<p>I don't mean to hijack this thread, but is it still bad to pick college classes instead of AP's if you're taking the college courses at a university instead of a community college? </p>
<p>I ask because this past year, I chose community college classes. I actually found them to be much more challenging and enjoyable than the AP classes I took at my high school, but I'm afraid maybe this was a bad decision. I've finished the Calc, Physics, and Chem sequences at the community college which is while I'll be taking them at a university next year. I'm mostly taking a regular courseload for college juniors including: diff eq (ordinary and partial), linear algebra, multivariable calc, thermo, modern physics, and 2 other upper level physics classes. I assumed this would be better than regular AP classes, but now that I've seen the replies on this thread, I'm not so sure. Any input?</p>
<p>zpmqxonw, check the websites of the colleges you're thinking of applying to. Most will not give credit (or, at best, will give credit on a course by course basis) for classes taken at a community college or at a university. As sybbie says, it's simply that College A doesn't know anything about the curriculum, requirements or teaching at the college you're taking classes from (again, with the possible exception of the UC's). They don't know if the classes are rigorous or not, or if they cover the same material that this college covers. So they probably won't give credit. Or if they do give credit, you still have to take the course over if it's required or if it's a prereq for other courses.</p>
<p>On the other hand, they know what the AP exam covers, and can tell what you've learned. On that basis, they can give or deny credit.</p>
<p>Colleges do know if the curriculum is rigorous or not. Many colleges have to submit a report that tallies up all the As,Bs,Cs,Ds,... delievered in the school.</p>
<p>
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As sybbie says, it's simply that College A doesn't know anything about the curriculum, requirements or teaching at the college you're taking classes from (again, with the possible exception of the UC's). They don't know if the classes are rigorous or not, or if they cover the same material that this college covers. So they probably won't give credit. Or if they do give credit, you still have to take the course over if it's required or if it's a prereq for other courses.</p>
<p>On the other hand, they know what the AP exam covers, and can tell what you've learned. On that basis, they can give or deny credit.
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<p>Maybe I was wrong in assuming this, but I thought that colleges would probably have a much better idea of the rigour of a public university (its very big and well-known for a public), than at my public high school. As I mentioned earlier, I'll be enrolled full-time there taking a college junior's courseload for prospective physics majors. Is this really the wrong choice? I really didn't like my high school classes and had a much better experience last year. My high school classes were no where near the challenging classes that I have experienced this past year. I'm really starting to doubt my decision, though. </p>
<p>I guess, I may take the AP exams next May but that seems like an awful lot of money to spend for each one :(</p>
<p>My daughter did not take any community college courses. However, she did take college courses at New York University through a program they had with her high school. However, she did not get college credits instead having the grades for the courses added to her high school transcript. She also took the AP courses that her shool offered.</p>
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What schools are you interested in? And why aren't you applying to the school where you're taking junior level courses?
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<p>I'm interested in some pretty selective schools (MIT mostly plus a few others that are less selective). I am applying to the public university that I'll be taking classes at, but its more of a financial safety school, then an actual school that I'd be excited to attend. At the public university, I'd enter as a rising senior and then be graduating at the end of that year, right after I turn 19. While that would be nice, I just want to go to somewhere where I feel like I could really fit in. I love everything about MIT, but now I'm scared that I've "ruined my chances." I don't really care if my credits transfer or not: if it takes me four years to graduate, then so be it.</p>
<p>I just feel like I made the wrong decision, now. On the outside my school looks great, but I was really unhappy there. The AP classes are a joke and all of the "teaching to the test" really bothered me. They'd pack us into small rooms with 40+ people and expect you to spend the whole time watching movies or doing busywork. It seemed like neither the students nor the teachers wanted to be there. I attended a very small community college last year and loved the professors I had. I had very small classes (some like Calculus only had 8-10 people), a brand new building with high-tech equipment (it's about 5 minutes from Microsoft), and I just thought it was a much better atmosphere. I loved it, but have "outgrown" it course-wise and that's why I'll be taking classes at the university next year instead.</p>
<p>It looks like you may be OK. This from the MIT website:
[quote]
Getting academic credit
MIT grants credit or advanced standing based on scores on Advanced Placement tests, International Baccalaureate exams, and G.C.E. "A" levels, and for courses taken at other universities. MIT also offers Advanced Standing Examinations to entering freshmen.<a href="emphasis%20added">/quote</a></p>
<p>But for the OP, I don't think JC would count as one of those "other universities".</p>
<p>Thanks for finding that link, Chedva! That definitely makes me feel a little bit better!</p>
<p>I think right now, there's not much I can change about my decision so I think I'm just going to stick with it and not regret it too much. If I do get in an awesome school like MIT, I'll worry about it then :)</p>
<p>looks like chedva is the only one sticking to the point of the thread</p>
<p>credit or no credit, easier or harder, im wanna make myself look like a better applicant.</p>
<p>heres the way i see it, which supports the HS and JC combo route:
1 - by not taking AP courses, i will ease up my stress load and factor for my JR year, ill be able to focus on alot of other aspects of my life other than just school. also, id be able to pull of better grades in the JC classes, possibly and probably all A's, where in AP i kno i would suffer C's and B's.
2 - its either 3 APs or 1 AP and 4 JC courses. that leaves me 2 extra JC courses to take that ARE NOT offered at my high school. i would use the extra 2 slots to take classes like aeronautics, computer science, advanced engineering - all college level courses not offered at my high school that would pertain to my major. i think that by taking these classes, it would make my transcript seem more impressive.
3 - all my classes are UC/CSU transferrable. it seems Chedva was the only one to notice, but I AM looking at the UC system, so i will be recieving credit.
4 - i dont see how a student whos mixing up his schedule, going to college while still in high school, and still pulling off good grades wont be unique or impressive. as far as i know, im one of the only kids in my high school to try it.
5 - becuase of the way the college schedule works ( 1 class a night, monday through thursday) i will be able to leave my high school at noon and not go to class at the JC till 7. ive been researching different internships at different computer companies and ive been offered an internship at a local factory. this gap in my schedule leaves room for me to get in some extra cirriculars and add something else to my college apps.
6 - say i dont get into my college of preference my senior year. then ill already have credits under my belt for college. i can then easily continue taking courses at the JC and transfer over to a UC after a semester or two. it gives me a nice safe landing should anything happen.</p>
<p>with all that, i dont see how the HS and JC route could possibly be the wrong decision, especially in my case. i know that JCs wont be as rigorous as APs, but all the other factors seem to outweigh that fact.</p>
<p>Ohno, you've thought this through clearly and covered your bases; you're doing the right thing! The UC system articulates with JCs, and you'll be viewed as an ambitious achiever if you keep up your GPA. Not sure I agree with that generalization about "easier" though -- depends on the course and the faculty. It is absolutely not true in my corner of SCal that everyone in JC classes falls at the low end academically. Here, the JCs are a bargain where students can get the first two years' education for free (almost), then easily transfer into a UC for their B.A. or B.S. Many well-qualified students do this to save money. Our local JC has some excellent faculty who hold their classes to high standards. I sat into a Bio 101 class last semester full of premed wannabes and believe me many weren't happy with those Ds; by finals the class was half the size, but they were the winning half.</p>
<p>sybbie says: "This is because AP Calc BC is the same exam no matter where you take it just as a beginning Calc course at MIT is going to be vastly different from a beginning Calc course at the local JC or CC."</p>
<p>and of course that's true -- but begs the question. The reality of public secondary education in America, and doubly so in California, is that math and science faculty are often underqualified for advanced-level teaching. Our district sends them off to a 90-day-wonder class to "qualify" (and I use that term loosely) them to teach AP classes. The classes are overcrowded, individual attention is lacking, assessment is haphazard. </p>
<p>Certainly there are underqualified/uninspired math and science profs in community colleges. But students can pick the best. You can't pick your HS AP teacher, even if there are good choices.</p>
<p>As for getting AP credit, if you take the course in junior college (and yes, you can get one year's HS credit in one semester), with a great teacher, and you do well, you likely won't have a problem prepping for the AP test and getting the requisite 5. You don't need to take the HS course to take the exam. You just need to pay your $80 to those College Board parasites.</p>
<p>Of course none of this applies to students at first-rate high schools, public or prep. But that wasn't the question.</p>
<p>Californian here. Given that the OP wants to stay in the UCS I say take the JC classes. They will transfer. And for those who aren't going ivy league, they may transfer. My son took a combo of AP and JC stuff (offered at the HS) and is entering NEU as a freshman in the fall with a full semester of credit.</p>
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How? Some universities only allow 70 or so hours to transfer.
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<p>Oh, I will only be transferring credit from last year. This year (senior year), I'll be taking classes at the university as a non-matriculated student because I've maxed out the community college offerings in math and science (calc, physics, and chem series). The commute down to the university is horrendous, but I think the classes will be exciting. I'm basically just following the track for prospective physics majors and taking the classes they suggest for college juniors, so that if I do decide to matriculate next year, I won't have a ton of catching up to do :)</p>
<p>Wow, I am a JC instructor and I find the anti-JC snobbery here almost funny. I have had students I would stack up against the best anywhere (and they have transferred to excellent 4 year colleges all over the US) and others that are among the worst. My friends and colleagues that teach at 4 year institutions often describe the same diversity of students in their classes.</p>
<p>Yes, the anti-JC snobbery is pretty funny, since the courses that the OP was debating taking at a JC versus AP (math and physics) are those which the AP tests are less complete than JC courses, at least for the purpose of the UC schools the OP mentions.</p>
<p>Well, this thread is five years old, so the OP is likely close to finishing university studies, so any particular advice would not affect the OP. But in the OP’s situation, a JC calculus course would give a full year of calculus credit at a UC, while AP Calculus AB would give just a semester or quarter. And AP Physics would likely be useless for credit or perhaps just a semester, while a year of JC physics would give a year of physics credit at a UC.</p>