So I didn’t know where else to post this question, as I am new to the website, but I have a question regarding AP psychology only counting for one semester. I don’t know if that’s the case for all high schools, but that seems to be the case for the one’s in Texas. At my high school in Central Texas, AP psychology is taken for one semester and the other semester is considered “regular” with no GPA incentive points. Although they’re considered two different classes, we’re doing the same rigorous material all year long with the same teacher and the same peers. College board considers psychology a year long course, and we’re learning to the test so as to get college credit, because it’s an AP course after all. It would be way too crammed to try to learn all of the material in one semester. For some incredibly frustrating reason though, we’re not getting GPA incentive points for both semesters, even though we’re doing the work for both semesters. I took the class because I plan to major in neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin. I’m a senior and have worked insanely hard to be ranked number 10 in my class of 648 students. The top ten people in my class usually get some form of scholarship, and I don’t want to be pushed out of that just because I was pursuing a class I knew would help me in the future. I knew the class was only AP for a semester, but I took it because it would be wise to do so considering what I want to major in. Basically, I just want to know why it’s like this? And who can I contact to perhaps try and change it?
You would probably have to work through your school district to get that changed.
Your high school’s policy seems odd.
But note that the content tested on the AP psychology exam approximates that of a one semester introductory psychology course in college. Is it possible that just the semester labeled “AP” is the one that covers the needed material?
@ucbalumnus But don’t most AP year-long classes cover material that would be done in one semester in college?
“Most” maybe. But there are some AP yearlong classes that typically covers two semesters in college. Physics B was, although now it is divided to two Physics 1 and Physics 2. But AP US History and AP Art History are also two semesters sequences in all community colleges around here.
Yes, that is common, though not universal. Although AP psychology courses are commonly year-long courses, it is possible for a high school to offer it as a semester-long course, covering material at college pace.
At my D’s school, AP Psych is only a semester course.
At D20’s school, AP Psych is listed as a full year with one credit.
That’s a school/district decision - one that’s unlikely to change. Many HS’s offer this class (and micro/macro/US Gov/Comp Gov among others) as a semester class.
Most, but not all. Calc BC (when taught with AB topics as well) and the Physics C sequence are almost always considered the equivalent of year-long college. courses
Many colleges that do accept AP credits–not all do–don’t accept AP Psych. That’s in part because in college psych is often considered a science and is taught with a lab component. AP Psych in high school is taught more like a social science.
I think it’s more the fact that AP Psych is recognized as an easy AP. That’s part of the reason why Dartmouth stopped giving AP credit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/18/education/dartmouth-stops-credits-for-excelling-on-ap-test.html
While I’m a firm believer that the plural of anecdote is not data, I can tell you that I did not take a psych course in HS, read a prep book over a weekend, and got a 5 on the AP exam. Also, I think that at many colleges, psychology is considered a social science, not a natural science.
Do you have block scheduling?
Re: #10
Dartmouth still offers subject credit and advanced placement for AP scores, even though it no longer offers credit against the number of courses needed to graduate. However, no subject credit or placement is offered for AP psychology. See http://www.dartmouth.edu/~reg/enrollment/credit_on_entrance_exemption_charts.html .
Agree that AP psychology is generally considered one of the easier AP tests. Introductory psychology in college is often considered a relatively easy course as well.
I’m aware. It’s semantics, I know. Personally, if the “credit” offers no benefit, either through reduction of courses, exemption from gen ed, etc., it’s pointless. YMMV. Most colleges will have alternative internal structures in place to address proper placement in depts like STEM and foreign language.
AP psych at my kids high school was one semester. In terms of the weighting for the other semester, that sounds like it’s a decision made by your specific school
I doubt that. AP Psych is one of the so-called AP Lites, which includes Gov, Econ, Enviro and several others. In other words, its the rough equivalent of a one semester course in college. Some high schools teach such courses over one semester only. Contrast those with Calc BC which is the equivalent of a one year college course and taught over a full year in HS.
Don’t worry. Psych is the easiest of all AP’s to self-study for the test.
Sure, Psych can be taught over a full HS year, but it doesn’t need to be. Your district has already made its decision. It ain’t gonna change any time soon. Sorry.