<p>I will be a freshman at a private university next year and will be majoring in biology (following a premed track). I've received a 5 in AP Chem and 5 in Biology (listing ones relevant to med school pre-reqs) and have been given credit for chem 101, chem 102 and bio 121. Should i take the credit and take higher level classes in my major or retake those for med school admissions?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance</p>
<p>Medical School likes to see that if you have AP Credit for pre-med requirements, and you take the credit, that you take higher level courses in such a pre-req. Since you have AP credit for Chem. and Bio., it is strongly recommended that you take whatever comes after Bio 121 and Chem 102.</p>
<p>^ agree. However, be aware that there are a few schools that REFUSE to accept anything besides the general pre-req classes. So taking those AP credits might make you lose out for a few schools (not many). It is also nice to take the classes over again just because it is an easy A and a good way to ease into undergrad life.</p>
<p>Many top universities in the country will only accept AP credit to place the student at a higher level course. I think that speaks volumes about the real value of AP high school credit, especially for premed requirements.</p>
<p>If you take the credit, immediately take higher level classes as that is pretty good looking. You must supplement the AP credit with higher level biology classes though, and be using the credit so you can immediately take higher level classes. If you’re doing it just to get out of a semester or year of bio, then it doesn’t look so good. Looks like you’re just trying to be lazy and not take it.</p>
<p>That’s directly from a med school AdCom I talked to the other day.</p>
<p>okay so i found that i would be placed into Bio 122 and Chem 103 (intro to organic chemistry) with my ap credit for my first semester.</p>
<p>zfanatic said it is pretty good looking to take higher level courses, but does it look BETTER than retaking the courses in college? do colleges see that you received credit even if you choose to retake the course?</p>
<p>and does anyone on this board who has accepted credit and opted out of gen classes taken the MCATs? if so could you comment on how you felt with your high school preparation? i took ap chem in 11th grade so when mcat prep time comes around it would seem that the material might be a tad foreign. </p>
<p>mmmcdowe, is this a list of those med schools you’re referring to, give or take a few? only ones which i think would appeal to me are temple and case western, so it would not be a significant loss taking the credit i assume? if i were to take the credit i believe i can lighten my courseload when i’m preparing for the mcats and that would help considerably.
<a href=“http://wolfweb.unr.edu/~waites/Documents/MedSchAP08.pdf[/url]”>http://wolfweb.unr.edu/~waites/Documents/MedSchAP08.pdf</a></p>
<p>sorry i seem scatterbrained with all this, i’m just always on the fence when deciding on courses.</p>
<p>My son took the AP credit for intro level classes in Chem and Bio. He then took upper division classes in both and in fact ended up with a chem minor as well.</p>
<p>He found that the materials in the Kaplan review were a good enough refresher for MCAT preparation for the intro level Bio and Chem covered on the test.</p>
<p>He just started his second year of med school.</p>