<p>THe chalk website says that bio is for all students but I thought it wasn't a required course. So do I or do I not (not having any intention at all to take bio) have to take the placement test?</p>
<p>Also, can I take a placement test but not have to take the corresponding course if I later change my mind?</p>
<p>The Core requires two quarters of biological sciences, although there are plenty of options for students whose reaction to Biology is “Ewwwwwww!”</p>
<p>My impression is that you can’t test out of them, although maybe you can get credit for one quarter via AP or the placement test. I would be surprised if you really have to take the placement test.</p>
<p>If you do take the placement test, you do not have to take the course they suggest, now or in the future.</p>
<p>You can test out of one bio course using an AP score or the placement test results. You still have to take a bio topics course though, even if you do not intend to have anything to do with biology for the rest of your college career.</p>
<p>You can’t get credit for anything you do on the online placement test for biology. I believe that you have to take a test during O-Week to get credit.</p>
<p>And you still have to take the online test, no matter what. It’s seriously not that bad, and I only had one year of regular, non-honors, non-AP sophomore biology.</p>
<p>I didn’t take a test during o-week, i just took the placement test online and then a bio topics course and i was done.</p>
<p>Hm. The college has been telling people that you can’t get credit for online placement tests. They say that they can only be used for placement.</p>
<p>It might not have counted as credit until after I took my bio topics course? I don’t remember but they definitely gave me credit for it. I know for math at least if you place into 152, 151 doesn’t count as credit until after you’ve successfully completed 152.</p>
<p>Why sweat credit? If you plan to attend Chicago, you should plan to stay the whole four years and take full advantage of a great learning opportunity.</p>
<p>Placement opens the chance to take higher level courses, which is a sensible goal.</p>
<p>Credit allows you to grad early. If you want to do that, attend a state U, most of which are much more generous with AP credits!</p>
<p>I also think you’ll find that UofC’s credit policies are pretty typical of its peers. Lots of courses, especially in the sciences and social sciences, are taught at a level far above HS courses, including HS AP courses. For instance, honors chem blows through the AP chemistry curriculum in a few weeks, then moves on to more interesting topics for the rest of the year. Ditto the AP 5 bio sequence. </p>
<p>You can really miss some interesting intellectual opportunities by blowing by some of these courses with placement credits. </p>
<p>It is interesting to note, too, how many kids choose not to use the AP credit opportunities they have. There are many reasons for this. Maybe others care to comment.</p>
<p>Agree with nmdad-- my S could probably finish early but in a perfect world he would choose to stay extra quarters just to take more courses…so much of interest.</p>
<p>Credit for a Core component is valuable even if you don’t graduate early. My daughter would have loved to have slimmed down her aggregate six quarters of math, bio, and physical science. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the goods for that. She could have missed the language requirement, but her major required more.</p>