my GPA. Generally, department heads and many professors are aware of how previous students have fared taking AP classes and can give you advice specific to that university. As for calculus, I agree that a strong student does not need to retake the course, especially if your degree only requires a semester of calculus. I came in to college with 75 semester credits and I can tell you that upper division courses are generally more interesting and enjoyable than lower division ones.</p>
<p>I think it depends a great deal on the college. At the two extremes, your local CC, and the strong academic college you need to view AP credit differently. At the CC where there are in fact “intro” courses, because many of the incoming students have not been well prepared, the point of the course is an “equalizer” for more advanced classes. At this level, use the AP leverage to the max; otherwise you’ll end up in unproductive courses. At the strong academic college, there is little need for “equalizer” courses, and the notion of intro courses rarely applies. There, with all the great students, the new ways of examining the material, and the fact that the course will very likely move quickly means that for most part the AP course you took in high school will at best serve you as a preparation for the college level course. Most colleges fall somewhere in between CC and selective, and the use of AP to “skip” courses may need to be adjusted depending where you are.</p>
<p>There are, as someone pointed out earlier, two exceptions: foreign language AP and math AP. To the extent that the college offers language courses beyond the AP, and the language is one that interests you, then use the AP to move up. Otherwise you’ll be in a class with students who are still struggling with the language. It’ll limit your ability to move ahead.</p>
<p>In math, especially if you are strong technically, and you are planning to take science and engineering courses, using the AP to skip into the next level math course will often give you a heads up in your science/engineering courses.</p>
<p>Using high school AP to skip science courses is IMO always suspect, and I think unwise.</p>
<p>Several of the responders viewed taking the course in which you have a high AP score as a way to keep your GPA high, or to graduate early. I find that difficult to understand. College is a place to learn and grow. Why rush the experience?</p>
<p>OP - it depends a great deal on which college you are going to and what major (e.g. impacted?) you pursue.</p>
<p>I’ve heard Stanford wants you to take math and science classes again so you can learn it the right way.</p>
<p>If you go to UCLA and want to qualify for Bizecon you’ll need the better UC GPA in those intro math and econ classes, so your best bet is to repeat.</p>
<p>For language you should take a placement test and start where it places you, no matter how many years you did at school.</p>
<p>Save money</p>
<p>Fogcity, while taking AP credits can lessen the time one has to spend in college, it doesn’t have to. I’m using my credits so I can get a double major and a master’s degree with my scholarship. Cost is a factor for many of us, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to learn and have a great college experience.</p>
<p>DD will be entering college with 45 credits. This will allow her to save a tremendous amount of time and money, graduate early, get double major or combined BA/MA in less than 4 years. If you are concerned about your GPA take less credits. Repeating a class does not guarantee a GPA boost. You can always end up with a tough teacher, especially in intro classes.</p>
<p>my freshman DS had 12 AP credits (and 3 more credits from another college from a summer school) and will be able to finish a dual major in 3.5 years (if he wants to) and may be able to use the last semester of his scholarship towards a masters degree. His were Calc BC and Physics Mech and Electricity. He plans on a dual major in Finance and Accounting and maybe a minor in Math. This semester is his first real Math course (last semester was Stat - which he took honors in HS but not AP - so it was really easy for him), so we will see how he does this semester whether he minors in Math.</p>
<p>I think that since you already have the credits you should go ahead and continue on with your next classes. Not having to take those intro classes will make your first semester go smoother allowing you to focus more on core classes. I had multiple AP credits and was Duel enrolled my senior year of high school and took comp. 1&2 and some intro to business and Econ. classes. These classes are usually much more difficult at the University level, with the large classes which make it more difficult to focus and do well. Even though you passed the AP exams and are familiar with the course doesn’t always mean you will do well, so why take the chance!</p>
<p>I would skip them. I thought I would take this class to “review” and it ended up not helping me at all. You’re better off just reading the material to review. It was a humanities course- however not technical (math/science). I think introductory classes are mostly weed-out and it might be an extra work load that you don’t want to handle. Also, some of the people in these weed out classes (if you go to a regional/state school) are sometimes not interested at all in what they have to “learn,” and thus it makes it harder to be focused and I think some professors patronize you by association.</p>
<p>My son is a 2008 Swarthmore graduate. He skipped all his language requirements as well as Math requirements because of AP classes. This allowed him to:
- Take advanced Math classes at Swat.
- Get a minor in a completely unrelated subject addition to a major.</p>
<p>I know many people double major but he did not because he took a lot of courses in other subjects he was interested in, like PoliSci, Philosopy, Religion, Russian Literature etc. Anyway, the subject he minored in, is the subject he’s applying to graduate school for this year. How he’ll do as far as the admissions is concerned is still up in the air, but his professors who gave him recommendations seem not concerned at all.</p>
<p>Transfer credits are an important consideration too. Some schools may allow you to skip their introductory courses, but your second college may not. You’ll need to check to be sure the school you are transferring to allows for AP credit.</p>
<p>My suggestion: do not skip “content” courses, like math or sciences. You may have skimmed through some content-based to get through the curriculum. Often colleges get more into depth than you were “allowed” to do in a broad overview course.</p>
<p>On the other hand, skip languages or English if you did well. I also think you can skip those “survey” courses, like US History or Euro.</p>
<p>Other APs, like Psychology,rarely give you credit even if you did well, but check with the college.</p>
<p>This, for what it’s worth, is what I told my kids:</p>
<p>If you are getting A’s and B’s in the AP class and do well (4/5) on the exam AND if it is just a core class (not necessarily a foundation class for major or an elective) then take the credit and save the money.</p>
<p>If you struggle in the AP class and just barely made a 3/4 on exam (especially if a lit/language core) take the class again.</p>
<p>Even if it’s a core class, but something you’ll need as a foundation course (ie - chem major shouldn’t take the AP credit for chem 1) unless you got an A in the AP class and a 5 on exam, take the class.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Some of us still have grad school to go, as well as some mounting debt. I actually ran out of classes to take in my department, and my only requirement for graduation fall of my senior was was a capstone class and one free elective, so I actually had to graduate that term.</p>
<p>Also, thinking back, I got a 4 on my AP Chem exam which got me out of Chem 1 and lab, but not Chem 2. I took Chem 2 anticipating being a chem minor, and found it to be one of the easiest As I got (all of my friends taking the class with me disagreed).</p>