<p>At my school, I have the choice to take advanced courses for community college credit or AP credit. Is either one preferable over the other in regards to getting into the USNA?</p>
<p>Either could work well but AP course are an acceptable standard. With your community college courses you will have to explain what they are on your application/resume.</p>
<p>My opinion would be the AP route.</p>
<p>Why not do what is "right" for you rather than "what will get you into USNA" There is no guarantee. When you start playing this guessing game you are only hurting yourself in the long run. When you do things that are right to you everything else will work out if it is meant to be.</p>
<p>I have to agree with MIDNDAD - AP course at your HS. Stay where presumably you are involved in leadership activities, rather than spending time going to CC...</p>
<p>Quote: At my school, I have the choice to take advanced courses for community college credit or AP credit. Is either one preferable over the other in regards to getting into the USNA?</p>
<p>Perhaps the OP was misunderstood: I don't know if this is what he meant when he asked the original question, but consider the following. My S had the choice, in taking his senior-level AP Calculus course to take the course "normally" as an AP course, or, optionally, (for the tuition money) also register with a nearby LAC (not a community college) to get 4 credits for the course, which is being taught to that college's standards. Either way, he takes the same course, the same homework, at his high school, etc. Some students have elected to take the AP test at the end of the year; he opted to take the college credit so that he could "show" through the college credit that he could accomplish work at that level. </p>
<p>In re-reading the OP's post, it could be that he was asking THAT question. If so, the question still stands, but it may be that it should be addressed to the area director in admissions.</p>
<p>AP is based on a national standard so colleges really like to see this. There is no national standard to community college courses so colleges may not know exactly how challenging your community college courses are.
I would go with AP. (cheer) Give me an A! Give me a P! What's that spell? AP!</p>
<p>I think the issue is the course itself, not college vs. AP. My son took all college courses, one AP course ... because he could get 3 extra physics courses and a calc course there, all of which were far more rigorous than any of the AP courses.</p>
<p>I really think the issue is not AP vs. college courses. It's the subject area and matter ...that matters. But as these discussions go, the better answer lies at the end of a phone call to your admissions officer @ USNA. My guess is they'll not tell you AP over college or visa versa. They'll tell you take what will enhance your abilities vs. enhance your resume or transcript. And you're in a better position to assess content and quality than anyone here or in Annapolis. And the ultimate issue is that while a "down pat" answer would be so convenient and nice, it probably does not exist.</p>
<p>AP is meant to mirror a college level class, and community college IS a college level class. Granted, your local CC might not have the greatest prestige factor, and there is no "national standard" to distinguish one CC from another, however, it is my opinion that either route would be looked on favorably by the Academy...</p>
<p>Another interesting outlook would be its effect on course validation. There are several courses you can validate with a 5 on the AP exam... In my case, I took a few APs as well as two classes a semester at a local university. My APs were decent (I think mostly 4s with a 3 sprinkled in), but they didn't really do anything for me. However 3 of 4 college classes allowed me to validate on the strength of my grades, B and up, and a syllabus (Calc had a validation test so it didn't carry over). That being said, I do not know if CC courses would carry over. My guess would probably be no... anyone else know for sure?</p>
<p>One semester I took two AP's and a two college courses, one at a community college and another one at a regular public college. IT severely limited my time after school. I literally, had to run to catch the subway or bus to make it to my 4 o'clock class (last class in HS ends at 335) Then the class would end very late, catch the subway again and get home realy late to study. That isn't the point though. The point is that it can really affect your leadership credentials or athletics if your in college after school. I'd say you stick with AP or do what you feel it's best but not at the cost of the fundamentals. If your're going to do something that you think the Academy will look favorably apon such as take a CC class, fine, do so but make sure you learn the material. Atheltics is important to so make sure your still involved.</p>
<p>There are no standards for CC courses. So you do it because you think that it will help you get into USNA and for then you end up without an appointment. There is no guarantee that the college you then chose will accept the course credit, especially if it does not mirror one of their courses. Take the AP class, most colleges publish exactly what they accept for AP course work.</p>
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There are no standards for CC courses. So you do it because you think that it will help you get into USNA and for then you end up without an appointment.
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<p>And that makes no sense...</p>
<p>I think that this particular question refers to a single course where one can either register to take an AP 'track' or a college credit 'track'. So the knowledge level is exactly the same. USNA will not accept transfer credits. However, they will accept an AP Calc AB 4 or 5 score for Calc I validation. Therefore, if one's desire is to validate 1st semester plebe calculus, one can avoid the validation test by showing up with the AP credits. Taking the CC course would require the plebe summer validation test.</p>
<p>They transfered mine as late as 2/c year in one case</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice. I'm definitely going to go the AP route, but I talked with my college advisor at school yesterday, and she said I might actually be able to take both at the same time, in the same class.</p>
<p>USNA69</p>
<p>Thanks! You understand the issue, at least as I read the original poster's question and the same my son is dealing with. It is the same course! My son doesn't want to get transfer credit from USNA -- he just wants to "get in!" </p>
<p>The high school calculus course he is taking is "AP Calculus." He can also pay (and has) a reduced tuition to a nearby, well-regarded liberal arts college (not a Junior or Community College) and receive 4 credits for "Calculus of Single Variable Functions." He can also, if he wants, sign up for and take the AP test next spring. Or, he could just take the course and the grade. In all options, it is the same course, taught the same way, by the same teacher, with no difference from one student to another.</p>
<p>My son's rationale (and it was his choice) was to sign up for the college credit as well, so that USNA Admissions would see his course grade AND the college level credit as an indication that he could succeed at that level at the Academy. He is only thinking of it as an another indicator of ability to do college level work (in addition to SAT's, GPA, etc).</p>
<p>As lotrjedi13 says just above, "he can take both at the same time, in the same class." Seems like it can't hurt and perhaps help. And, it seems like that was the intent of the original question.</p>