<p>Hi there!</p>
<p>I recently took both Principles of Macroeconomics and Principles of Microeconomics at a local university and had a quick concern. </p>
<p>If I was hoping to place out of these classes once at university, would having an A in these courses be sufficient, or would universities (like Harvard) prefer that I have an AP exam score given those examinations are a bit more standardized? </p>
<p>I am not sure what most colleges will prefer, but as for Harvard, they have this thing called advanced standing. I can’t really explain it well so here is Harvard’s own regards regarding AP credit :</p>
<p><a href=“Liberal Arts & Sciences | Harvard”>https://college.harvard.edu/academics/planning-your-degree/advanced-standing</a></p>
<p>^^ Unless a student opts for “Advanced Standing” (graduating in 3 years instead of 4) Harvard does not grant credit for AP’s (the exception is for a Foreign Language AP – scoring a 5 will exempt a student from Harvard’s FL requirement). Likewise, Harvard does not grant transfer credit for courses taken at other colleges, unless those courses have been pre-approved in advance. So, bottom line: Harvard doesn’t prefer either option. If you are interested in Econ at Harvard, you should read: <a href=“http://economics.harvard.edu/files/economics/files/undergradguide_14_2.pdf”>http://economics.harvard.edu/files/economics/files/undergradguide_14_2.pdf</a></p>
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<p>To answer your question more directly: The more selective a college, the less likely they will accept credits taken at other colleges – especially credits taken as a high school student. For example, unless courses have been pre-approved in advance, Harvard will not accept credits for classes taken at Yale, Stanford, Princeton etc. Likewise, Yale will not accept classes taken at Harvard, Stanford, Princeton. Every selective college wants you to have taken their course in the subject matter. So, if you’re looking at HYPSM et al, you will probably need to retake Macro and Micro.</p>
<p>Thank you! </p>
<p>I am not certain anyone actually answered the OP’s question. I thought he or she was asking whether it might be possible to skip Ec 10a-b based on having taken an equivalent university course. Harvard allows students to place out of Ec 10a-b based on 5s on the micro and macro AP exams. It does not award actual credit for those APs (except maybe as part of advanced standing), and economics concentrators must take extra economics electives to replace them. But it’s clear that students are allowed to go directly to intermediate economics courses for which Ec 10a or b is a prerequisite without taking them if they have the AP scores.</p>
<p>Personally, I have no idea what they do in the OP’s situation, although I would be a little shocked if they didn’t at least consider allowing a student to skip those classes.</p>
<p>OP: if and when you are offered admission to Harvard, and you decide to go, or are considering it and the answer to this question actually matters, you should talk to the Harvard Economics Department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies. You should save a copy of the syllabi for both courses, and your exams if you have them, so you can show what the courses actually covered. This advice applies to Harvard and everywhere else in the world remotely like it, too. Everyone has an introductory economics course that you will want to skip.</p>
<p>On the other hand, you should consider maybe thinking like a Harvard student. Ec 10 is a famous course with a famous professor. Small section meetings with a TF are excellent networking opportunities - and what better for networking than being the person there who knows the most? Should be an easy A with relatively little work, leaving you more time to conquer the world of whatever organization you are comping, or to take the math you will need to be a true economics star. Why is it a good idea to substitute hard courses that may require a lot of work for an easy one that doesn’t? (I am being a little facetious, but only a little. If you go to Harvard, you will have plenty of classmates who think that way.)</p>
<p>All of which is moot until such time as the OP gains acceptance to Harvard or similar level university.</p>
<p>@skieurope Obviously. But it doesn’t hurt to do some research to find out where my credits would be applicable so I can make a more informed decision once I DO have my acceptances. </p>
<p>In my older son’s college search, we learned that as one moves up the ladder of educational prestige, so to speak, there is a tendency on the part of schools to be less willing to grant credit to incoming freshmen from AP exams or other sources. Whereas the University of Maryland College Park was happy to grant my son 42 credits, Princeton (if I recall correctly) offered nothing but perhaps the opportunity to take a more difficult course in place of a more introductory course. Johns Hopkins was willing to give my son a few credits here and there, but nothing compared to Maryland. Harvard has its Advanced Standing, which is actually fairly generous for a top-tier school, but has had fairly tight rules.</p>
<p>The Princeton folks, I think, spoke for all the others when they more or less told us, if we give you a degree that says “Princeton” on it, you will have earned it at Princeton, and besides, why would you want to spend less than four years here, anyway?</p>
<p>There’s something to that last sentiment. My older son entered Harvard thinking seriously about Advanced Standing. But by the end of freshman year, he was no longer interested. As it is, he doesn’t have time to do all the things he wants to do. There are so many opportunities available to him in his field (and fun things outside of his field) and graduating a year early would mean doing even fewer of these things.</p>