<p>Our daughter has a very busy final semester of high school approaching. The Navy BGO suggested she audit Chem 1 at the community college. She will be taking AP tests, running track, participating in Civil Air Patrol, and competing in Tae Kwon Do. </p>
<p>For the current Doolies do you think auditing a Chem class would have helped your first year? What would you choose to take if you had an opportunity to do things over?</p>
<p>Yes. Take as many advanced and extra classes you can, since they will give you a chance to validate out of some courses. Chemistry 141 in particular is a killer that first semester, and those who can get out of it are usually better in the long run. Other classes you can validate are calculus 1 and 2, physics, english, and your experience in languages can also help you get language classes.</p>
<p>That's one of the best things you can do for yourself academically. Physically...stay involved in SOME kind of sport or workout routine (preferably both) so long as you are constantly challenged. Militarily...not much can prepare you for that unless you're prior enlisted. And just a tip...don't mention CAP here at the Academy. Don't even let anyone know you were in it. It doesn't get much respect. It can help a bit though, depending on how good your squadron is.</p>
<p>That's my best reccomendations...the only think more important than all that is to WANT TO BE HERE. Nothing is more crucial. Best wishes to your daughter and to all 2011!</p>
<p>Guy4christ, I've seen you mention that WANT TO BE HERE thing alot.. is it really that big of a problem at the academy? or are you just saying that to check ourselves?</p>
<p>^^^^^
Anyone who attends a service academy has to want to go there on their own. If they are doing it for their parents or it is their parent's idea, they are doomed.</p>
<p>So true. SO many people in my squad pretty much hate their lives here solely because they came here for the wrong reason- whether that is just for a sport, they live nearby, they know someone who went here, parental pressure, they though it would be "cool"... The only way to be here without purely hating every second of your life is to truly want to be here (and by here, I mean the Academy, not a sports team, not a club), want to serve your country. So many people I know constantly complain about how they hate it, how it sucks, and how miserable they are. Well, they should've thought of that before they came, they should've taken a look at what they were in for and fully understood the implications of that.</p>
<p>She has wanted to be there since the 6th grade when I let her sit the pilot seat of a C-5. Big wide eyes asking what she had to do to fly. It has been her single purpose since. She has been to the Academy several times, and has no illusions about life there. Although visiting is far differnet from living life in the Zoo. She knows what a military life is seeing me deploy every Christmas for some God Fosaken Hole. This is her choice, but as in all things I will be her biggest supporter.
That said, If you had an oppotunity to audit a community college class in your last semester of HS, would it be Chemistry, Physics, or Trig?</p>
<p>Chemistry is the killer...try to validate that if you can. Calc 1 is also good to validate.</p>
<p>Sorry to go off track again, but to answer that question directed at me, yes...it is a very big problem. Make sure this is what you want to do.</p>
<p>If I had to choose between those three...have her take chemistry, unless she is shaky on her math skills, then do trig. If she doesn't do well on the placement test she could get put in a basic skills math class, which I've heard is not fun...plus noone likes to be behind a semester...cuts down your options. Physics is not as important in my opinion.</p>
<p>Chemistry chemistry chemisty. 'nough said there. </p>
<p>More classes now means less later. I came here validating 29 hours, makes like much more tolerable. </p>
<p>Cynisism is a huge problem here like G4C said. Don't become one of your negative classmates. </p>
<p>I say keep the heavy load that she has. I personally did Taekwondo (classes/tested/instructed) as well as held a part time job 8 hours a week, had 7 AP classes, and a 3 hour internship twice a week. Let me tell you, the self-confidence and pride you can take in doing so much while keeping up academically and socially makes you feel like you can tackle anything. I averaged 4 hours of sleep during my spring semester of hs, I average 7 now. If you stress yourself (reasonably) it will pay off 100 fold later. I know I say this so often, but you have no idea how huge of a deal it really is. </p>
<p>Challenge yourself as much as possible and you will come prepared.</p>
<p>I agree. My second semester of senior year was easy. It was a nice break, but it made the learning curve of study habits here much harder. It took a lot for me to realize that I needed to study for most everything here (something I had previously not had to do).</p>
<p>Four hours of sleep is a bit rough...I got 6 on average, last year.</p>
<p>Reasons- to play Div 1 sports, getting a great education, a cool thing to do, serve as an officer.. all sound like good reasons.
Seems to me if your goal was just to serve, then there are faster & easier ways - enlist. If you add up all the reasons C4G listed, it could be the correct choice.</p>
<p>What am I missing?</p>
<p>Hornetguy, Raimius, & G4C, I know the subject of Validating classes keeps resurfacing. Could you explain how this works again. I know my son was one of the very few (about 32 cadets) that validated out of Chem during BCT placement testing. Many of the Applicants might think AP scores automaticly validate a cadet. That is not the case. Thanks!</p>
<p>A word of encouragement to all you seniors. Stay busy, stay challenged and stay healthy! NEVER take anything for granted. My son had his Appointment in Dec. but had a serious injury that put his Appointment on hold. All turned out well.</p>
<p>During 1st BCT, all basics take several placement tests. Math, Chemistry, Comp Sci, and Linguistics (a weird one!). The highest scoring basics are given the choice to validate the course. In some classes (Chem. and Comp Sci, for example) high scoring basics are given the chance to take advanced courses, Chemistry 222 and CS 110H in this case. </p>
<p>However, these scores in combination with AP tests are considered. So, if a basic were to have a bad test day, but scored a 5, let's say, on an AP test, they could ask to validate/be placed in the advanced course.</p>
<p>Quite a few cadets are placed in Calc 2 (AKA Math 152) from their placement tests. Placing into a higher level math class can give techie majors an serious advantage in class choices, later on.</p>
<p>Hi! I hope to attend the Academy next year. I just finished Calc III at my local community college, and was wondering if you can test into higher maths? Also, what should I study before the placement test to stay out of the basic math skills class?</p>
<p>I don't think you can validate into anything higher than Calc 3. The test doesn't have material from Calc 3 on it, so that's the higest you can go. You should be able to go talk to the department about it once you get to the academic year, though. No guarantees.</p>
<p>As for the test...review basic algebra, trig and geometry. You'd be surprised how many calc students forget that stuff sometimes.</p>
<p>I am currently debating whether or not to take the AP Chemistry exam. If I do get a 4 or a 5 on the AP test and do fairly well on the placement test, can I choose to not take any more chemistry or choose a different class within the engineering department? Does the Academy require a class in place of Chem 141/142? This will help me in my decision, thanks.</p>
<p>The test really isn't too bad. The only people in my squad who ended up in the Algebra class didn't take Math for at least the year before they came here.</p>
<p>If you're trying to validate Calc 3, as Guy4Christ said you can probably talk to people in the Math Department here.</p>
<p>Yup, talk to the department. If you can skip calc 3 DO IT. It's the only class screwing with my GPA, I hate math, but its my last math class except for "intro to stats" yay!</p>
<p>Take AP chem... i did and barely studied all year and got a b+/A- depending on the curve... much better than most kids</p>
<p>Wow, hornetguy, does that mean you won't have math after this year? What is your major? Will you still have engineering courses? A cadet from my hometown told me that no matter what you'll basically have a minor in engineering, so I assumed that coincided with math...</p>