I am a current high school senior, who will be attending Bowdoin in the fall. I’ve read through Bowdoin’s policies on AP credit, and it doesn’t seem like I will be able to transfer or use any. I was expecting this, though now I’m debating whether or not to go ahead and take AP tests this year. I would rather not spend money on four tests if they won’t make any difference in college, but it seems like a waste, and I don’t think my teachers would be too happy. Anyone been through this or have any insight? Thanks!
Personally, I would only pay and study for the APs that Bowdoin gives credit or placement for. However, AP teachers are somewhat judged by their students’ AP scores, so I can certainly see why they wouldn’t be too supportive of this approach since you’re obviously a strong student.
D was admitted to Notre Dame this fall with 11 AP courses/tests. I looked at Bowdon’s AP test policy and it is not as liberal as some colleges but credit is awarded for many AP courses. With private colleges like Bowdoin, AP credit is not about finishing college in 3 1/2 or 3 years like it might be at a flagship public university. Instead, the value of AP credit at many private colleges is that you can double-major or take courses you really want to take that aren’t helpful for your desired major. In my daughter’s case her plan is to double-major in Math and Political Science and minor in Constitutional Issues. I don’t think double-majoring would be very easy if she did not have all the AP credits. If you have already done the research and know exactly what AP credit Bowdoin will or will not accept, maybe your decision is appropriate. Maybe your motive should be to help your teacher by bringing up the average of his/her AP student’s scores. Hopefully you have actually spoken with Bowdoin’s registrars office to understand exactly what AP credit helps. Their website might not tell the whole story and often the value of AP credit will vary based on whatever major you ultimately choose
My S was admitted ED (he’s now a senior at Bowdoin) so his senior year of HS we only took those AP tests that made sense in the context of Bowdoin’s policy. It looks like their policy has changed since he matriculated, but compared to his sister’s school, I thought Bowdoin’s policy was generous. Her school only gave credit for a score of 5 while Bowdoin gave credit for scores of 4 in several subjects. Looks like he got more AP credit than would be permitted now.
At our HS, there was no obligation to take an AP test, but I’ve heard some high schools require all AP students to take the test to receive credit in the course.
Except that Bowdoin limits students to four AP course and my daughter already has six accepted tests after her junior year. So there is little benefit to taking more tests this year if she plans to attend Bowdoin.
Thank you all for your input. I think I will contact Bowdoin and ask what the norm is for students transferring AP credit. I have AP’s this year (chemistry, French) that are far from my intended major(s) so my thinking was that there is no point in taking those tests if they don’t satisfy distribution requirements.
Current FY here! Wje9164be is correct in many ways. From what I’ve seen, most students use AP scores just to place out of courses. There’s no limit on how many courses you can place out of. Getting credit for courses is a different story–some departments will give credit for an AP course if you take a higher course in that subject, and sometimes AP credit can count towards a major, but that all varies by department (and is laid out on Bowdoin’s website under Admissions>Common Questions>Does Bowdoin accept AP credit?>AP Regulations). With some planning, it’s possible to get four AP credits by taking higher level courses in four different departments and graduate a semester early, but very few choose to do so.