AP tests count for anything?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Amherst College
1

<p>I think I read somewhere that AP tests count for basically nothing at Amherst. I can’t find anything on the website, and CollegeBoard is pretty unspecific. </p>

<p>I’m taking the following AP tests my senior year. Will any of them count for either credit or placement? (I’m considering double-majoring in English and Econ)</p>

<p>Macroecon
Microecon
US Gov
Comp Gov
Calc AB
English Lit
Environmental Science</p>

<p>Also, I’ve taken the following AP tests sophomore and junior year. I’d love to know if these will count for anything. (all scores of 5 unless otherwise noted)</p>

<p>Euro History
US History
Psychology
English Language
Biology (3)</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

2

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<p>I would certainly expect they count for placement. I can’t see my son being willing to sit through calculus 1+2, General Chem 1+2, and intro physics again after mastering the material.</p>

3

<p>Thanks LoremIpsum! Do you know about a minimum required score? Must you get a 5, or is a 3 or 4 also okay?</p>

4

<p>You will not receive credit for any AP scores (even 4s or 5s). However, they do determine placement for most departments.</p>

<p>Placement standards are determined by department, so I would recommend checking out the department website for each exam to figure out minimum scores.</p>

5

<p>The information on AP placement is disorganized for the non-Math/Science AP tests. The only way to find out about an exam is to check the page for each department. Some of the departments have standards for IB/ A levels, but most do not.</p>

<p>Go to <a href=“https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments[/url]”>Departments & Majors | Academics | Amherst College. Click the major your AP test applies to and look at the side bar to the left. For math and science, click on the tab that says ‘Placement’ or ‘Major’. Some of the languages have it under ‘Courses’. The others have it under ‘Major’.</p>

<p>Here’s what I found.</p>

<p>Biology: Need permission from department. Can either place out of 181, 191, or both (these are two introductory biology courses). Limitations on which courses you can substitute.</p>

<p>Calculus: Yes for AB and BC. Different placements depending on if your score is a 3, 4, or 5. Possible to place out of multi-variable.</p>

<p>Chemistry: Combined with Calculus BC test and high SAT math scores, you can place into Chem 15 instead of Chem 11. “In general, students whom we advise to register for Chemistry 15 have some combination of the following: strong preparation in high school chemistry, a math SAT1 score above 750, a SAT2 Math2 score above 750, a score of 4 or above on the calculus BC advanced placement test, a score of 4 or above on the chemistry advanced placement test, or other evidence of very strong quantitative aptitude and background. It is our experience that scores on the SAT2 Chem test are not particularly useful in determining the appropriate choice between Chemistry 11 and 15.”</p>

<p>Computer Science: Having past experience with computer science gets you out of 111 and into 112.</p>

<p>Economics: Yes. “Four specific ways of being excused from the Economics 111 requirement are: 1. Attaining a grade of 4 or 5 on both the macro and micro portion of the Advanced Placement Exam; 2. Passing a placement exam that is given by the department typically at the beginning of each semester; 3. Attaining a grade of 6 or 7 on the higher level International Baccalaureate in Economics. 4. Attaining a grade of A on the A levels.”</p>

<p>English: No placement.</p>

<p>French: Placement for completing an AP French class.</p>

<p>Latin: Helps, but need ok from the department. “for first year students, placement in Latin and Greek courses is determined by discussion with department members on the basis of a student’s language skills and reading experience. AP results are considered in this discussion but are not themselves, in our experience, adequate indicators of the appropriate placement.”</p>

<p>Physics: Exam given by department, but a 5 on the AP Physics C exam let’s you place out of Physics 23.</p>

<p>Psychology: Place out of 11 with a 4 or 5 on the AP exam (5 plus for IB).</p>

<p>Spanish: Placements depends on number of years of study and AP score.</p>

<p>Statistics: Need a 4 or 5 to place out of 130 (Introduction to Statistics).</p>

6

<p>So what’s the consensus–are people still going to take them or not? I’m registered for calculus, English, and French, but since I’d probably choose not to skip ahead in calc regardless, I’m rather inclined to save myself some studying and not take them. Is there any harm in that I’m not seeing?</p>

7

<p>Even though my D2 received 5s on many APs she chose to take the Intro classes again. She was glad she did. This is Amherst after all!</p>

8

<p>My son definitely won’t take the intro math and science classes over, but then he’s also that type of rare kid who regularly raises his hand in class to point out how a given problem can be solved more quickly and easily with a alternate method he just worked out on the fly.</p>

<p>He also remembers this stuff permanently. The hardest problem for many students is that they crammed for tests and excelled, yet forgot a fair chuck of what they learned after 3-4 months. Since everything new builds on everything previous, I can see why many excellent students, even those with 5s, would choose to repeat classes – especially during the first semester in college, when they are just getting adjusted.</p>