<p>Maryland is my likely choice for college, although this could change depending on if I can get into somewhere I like more. But my question is regarding AP's. </p>
<p>Here is a link to UMDCP's AP Credit information:
Transfer</a> Credit Center | Advanced Placement Exams (AP)</p>
<p>I don't full understand AP. Do I get to save money off of my college education because of these AP Credits? Or when they say place out of does that mean I need to pay them for something else in place of that class?</p>
<p>And this is my real question: Should I take AP Environmental next year or take AP Chemistry? </p>
<p>The issue:
-Environmental is an easier class and means less work in my Senior year.<br>
-I don't like Chemistry.
-I could place out of Chemistry as a core class at Maryland.
-The credit for EC is in the "ELEC" category, so does this mean that I will not even use the credit once I'm there if I don't want to take a science of that type?
-AP Chem is harder</p>
<p>So if anyone understands the chart better, I would appreciate if you could clear up any issues I have with taking it over Environmental (preferred option).</p>
<p>I’d post this in the UMD forum.</p>
<p>You can save a TON of money if you graduate early. Full time students generally pay a flat fee per semester, not per credit. You only save money if you stop going to school, not if you reduce your course load (unless it gets really low). </p>
<p>You’ll still need to finish off major and area requirements with classes at the college you attend. What AP credits are most useful for is hitting the 120 hours needed to graduate. Say you come in with 40. With a load of 20 credits per semester, you could be done in 2 years. </p>
<p>Environmental vs. Chemistry: Take the class for Chemistry, take the AP exam for BOTH. You can sign up for the Environmental test, buy a couple review books, study them, and hopefully get a 4. 4’s aren’t that hard to get. For most tests a 4 is something like 60-70%. I have done this successfully. While you’re at it, sign up for a few more exams and give them a shot. The worst that happens is you’re out $100. If the strategy works, you save thousands.</p>
<p>With AP credit that is accepted for subject credit, you can do one of the following:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Gain extra free elective space if the AP credit allows you to skip some required course(s). The extra free elective space can be used to take additional advanced courses in your major, additional breadth courses in other fields that you are interested in, or allow doing a minor or second major in another field.</p></li>
<li><p>Graduate early (saving money) if you have enough AP credit to skip over enough required courses that add up to a semester/quarter worth of courses.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>According to that UMD AP credit chart, both AP Chemistry and AP Environmental Science count as CORE Physical Science, though AP Chemistry also counts as a CORE Lab and can be useful for some majors which require chemistry. However, if you do not plan to major in anything that would be helped by having chemistry credit, then the difference in usefulness is less. The [CORE</a> does require at least one of the science courses to be a Lab](<a href=“http://www.ugst.umd.edu/core/core_req.html]CORE”>http://www.ugst.umd.edu/core/core_req.html); AP Chemistry would count as a Lab, but AP Environmental Science would not.</p>
<p>What do you plan to major in?</p>
<p>Not Science or Math (Easily my worst two subjects as well as least interesting). They are my only grades that aren’t A’s no matter how hard I try, lol. I’m going to take the Chemistry AP at school as someone abov said, and if I do get the credit for all my AP’s, I’d have 18+ credits. Plus some 5’s give 6 credits according to the website, and I have US History tommorrow:)</p>
<p>Although I’m not feeling it since I took a while to begin reading this review book (half done a day before the test haha). But last year I got a 4 on World and I didn’t read the book or study, and I only had an 85 in the class due to laziness.</p>
<p>Well, the only thing about A/P credits is sometimes the kiddos are having a great time and
don’t want to graduate in 3 years! But then if they want to do a 4th year, no financial aid due to number of credits they have! So be careful… </p>
<p>It is wonderful to graduate in 3 years because of less debt, but then you have all these friendships with classmates & professors etc & must leave a year early! It is kind of a “Catch 22” situation.</p>
<p>yeeeeah well im not gonna get a whole year’s credit i dont think</p>
<p>Why not? You can take exams you didn’t take the class for. The study guides tell you almost exactly what is going to show up. You just need to memorize the information.</p>
<p>I just meant through the school, if I decide to self-study a ton of Exams on top of the three I’m already taking… then it might work</p>
<p>My mom says that she wants me to stay at school for 4 years since she thinks its the college experience 
I agree on some level but if my school is going to cost me 30k a year in debt or something… I’d probably take the year early graduation</p>
<p>My parents also told me not to graduate early. They gave the same sort of argument. When it came down to it, I decided the choice was not theirs. I went ahead and did it anyway. </p>
<p>One year later, they are VERY happy that I saved them 80k. I’m very happy with how things are going now too.</p>