Hello!
Columbia doesn’t take AP credits for classes and I am currently enrolled in 5 at my school. I was planning on taking 4 of the exams but I’ve just been accepted into Columbia under ED. Columbia doesn’t take AP credits and AP exams cost time and MONEY. Since I’m not getting credit, I’d basically be doing them for nothing. Should I still take those 4 exams since I said I was planning on taking them in my common app or can I just not take them?
You may not get credit, but you can get placement. With the incredible offerings at Columbia, it could be nice to not have to repeat high school material. I’d read through this carefully to figure out which exams could be helpful.
@gardenstategal I just checked their AP credit requirements again and none of the exams I’m planning on taking would grant me any exemptions from courses. So, since they 100% wouldn’t do me any good, would it look “bad” if I didn’t take them?
It looks like Columbia even offers credit for AP exams! It’s amazing that you have found so many of no value.
What it looks like doesn’t matter. Personally, I would take them on the chance that it would allow me to skip something I hadn’t particularly enjoyed or for the credit, but it is up to you. The cost of the exam is much less than the cost of the course.
Columbia does offer credit for AP exams. You can claim a maximum of 16 credits. That’s one entire semester. While you can’t place out of core classes, you can still get credit for others. This allows you to graduate earlier, and take more advanced classes as a freshman.
http://bulletin.columbia.edu/columbia-college/regulations/#placementadvancedstandingtext
Which exams are in question, and which division are you in (Colleges, SEAS, or SGS)?
“AP exams cost time and MONEY”
AP exams also require effort to study to prepare for them. This of course occurs at the end of you senior year, which is a time when many students are approaching a condition of being burned out and just wanting high school to be done.
One daughter did not take one of her AP exams. The only downside was that she did not get university credit for the course. Otherwise no one seemed to care.
My suggestion would be to take some of the exams in classes that you like and are very good at, but to skip the exams in subjects where you have less interest or are doing less well or that has too much material that you would need to study.
Also, look carefully at your acceptance and see if it is contingent on anything. It is probably contingent on your at least graduating high school. However, check to see whether there is anything about AP exams.
Admissions at Columbia would also be able to answer this question.