AP Credits and Advance Standing?

<p>Ok,</p>

<p>The webpage hereforth mentioned: </p>

<p><a href="http://www.fas.harvard.edu/%7Efdo/publications/as0506%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~fdo/publications/as0506&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>So, here I am. AP tests are coming and I need to make decisions about what tests i need to take.</p>

<p>First of all, I read the webpage concerning advance standing at Harard. To my understanding, I need four full credits for advance standing. Some questions arise as follows:</p>

<p>1) Does this mean I will get four full credits maximum, no matter how many 5's I get on elligible AP tests? (It seems so, since the webpage said the registrar will "formally transfers 4.0 of the required 16.0 credits for the bachelor's degree" once the advance standing is approved. I need confirmation on this.)</p>

<p>2) How else AP credits used at Harvard? The website briefly mentions that 5 on certain AP tests will place a student out of introductory courses into advanced courses. How will I know which AP courses are useful for such purposes? </p>

<p>For example, I self-studied AP Physics C E&M and Mechanics this year with books and a lot of hassle fitting that thing into my schedule. But since Harvard is only accepting one full credit from Physics and I already have 5 on Physics B, I don't need AP Physics C for Advanced Standing. However, I see that Physics C may place me out of boring instroductory physics class.<br>
So how will I know what classes the Physics C tests will get me out of? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance (all puns intended) ;)</p>

<ol>
<li><p>You're right. You are either eligible for advanced standing or not. If you are eligible, you have the option of using AP tests to graduate one or two semesters early--but both options are available so long as you have the 4 AP credits.</p></li>
<li><p>The course equivalencies page should help you out <a href="http://www.fas.harvard.edu/%7Efdo/publications/as0506/course.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~fdo/publications/as0506/course.htm&lt;/a> Reply if you have any questions after that.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks for your response.</p>

<p>Hmm...the equivalent courses and recommended placements are for Advance Standing.</p>

<p>"ndividual departments may, however, give departmental credit for other AP examinations. Interested students should consult the relevant departments." <from the="" webpage=""></from></p>

<p>Now, how would I know which gets the departmental credit or placement into higher class?</p>

<p>
[quote]

English (Literature and Composition)
No equivalent course
Recommended Placement: English 10, English 17, or middle-group course

[/quote]
</p>

<p>This kind of info doesn't tell me what class I actually skip... in only tells me what class I may take with 5 on AP Lit.</p>

<p>I guess I should ask my advisor at the orientation weekend, but long before that I would have taken the AP tests. I need to make the decisions now.....</p>

<p>Ultimatemath-Can you post the APs you're considering taking? I can ask around for you. I think a lot of it might depend on your concentration. Chem + Physics (random example) reduce your concentration requirements by two courses if you have a 5 on Calc BC. You'd still have to take 32 courses to graduate.</p>

<p>just<em>forget</em>me-- I am extremely grateful that you spend your time helping me.</p>

<p>So,</p>

<p>APs I have taken</p>

<p>AP Euro 4 (eh!)
AP US 5
AP Statistics 5
AP Physics B 5
AP Calc BC 5</p>

<p>APs that I am taking this year</p>

<p>AP Micro Economics
AP Macro Economics
AP Literature and Composition
AP Comparative Gov't
AP US Gov't
AP Physics C E&M
AP Physics C Mechanics
AP Biology
AP Chem</p>

<p>Just wanted to say that that is a very impressive list of AP classes.</p>

<p>You should definitely take Macro + Micro. 5s on both will allow you to skip Ec10 if you wish. I've heard mixed things about whether or not that's a good idea, but it's good to have the option.</p>

<p>Bio is useless, other than for advanced standing. I know it doesn't do anything if you concentrate in Bio (still have to take LifeSci 1b, an awesome class), and I can't see it helping anywhere else.</p>

<p>I'd take Chem. If you get a 5, I think you have the option of either taking inorganic chem in one semester (instead of two), or even going straight to Orgo. I took the normal inorganic sequence (Chem 5/7), and it's been comparatively crappy.</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure Lit + Comp as well as the Governments wouldn't get you out of anything. Having a good score on Lit + Comp might be useful if for whatever reason the writing placement test puts you in the year long Expos sequence (usually it's just one semester). I don't think you're bound at all by the placement test, but it'd be nice to have the AP score as backup.</p>

<p>The head tutor for physics is Howard Georgi, email <a href="mailto:georgi@physics.harvard.edu">georgi@physics.harvard.edu</a> I'd ask him about physics C.</p>

<p>To figure out what your credits do for you, look at the concentration requirements:</p>

<p><a href="http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/&lt;/a>
which will tell you what APs you can use for concentration credit in any particular concentration.</p>

<p>and the courses of instruction for the relevant department:
<a href="http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/fasro/courses/index.jsp?cat=ugrad&subcat=courses%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/fasro/courses/index.jsp?cat=ugrad&subcat=courses&lt;/a>
which will tell you under the "prerequisites" listing for a class whether a particular class lets you use AP to get out of the ones below it.</p>

<p>From what I've heard, I'd strongly recommend physics C if you plan to take higher physics--the 11/15 sequences of intro physics are supposed to be terrible, while Physics 16, which is what you place into with physics C, is well-known as a demanding but excellent class.</p>

<p>Additional note: Prerequisites here are really flexible. If you talk to a prof and say "hey, I didn't take the AP but I know the material, can I take the class?" the prof will almost certainly say yes. Emailing Chief (aka Prof. Georgi) ahead of time and asking if that's okay isn't a bad idea, since in addition to being in charge of undergrad studies or whatever in physics he also teaches 16.</p>

<p>First of all, I would like to major in engineering science with biomed eng track. I am definitely taking higher level physics, so I should take Physics C. The same thing goes for AP Chem.</p>

<p>As for economics, I am not really interested in going into much details in economics. I mean AP micro and macro are enough. It would be great if I could learn more, but I do not see the point of skipping an easy class to get into a harder class, ultimately overburdening my schedule (quite honestly, I am afraid that my schedule at Harvard would be too great, especially during freshmen year.) So, with regard, should I still take AP macro and micro? The same goes for AP gov't, even if they are useful for testing me out.</p>

<p>There is a placement test for Expository writing class? If the placement test is unusually hard, yearlong Expo class is defintely a possibity. AP Lit has a multiple choise section, and because of that it is easier for me to get a 5 (at least that is what I have getting on pracitice past AP tests taken in class.). So, I am understanding that 5 on AP Lit can be used if I do terribly on the placement test.</p>

<p>Thanks for all your responses. I am definitely relieved that I may figure this out soon.</p>

<p>Ec 10 has a reputation of being easy and boring, but now that there's a different guy teaching it, it might be better. Keep in mind that it's an indivisible year-long course. You might want to take micro and macro so that you use them, in conjunction with your math background, to skip to the more interesting classes. </p>

<p>I don't believe AP Gov will do anything for you.
I don't think that you can use AP scores on the Lit exam to get out of expos 10, but the exam is genuinely not difficult and I wouldn't worry about it. Only about 6% of all freshmen are placed into expos 10 and English is a second language for many of them.</p>

<p>A slightly different question:</p>

<p>on the college application, I had written that I was planning to take all the AP tests that I have mentioned at the previous post. If I don't take some of the AP tests since Harvard does not accept them, would I get my admission withdrawed, ie I can't go to Harvard?</p>

<p>Ultimatemath-If you don't activate advanced standing, you can take any class for credit (even if you've taken the equivalent AP). Even if you do advanced stading, you can still choose which APs count for Harvard credit. So the result is taking more APs can't hurt you or force you to take a more difficult class.</p>

<p>Harvard is not going to care if you take APs or not. Your grades need to drop (significantly!) for them to send you an angry letter.</p>

<p>If you get a 5 on AP Macro, you can take the first semester of Ec10 (which is micro), and then not take the second semester. You'll get credit (and I think it counts as a Social Analysis core). This is a sort of unofficial move, but I know a few kids who did it this year, and they didn't have problems getting the signatures. A lot of my friends really like Ec10; I think I'm taking it next year.</p>

<p>I understand what you mean by saying that taking more AP tests can't hurt me. But, at this point in my life, I would like to reduce the workload as much as possible by not taking any unnecessary AP tests.</p>

<p>So, what class(es) would i take with 5's on both Macro and Micro?</p>

<p>Is AP Lit totally useless like AP US gov't and AP Comp Politics? (Those three tests are in question..whether I should take them.)</p>

<p>AP Bio was previously mentioned as useless for bio concentration. Should i take it? Isn't there a class that I can skip with a 5 on bio (with consideration that I am Eng Sci major with BME track)?</p>

<p>Yep, AP Lit is useless except for advanced standing. I can't find any courses that accept AP Bio as a prereq.</p>

<p>Whom should i contact at Harvard for official confirmation?</p>

<p>I don't think it gets more official than the concentration requirements and the AP standing information.</p>

<p>The admissions office might also be able to help.</p>

<p>Can CORE be waived?</p>

<p>oooh this is helpful!</p>

<p>a question: so AP Lit is prolly useless, and AP Chem is helpful. What about Psych, Stats, and CompSci A? thanks a lot =)</p>

<p>AP Chem is not helpful for me because I have above 750 on SAT Chem anyway, which can be used instead of AP Chem for meeting prerequisite for Organic 20.</p>

<p>Core can't be waived, but if you activate Advanced Standing (ie graduate in less than 8 semesters) you have a reduced number of cores.</p>

<p>AP Lit is useful only as credit for advanced standing.
Psych can place you out of Psych 1, if you want to be a psych concentrator. Not sure about Stat. Pretty sure you need CompSci AB to place out of intro CS, but that might be worth checking out.</p>

<p>Just to reiterate, APs can do one of three things (that I'm aware of). </p>

<p>A. Count towards your Advanced Standing credit (most do this, definitely check the list if you're considering Advanced Standing).</p>

<p>B. Allow you to pass out of intro classes, without credit (you can always do this even if you don't take the AP; it'll just require a talk w/ a prof).</p>

<p>C. Allow you to pass out of an intro class, and get concentration credit (i.e. in some concentrations, if you have a 5 in Calc BC, you don't have to take math, and your concentration requirements are reduced).</p>

<p>oh and Calc can fulfill premed reqs (and my roommate swears physics c can also, but i'm not sure about that).</p>