So I’ve been surfing NU’s website and I find out that it is possible, according to them, to get a bachelors and masters degree in just 4 years if you have sufficient AP credit? I was just wondering which classes would you need? According to my research, AP Calc, AP Chem, and AP Physics: E&M convert to basic education credit. Other AP classes don’t seem to have a place. Has anyone done or tried to do this before?
My son did this in 2016. I do not have access to his college transcript, but he had 12 AP courses, and scored all 5s in HS, and he entered NU as a “freshman with sophomore standing”. So yes, it can be done. I will PM you a complete list of his HS APs if you want it.
I had looked it once (in context of engineering, not specific to chemical engineering). NU engineering is quite generous if you have 5 in AP exams. Specifically, 7 humanities credits that engineers require can all be substituted with AP credits. A score of 5 in AP US HIstory actually gives you 2 credits! Just search for AP Credit McCormick and you will see the full list.
Then Calc BC gets you off 2 required Maths classes, and AP Chem also helps.
I think a masters degree is 12 credits additional, so with a lot of AP credits, it can be done in 4 years.
Similarly, for students who are interested in this particular path, an engineering major + Kellogg Certificate + Econ double major can also be done in 4 years (not taking more than 4 classes any term), for those with a sufficient no. of AP credits.
@osuprof - I think your reply was clear, concise, clever and credit-worthy! @koolguy654 needs to invite you to his NU graduation. 
@osuprof Do the AP classes have to be related to humanities and social studies or can they be anything like Physics C Mechanics? @nugraddad do you mind sending me his first year of college schedule. I think that will be more helpful and if he graduated it would be extremely helpful if you told me all his courses or all his planned courses. My problem is that since I studied abroad in 9th and 10th grade, and came back here 11th grade, I did not have the ability to take a lot of AP classes. I only took or taking AP calc, Chem, and Physics Mech. I thought that perhaps I could be lucky enough, but unfortunately
BTW @nugraddad I appreciate your responses a lot too. You’ve been very helpful. @osuprof Remind me after four years to invite you to my graduation
Getting a master’s is cool, but for engineering, it’s not really needed, so it’s OK if you can’t pull this off. Plus, just undergrad in ChemE at NU will be plenty difficult.
If your purpose of doing this is trying to get ahead in job hunting, I think it’s actually better to double major in something other than engineering or add a Kellogg certificate or participate in co-op. It makes you more well-rounded and marketable than getting a MS. If you plan to be in academia, I would devote more time to independent research instead of craming classes for the MS degree. The former is more important for PhD admission.
@IWannaHelp Is it possible to skip the MS and go directly to a PHD?
STEM PhD programs typically take directly from undergrad. You then pick up a Masters along the way.
@PurpleTitan thanks for your quick response. What do you mean by along the way? Do you mean that I must earn a masters after a PHD or do I gain master degree experience through my PHD?
The second. When you get admitted to a PhD program, you first do the Masters part.
Then if you pass quals, you continue on with your PhD. If you don’t, you pick up a Masters and go along your merry way.
That’s the way it’s done in the US in many fields (pretty much all STEM fields). In Europe, it’s more common for Masters programs to be standalone, so after undergrad, you first apply to Masters programs and then PhD programs.
Thank you @PurpleTitan Do you know how long it should take? I got an estimate of 5 years from someone. Also, do I get paid for my PHD, or does it depend?
I would expect it to be 6 years after undergrad (for the PhD and Masters).
And yes, any decent PhD will funded, which means you make enough to survive on.
@PurpleTitan even for the master’s degree portion? Also, what would you recommend me to do during my undergrad years to get me in a “decent PHD” program.
Though you didn’t specifically ask me, I do know quite a bit about how PhD applications are evaluated.
Your undergrad GPA is extremely important. Some places or certain fellowships will have 3.5 as an absolute cutoff, even if you have attended a very competitive program.
Research experience and recommendations are very important. Co-authoring a paper can give you a big advantage. None of the recommendation talking about any research or independent work (and just stating that you did well in their course) is a negative.
GRE scores are important. Other aspect of your applications like Statement of Purpose can also make a difference.
As someone starting an undergrad program and aiming for a PhD program, I would say focus first on maintaining a good GPA, and secondly, look out for opportunities for research involvement relatively early (certainly starting something by end of the second year).
Yep. I defer to @osuprof’s expertise.
@osuprof thank you for helping yourself to answer. I will try my best to find good research opportunities and engage with the research professors as well.
It’s worth noting that a combined BS/MS in ChemE is one of the most difficult programs offered at NU. Probably ISP/ChemE > ISP/other engineering/math > ISP/pure science = MMSS/Math/Kellogg = ChemE/MSChemE in terms of difficulty.
It’s definitely doable, but the few guys I know who are attempting it are in work mode most of the time.
Start with a basic engineering track (EA1, DTC, Math 224 or 230 depending on your AP credit, and either Chem 171 or Orgo depending on AP credit and placement) and see how you do; don’t set your sight on the combined BS/MS right away.
This holds especially true if your main reason for pursuing the degree is better job placement/more money–the only kids consistently out earning ChemE BS grads are the Kellogg Cert kids who place into top corporate finance, and their work is a hell of a lot less rewarding.
Thanks @1d51jklad1 for your insight. I’ve never heard of ISP/ChemE. What is that exactly?