AP Physics - Usefulness?

<p>I am still a bit skeptical on this because this year my school decided to make all AP tests required to retain the AP status (after we had all done scheduling and they didnt allow changes), I would have never changed but I have heard that a lot of these tests are extremely difficult. I have the option of taking a minimum of 2 out of 3, AP Physics C, AP Euro History, and AP Lit, any suggestions as to which are best to validate in or perhaps not take the test,(AP Euro?) Gahh deposits are due on this Friday, if all else fails theyll gimme exposure to a collegiate level test and gets me out of a final... ;-)</p>

<p>How difficult was it to validate in a fairly easy course for someone? I will only have a Precalculus math course under my belt but a Calculus based Physics? English has always come across as a hmmmm BS course to say lightly meaning when it comes to essays and such I get good scores on them by fillin with BS? I in no means expect to skate by, but I think itll be good for all of us to be prepared for the academic transition...</p>

<p>Ol</p>

<p>If it helps at all, airforce16, AP Euro was one of the best classes I've had so far. The teacher was terrible, but the material is really great for understanding ties between events in American history and European history, as well as being able to understand a few more Monty Python jokes here and there :D I would definitely take it again. My honest opinion is that you should take what interests you rather than what you think you'll be able to validate in two years. But hey, that's just me.</p>

<p>Thanks for the list, hornetguy. Does anyone know anything about validating Euro and U.S. History as well?</p>

<p>I agree zachogden, i love Euro and the teacher is pretty sweet too, except the fact that he is in love with the French and every day I ask him why the French hate Americans and I typically get thrown out of class for 30 seconds because he hates it, plus younger teachers seem to do well at my school. He told us straight up the AP test would suck, but Id rather sit thru 3 hours of Euro then 3 hours of eye gouging Lit, although I am thinking I will take all 3 to get out of finals...</p>

<p>Pilot2B, please reread my post,the second list does not require AP testing....</p>

<p>af16, if you took AP language (first english AP) and received a 4 or higher, then you do not need to take the literature exam, either one is good for credit here. I don't think you can validate history. And AP physics C is the only tests that can validate physics here.</p>

<p>Also, the honors classes are a lot of fun. My physics 110h class made trebuchets. My physics 215h teacher last semester explained so many things like LCDs, high performance speakers, and a huge list of things based on the concepts. The semester before me built magneto hydrodynamic drives and raced mini boats with them (which would travel at 20cm/sec). Can't do that in regular classes. Also, the grading curve in honors was based on the regular class. So, the top 2/3s of honors physics got A's and the rest got Bs (30 people). The top twelve? (ten for sure) validated the exam which was nice.</p>

<p>Here's what I validated at USAFA if anyone has specific questions:
Calc 1 and 2 (5 on AP calc BC)
Two semesters of chemistry (5 on AP chem)
Japanese 131/132
Biology 215 (5 on AP Bio)
English 111 (3 on Lang and 4 on lit)
Computer Science 210 (while not involved in the validation, 5 on AP comp sci AB)
Unarmed Combat I and II (tentatively)</p>

<p>And with these came these classes:
honors advanced calc 3
honors physics 110 and 215
honors comp sci 110</p>

<p>geeez.. i hope i'll be able to validate some German and maybe a calculus class... english definitely isnt my strong point; my AP score my jr year was a 2. lol.. my AP Bio was only a 3; hopefully this year i'll get a 4 in AP Calc and AP English this year! but.. who knows about those darn validation tests</p>

<p>How in the heck did you validate (albeit "tentatively," as you said) unarmed combat, hornet?</p>

<p>^^^^</p>

<p>That from your Tae Kwon Do experience, hornetguy?</p>

<p>Bcuz he is a martial arts master... ;-)</p>

<p>No joke intended; just seeing if my S would also qualify for similar reasons if he goes there.</p>

<p>Sorry, misread your post, hornetguy.</p>

<p>The head of UC told me my martial arts background would validate them. I just hope he holds to his word.</p>

<p>If that's the case, do you only have to take one semester of PE junior and senior year?</p>

<p>I will only take one semester of PE junior year, but still 2 semesters senior year.
Junior year= volleyball
senior year = golf then SCUBA!</p>

<p>If I've done dual enrollment German in high school should I be good for validation, or is the academy pretty stingy handing out foreign language validation and looking for AP?</p>

<p>It's actually not as bad as you might think.</p>

<p>I really like Spanish. I started in 7th grade, and took AP junior year (5 on the exam). I took the placement test here and got to skip to 322, which is a 6th semester course. Even though I come from central PA, where there's absolutely zero Spanish spoken, I've found that Span 322 really isn't a very hard class, and I'm by no means an amazing speaker.</p>

<p>So, if you know the language, you should be able to validate at least a few semesters.</p>

<p>As long as you get to the 200s level (very easy if you have a background) then you are set for a minor in 4 semesters.</p>

<p>so if you don't take AP English, is there still a validation test that you can take to get out of a freshman english class?</p>

<p>German is fairly easy to validate. I took 4 years in HS and skipped 2 semesters without difficulty. I'm in the 4th semester and still have one or two things I learned in HS that haven't been discussed yet. I was originally enrolled in the 1st German course (131), but decided it was a waste of time to review the German alphabet and basic sentence structure! I went to the course director, and she gave me various worksheets from different level classes to try. After about a half hour, she decided that I should be in the 3rd semester course (I'd forgotten a bunch of grammar...how I hate genders!). </p>

<p>I was able to validate a history major course by getting a 5 on the APUSH exam.</p>

<p>I think there is a way to validate freshman english w/o the AP test...or so my English major roommate told me. I wish I had known that last year! You might want to talk to someone in admissions or the english department to check.</p>