Hi, I’m a high school senior and I’ve committed to Cal Poly SLO for biomedical engineering. At the end of this year I will have passed 12 AP tests: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Calc AB, Calc BC, Biology, Chemistry, Physics 1, Environmental Science, Psychology, English Language and Composition, European History, and US History. I also have taken Multivariable Calculus and intro to differential equations as a dual enrollment class with CSUSM and English 101/103 as dual enrollment with a community college. I was wondering there is any way that I could graduate in three years so that I could do their 4+1 masters program in 4 years total? If I am willing to take a few extra units per quarter is this a realistic goal?
It’s possible, but not probable.
First and foremost, it isn’t crucial that you figure all this out right now. Your advisors will block your schedule and then apply your credits for your maximum benefit.
The reason it isn’t probable is that some of your credit won’t count towards anything, as there are no free electives in BME and you won’t get a jump on physics like you will in math. The curriculum is very cumulative, with lots of step wise prerequisites.
You will have higher status, so class selection will be a bit easier under the new system and BME is a bit shorter in hours than many of the others, so it might be doable. You’ll know soon enough.
Good luck!
@eyemgh thanks! I was thinking that too,but isn’t the first year mostly GE’s? I figured that I wouldn’t get much of my actual major classes out of the way but I would get out of a solid amount of GE classes.
I’ve linked the flow chart below. It’s helpful to look at the navigation pattern as so many are linked. You are way ahead in math and will get out of quite a few GEs with your APs and that’s great. Where I see the possible hang up is that AP Chem won’t help at all unless you got 5. Even with a 5 it will only let you out of half of the requirement. Physics 1 won’t help at all.
Did you do dual enrollment for any of the classes you also took as AP? In some instances, Chemistry for example, the credit will count more than the AP.
So, you can trace through the chart and link all the prerequisites together and see if it is possible. It might not be. It’s not just an hours game, but a sequence game too.
You will however have a huge advantage with your credits even if you can’t get out in 3. CP just changed their registration system from rotations to giving priority to those based on seniority. It’s defined not by your time at CP, but your amount of progress towards your degree. Your credits will bump you past most of your class mates for your registration time. As long as you make average quarterly progress in hours, you will always register before most of your cohort. That’s a HUGE advantage.
Good luck!
http://flowcharts.calpoly.edu/downloads/mymap/13-15.52BMEDBSU.pdf
http://content-calpoly-edu.s3.amazonaws.com/registrar/1/Degree_Progress/articdoc/apcred2015.pdf
@eyemgh Ok thanks that helped a ton! Also, I know this is off topic, but I was wondering if you knew how “hands on” cal polys biomed eng program is. I know their school is really proud of their learn by doing philosophy and I think that’s awesome, but I’ve also heard that their bmed is really new. But also that they recently hired a bunch of faculty who worked in the industry and it got a lot better. So is there going to be a lot of hands on work like in their say mechanical or electrical engineering?
I honestly don’t know much about the BME program other than what you’ve already stated. The “hands on” aspect of CP engineering is often in the form of labs. Vibrations, a classic ME course, is usually just a math course at most universities. CP has a vibrations laboratory. You actually physically test. It’s a pretty cool way to wrap your brain around the theory. I’m certain BME will have similar classes.
As for applying your credit you’re bringing in to your degree track, your advisors will do the heavy lifting on that. You do need to do one thing though. The college you did your dual enrollment with has to send an official transcript to CP. You have to initiate that.
Good luck!
Yeah I already set that up for CSUSM and the CC to send the transcripts after our spring grades are finalized. Thanks for all the help!
You’re welcome. Make sure you sign up for WOW. SOAR is a little helpful too, but not a must. WOW is a must!
Ok I will! I’ve been signed up for Soar and I just registered for WOW. I’m so stoked
My son will be attending Cal Poly in a few weeks. In their CS program. They received his transcript and awarded him 54 units of credit, although I’m not sure if all the units will transfer into his major. For sure he is about 6 months ahead of his class, which I hope will help him at registration time in winter. This first quarter they have blocked him 16 units - two GE and one math and one CS class, although we are waiting for confirmation on this as well as times of his classes. The school did everything for us and calculated his AP credit - so far we are very happy!
@cscalpolymom Where did you see how many credits your son was awarded?
@cscalpolymom, having that many AP credits is especially helpful for registration for classes, especially if those credits are in the pre-requisites for his major.
My daughter (Comp Eng) was in a very similar position, and it is very useful as she is at least one quarter ahead of her colleagues, hence classes with pre-requisites are a lot easier for her to get into (less competition). In her case CalPoly also did everything for her to give her all the AP credit.
She is 40% done with her degree at the end of her freshman year. Your son would now have the option to either take a regular 16 units loads each quarter and graduate early, or take a lighter load but get better grades and graduate on time. My daughter is strongly considering a quarter abroad to broaden her experience.
The one thing to know for other kids, CalPoly is not good at all at giving IB credit.
@kinglime cal poly did all the ap transfer units. They are listed in his academics tab. His AP credit has been calculated at 72 units, 54 of those units have transferred into his major of computer science. On his cal poly degree flow chart, many boxes are checked off as completed, and he needs 180 units for the cps degree.