<p>Entering college as a freshman with some AP credit and basic knowledge in a specific field, would you suggest using the credit to place out of the lower level courses?</p>
<p>Or should I just take the intro courses to get higher grades? (not necessarily ace them, but you know what I mean)</p>
<p>Since I am considering law school, college GPA will be important when applying. So will it matter if I just start out with easy classes?</p>
<p>I would retake the intro class again. Not only would you get a chance to boost your GPA, but the higher-level class that you would be placed into might be harder than you think.</p>
<p>GPA matters, but so too does courseload. They want to see that you've gotten your good grades while pushing yourself early on. While taking a few intro courses freshman year won't kill you, as almost everybody takes at least one, it probably won't help you much either. Sometimes those "gpa padders" turn out to be actual gpa killers, because they are used (especially with science majors) as weeder classes.</p>
<p>A lot of people have the same mindset, so the curves in "easy A" intro courses could actually be harsher than in higher level ones.</p>
<p>If it's for math or science, take the intro courses because those subjects are building blocks. The schools usually have their own curriculum in those areas so you might as well start from scratch and learn their methods and ways of seeing things. Unless you're in AP Calc BC....</p>
<p>Other classes? Not totally worth sitting through again unless you failed the courses in high school.</p>
<p>Oh, I also agree with demeter- I took an intro to stats course last semester (as a senior) and it was rumored to be an easy A. Guess what? Even with some studying, I still ended up with a C in that course. Never underestimate intro courses- just take classes that are interesting to you.</p>
<p>I'd also like to add something I forgot earlier. Outside of math/science, where intro courses are firm building blocks that are more or less fixed in direction, the so called intro courses can be very different from your AP experience. I took AP US Gov junior year of high school, and took POSC 109 (American Gov) my first semester. Both taught me alot (though on the latter was useful), but about very different topics. Intro classes in the humanities and social sciences often tackle very broad subjects, allowing for vastly different focuses, and therefore educational experiences. </p>
<p>This isn't to say you should retake them per say. But you should keep in mind that introductory courses may in fact teach you quite a bit of new material only previously glossed over at the AP level. In some ways, this only further suggests that one cannot simply coast in many of those classes.</p>
<p>Retake. GPA boost + most likely new knowledge.</p>
<p>at berkeley, the intro classes are beastly and its simply not possible for everyone to get a's. i came in with the whole "go intro" thing in my head and i regret it. the intro classes make you learn to compete, not for the sake of learning. i dont feel like i developed much, i feel like i should have just used ap's in the few places i had em</p>
<p>I early enrolled in college in HS. It was a good way to get out early. Took two Psychology classes - Intro Psych and Social Psych. Both A's.</p>
<p>Then when I got to my Ivy I thought I would do that, too - especially since they wouldn't take the credits. So I enrolled in Intro to Psych. Even when I had learned most of it, it was so hard. Tough curve - 55 out of 60 questions right was a B. I got a B+. </p>
<p>I definitely regret that. But now that I'm applying to law school those two A's from HS count toward my GPA :):)</p>
<p>A lot of introductory courses at my college are tougher than upper levels. Weed out courses.</p>
<p>I decided to take a random upper level history course, the History of Ireland, the fall of my freshman year. I am not a history major, and while I had taken IB history in high school, I hadn't tested out of anything. The course absolutely rocked! I was scared that I wouldn't be ready for college level history writing and discussion without intro courses, but I am SO glad I skipped them. If I end up only taking one history class during my undergraduate experience I'm glad it was this one and not a generic intro class. </p>
<p>On the flip side, even though I had had Calc SL as a high school junior, (no BC/Math HL at my school) I decided to start over from the beginning. The course was relatively easy, but it definitely firmed up my foundation, and I'm considering a math major.</p>
<p>I agree w/ the general consensus that math/science courses are probably better if you are going to take intro courses. What's really key is taking something that interests YOU. The Irish history course was challenging, but I think I did far better in it than I would have in a "less challenging" intro course simply because I am more interested in the Irish material. </p>
<p>Also, you want to apply to law school now, but it wouldn't hurt to consider the possibility that after four years you will have changed your mind. Your education is what you make of it. Take what you want to and the grades will follow.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Don't retake intro courses...unless you really don't remember the material. If you're still sharp on whatever subject it was, don't retake. First, it's kind of a douchebag thing to do, and second, you'll be wasting your parents' money lol. Go to college to learn something new rather than boost your GPA.</p>
<p>I took two intro classes last semester where I knew about half of the material already (econ & comp sci). They were easy As and I skipped them a lot, but looking back I would have definitely appealed to take higher level classes and make up the missing material on my own when needed - taking the classes just felt like a HUGE waste of time. On the other hand, I go to a small LAC that does not weed out, so my easy-A situation may be atypical.</p>
<p>Colleges tend to err on the side of caution, so if a college allows you to place out of courses it usually is in your best interest to do that.</p>
<p>If you feel that you might need a refresher, trust your instincts. Otherwise, remember that the classes you 'spend' now on intros will come out of your electives later down the line. </p>
<p>If GPA is your primary concern, I'd recommend using a site like [url=<a href="http://www.ratemyprofessors.com%5DRateMyProfessors.com%5B/url">http://www.ratemyprofessors.com]RateMyProfessors.com[/url</a>] (whose ratings include 'ease') to help decide between interesting electives, rather than take intro classes solely for high grades (which may or may not be easily attainable).</p>
<p>There can be great benefits to intro courses, particularly early in college while you're still trying to adjust to workload. Still, I don't recommend taking them if you have neither need nor interest. It's a waste of time and effort that could be better spent elsewhere.</p>
<p>Considering you want to law school, your GPA is definitely important. But I don't think you should just take the easy classes.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that college classes are going to be a lot different than those in HS, even if it is the same class. The basic concepts might be the same, but the exams are definitely tougher.</p>
<p>I would try to focus on studying what you are interested in because you are never going to be able to get your college experience back once you graduate. If you are worried about what grade you are going to get, I'd say you should look into classes that are both "easy" as well as "interesting".</p>