<p>It seems a little unusual that a competitive university like usc will accept 3s? is there a reason tthey do this when many schools only accept 4s and 5s or if anything 5s</p>
<p>They aren’t accepting any 3’s anymore. They accept 3’s from previous years, but not this year.</p>
<p>3’s were only used for credit anyways… I don’t think there is any case that you can pass out of a class with a 3. The credits basically go to making sure you have enough credits to graduate, which essentially cuts out electives if you wish. Now for ap tests like literature and us government, which I am in right now, I cannot pass out of anything from these tests and must get a 4 to even get a few credits… kind of pointless to be taking these tests.</p>
<p>squadus. does this mean that they won’t accept any 3’s from the entering class of fall 09, or that they will accept 3’s from previous AP tests from the last 2 years and not any for this year’s AP tests?</p>
<p>it means that if you have a 3 in past years, it will count towards credits. However, if you get a 3 this year, it won’t count for anything.</p>
<p>Here’s the info about it on the USC Articulation website:
“(For exams taken in spring 2009 and later, a score of 4 or 5 is required on all exams to earn credit.)”</p>
<p>[USC</a> ARR : Articulation : Advanced Placement Exams](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/dept/ARR/articulation/apexams.html]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/dept/ARR/articulation/apexams.html)</p>
<p>3 will get you a elective credit, it helps will registration and such. I don’t think it means it doesn’t count for anything.</p>
<p>cc411, sent you a pm with a question.</p>
<p>columbiastudent: I don’t think it counts for anything starting THIS year. You’re right about elective credits, but only for tests taken prior to 2009.</p>
<p>Taxi1113- answered your PM.</p>
<p>Ok, I finally read this.</p>
<p><a href=“For%20exams%20taken%20in%20spring%202009%20and%20later,%20a%20score%20of%204%20or%205%20is%20required%20on%20all%20exams%20to%20earn%20credit.”>quote</a>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The elective credits are very helpful for registration when you want to get a class with limited spots not so much for large lectures.</p>
<p>ohhhh man. i thought my 3 on physics could get me out of a GE. crud.</p>
<p>Wait, whats the difference between an elective credit and a regular credit?</p>
<p>Kay so your registration date depends on your total number of units, the more you have, the earlier your time. Units from APs allow you to have an earlier registration date as they give you 4 elective units per AP. With elective units, you can graduate early or add another major or minor because you don’t have to spend time taking elective classes to satisfy your total units for graduation.</p>
<p>i think they simply do that so that ap courses taken during senior year are held to a higher standard</p>
<p>squadus, you’ll have to take a certain number of units for GE (if you are in TO there are an equivalent number of CORE units) plus two theme courses (unless you place out with AP exams) plus 12 units of language (unless you place out with AP or a placement exam at USC), plus a proscribed number of units in your major, and if you want a double major, or a minor (or two), there are required courses (and they add up) so you’ll have those units, too. To graduate, you need a total number of units (is it 128?) and that means after satisfying your major(s), minor(s) GEs and such, you may be short some units and those are elective units, taken from whatever department you choose.</p>
<p>Most kids don’t need their AP earned units since they have so many classes they need or want to take anyway. But for the dedicated student who wants to graduate in 3 years, and only takes one non-demanding (unit reqs) major, it’s possible to use the AP units to fill out the 128 unit required.</p>
<p>Clear as mud? LOL.</p>
<p>For many students, the credits are helpful for registering early and perhaps waiving a few courses but not that helpful otherwise. For my S who had way more than the max 32 credits, he has taken pretty much everything he was interested in anyway; he toyed with graduating early but we convinced him to stick around & take the full 4 years so he could explore a bit more.</p>