<p>Right now I'm wondering if I should take some of my AP tests.
I already have AP Lang : 4, AP Bio, Chem, Stat : 5. </p>
<p>I'm considering taking Psychology, Literature, US Pol + Gov, Macroecon, Physics Mechanics + E/M, Calc BC.
I'm mostly likely going to take Physics and Calc just because my teacher is threatening us with a final if we don't. </p>
<p>But, I'm wondering if taking AP English Literature will do anything. On the website, it says I need a 5 to waive the english class.</p>
<p>1) Is waiving the English 1A class really worth it?
2) I'm not confident I can get a 5.
3) I'd rather save $86.
4) Have you actually used AP credits from classes such as Psych, Gov, Macroecon? Or did you take them again for an easy A since Berkeley is a tough college?</p>
<p>5) This is all pending I even get accepted into berkeley, (and for engineering too).</p>
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<p>I think this is a good reason not to take it, if you’re not confident you can get a 5. Waiving a course is, however, worth it. Trust me. You’ll find that later, you just hate worrying about requirement classes piling up, and they fill spots in your schedule. </p>
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<p>I don’t think this “easy A” business is worth it, unless you’re doing very poorly. But that’s my opinion, and I admit I’m biased because I am aiming for graduate school, which throws out all but your major GPA, and so taking other courses Pass-NotPassed is a good idea, so you allow more time to ace major classes.</p>
<p>Look up possible majors at berkeley. then determine if any of your AP credits will fulfill a pre-req. Other than that, I see credits useful in that you can achieve junior standing. by then, you can take most of the classes you want to take.</p>
<p>I only took half of the AP exams I was supposed to take. The money saved was not worth it.</p>
<p>Waiving out of classes isn’t as big of a perk as dominating everyone else in your class during registration. If you enter with around ~40 units, then you’ll already have a leg-up in picking the classes that you need. It’s frustrating to readjust your 4-year plan because all the classes are filled before you have time to sign up. As such, I recommend you take all of them. Besides, AP exams are not that challenging to get a 5 on. I mean, all you need is a 60%-- you only need to get a D- on the absolute scale to get the max score.</p>
<p>What would I be doing with Two 3’s on my AP English Lang and AP English Lit</p>
<p>and two 5’s on AP Spanish Lang and AP Spanish Lit?</p>
<p>Some classes it may not be worth using the AP credits, for exam, skipping chem if you are going to go all the way through Ochem. Skipping calc if you need to go to the next level. Those classes may benefit from the prep of taking the class.</p>
<p>For skipping English you can also use your SAT scores.</p>
<p>From what I have seen with several kids & their friends at several schools, it is not helpful to skip classes within your major (though my bio DD at Cal skipped Bio 1AB with no worries) but is helpful to knock out some of the breadth requirements</p>
<p>OK, this topic is directed to English, so I will bring you to notice one thing.</p>
<p>You can get maximum 5.3 AP units from the English AP tests. You already got your 5.3 units by getting a 4 on AP language. You 4 on AP language gets you through your R&C-A requirement (colloquially referred to as your R1A requirement). The only thing AP lit could do for you is get you out of R&C-B iff you get a 5. If you don’t think your can get a 5, don’t take the test.</p>
<p>THANK you anon2528462. </p>
<p>I will probably take the other exams though.
I’m a good writer, but I am not a good “exam essay” writer. That 4 on AP Lang has made me lose my confidence in being able to ace that AP Lit test.</p>
<p>EDIT: Thanks everyone else for their input.</p>
<p>If I just pass all my tests with 4’s or something, I should be able to get 44 units for UCLA, and around 34ish for Berkeley.</p>