<p>So by the time I graduate, I will probably have about ten to twelve AP credits. I've been told since freshman year that they go towards the classes you take in college but no one has really explained how exactly. So, I'll have to take fewer classes in college. Do those classes get replaced? Do I graduate early? Or do I just have a really light first-year schedule? What if I want to take those classes?</p>
<p>What happens exactly?</p>
<p>So, I’ll have to take fewer classes in college. Do those classes get replaced? -
Yes, or you can take extra classes for a minor or double major</p>
<p>Do I graduate early?
See above</p>
<p>Or do I just have a really light first-year schedule? What if I want to take those classes?
depends</p>
<p>It depends on the college. Take enough APs, and at some colleges you can enter as junior. At some others, a lot of APs might help with admissions and placing into higher level courses, but no actual credit.</p>
<p>Also be careful, I’ve heard that some colleges like McGill REQUIRE you to use your AP credits if you submit them.</p>
<p>Different colleges have different policies. Search for the policies at a few different schools that you are interested in.</p>
<p>A lot of colleges limit the total number of credits you can get with AP. My son was limited to 15 credits. He took a light schedule first semester freshman year. A lot of students at his school take light schedules when they study abroad, because of AP credits. He has a friend at a different University that didn’t have a limit on AP credits, who plans to graduate in 3 years. For my son, one of the biggest advantages of AP credits is that he was considered a semester ahead in standing, so got to register ahead of some of his peers, having better class/section selection, since seniors register before juniors, etc. My son knew what college he would attend before his senior year AP exams, so didn’t take all of the exams he could have, because of the 15-credit limit policy.</p>
<p>It is frequently recommended to not use AP credits to bypass classes in your major, to ensure you have a solid foundation before moving into more difficult classes. At my son’s college, if you get AP credit for a class required by the major, you have to make it up with an additional upper level class. That can either be a good thing or bad thing.</p>
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<p>Go to each college’s web site and put “AP credit” in the search box.</p>
<p>In a few cases, like Berkeley, AP credit is handled at the departmental (e.g. math, biology) or division (e.g. letters and science, engineering) level, so you may have to look at the likely major(s) you are considering and the departments relating to the AP credit (e.g. math department for AP calculus) to see what AP credit may be applicable.</p>
<p>Having extra credits can just be a nice cushion; while you may not need them to graduate, there may be a semester that crushes you with an unexpectedly tough load, and having the extra credits might mean you could drop one class without landing in a shortage of credits. Or if you are doing a senior thesis, you could take a lighter load of classes. You may not need to cash in that chit at all, but it’s nice to have.</p>