Does AP really equal college experience?

Test Preparation
1

<p>I could be cramming in all the AP credit I can possibly do this year:</p>

<ul>
<li>learning by myself

taking the class</li>

</ul>

<h1>Calculus BC</h1>

<p>*Chemistry
*Computer Science AB</p>

<h1>Economics</h1>

<h1>English Literature and Composition</h1>

<h1>Government</h1>

<p>*Physics C Mechanics
*Physics C Electricity / Magnetism</p>

<h1>Spanish</h1>

<h1>Statistics</h1>

<p>Already Taken:
US History - 5
Physics B - 4 (but useless since my major is engineering) -.-;</p>

<p>But I don't think it's a good idea. Not only would it be extremely time consuming (although I'm not worried about Calc, English, Spanish, or Stats) but I'm not sure if it really is equivalent to taking the college classes themselves.</p>

<p>Am I wrong? I don't know..</p>

<p>Especially Physics, Chemistry, and Computer Science are foundations to what I want to major in (Computer Engineering):</p>

<p><a href="http://courses.uiuc.edu/cis/programs/urbana/2004/fall/undergrad/engin/comp_engin.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://courses.uiuc.edu/cis/programs/urbana/2004/fall/undergrad/engin/comp_engin.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Should I take the AP and try to opt out of the classes or should I take them in college for the full "hands on college experience"? Especially since Chemistry still requires lab work and it sort of intertwines with the class and Physics has 4 phases.</p>

<p>Thanks :)</p>

2

<p>I think you should take them(unless you live in GA of course... haha). No really even if colleges dont look at them for admission, you will get placed in higher level and therefore more interesting classes if you test well. I would go for it.</p>

3

<p>time just had an article talking about how most AP classes don't equal college experience. </p>

<p>and it would suck if youre college doesnt even accept ap credit, which a lot dont do now.</p>

4

<p>UIUC definately accepts AP credit as well as has no limit on how much AP credit can be earned</p>

<p>Can anyone point me to that article?</p>

5

<p>wow Meng! Are you a junior or a senior this year? :O
You should take chemistry at a community college or something since it looks better to colleges.</p>

6

<p>Not sure about the above posters comment on community college classes looking better than APs....... a debated topic surely!</p>

<p>Regardless, colleges like to see challenges and that course load is a challenge. As for the worth of the credit, I don't see much but it depends on how the individual school deals with it. Most of my schools take them for placement or elective credit and none of the core classes count for anything(calc, sciences, etc)</p>

<p>Call the admissions office and see what they say. Plus, that what college guidence counselors are for.</p>

7

<p>I'm a senior but I unwisely chose to do most of my APs during my last year. The classes I have to learn myself are the ones I couldn't cram into my schedule. :p</p>

<p>I will contact the counselors to get their input. If I take Physics C and Chemistry, I opt out of their introduction physics classes (if I get a 5 only) which is a total of 8 credit hours. That's the only thing I really want to do but I'm afraid that I'll forget it or miss something by learning it outside of college</p>

8

<p>For the true college experience, it depends on the rigor of individual couses at different high schools. But then again, if you're getting college credit for AP classes, then it should technically equal "college experience".</p>

9

<p>I graduated from UIUC in Computer Engineering, and I got AP credit for Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science AB, and Physics C (got 5's on all). I didn't have any trouble with the more advanced classes after that, e.g. Math 385, Physics 213/214, and CS 225. I think you have plenty of "hands on experience" with the ECE curriculum as it is, so it's not necessary to retake classes that you got AP credit for, especially the non-science ones. Also, AP Computer Science AB covers CS 125 and half of CS 225, so you should have no problem there. For more information, the AP credit list is here: <a href="http://www.oar.uiuc.edu/prospective/ugrad/ap.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.oar.uiuc.edu/prospective/ugrad/ap.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

10

<p>When a student takes an AP course, he is preparing for the May exam. He does so by learning the material.</p>

<p>I feel that the actual AP exam is very similar to a college final. A major plus of an AP exam is standardization; the test taken by a student in Georgia is the exact same test in New York. There's no difference.</p>

<p>However, the class itself may be very different from a college class. I will use math (viz. calculus I) as an example.</p>

<p>I took AP Calculus AB. I made a five. My teacher did not really emphasize or stress proofs or go beyond the information given. That was fine for the exam. Occassionaly, some of the seniors in the class would essentially refuse to do work, and the teacher would comply.</p>

<p>Needless to say, the latter situation is nonexistent at college. I took calculus II over the summer following my Calculus AB. My professor worked out the proofs in class whenever possible. He really went beyond the information.</p>

<p>That's the difference.</p>

11

<p>So it's not as indepth but it covers all neccessary material that a normal college class would cover or test on. </p>

<p>I'm really stressed at this point. 10 APs? Can I really pull this off with decent scores? Is this heard of? Heh heh. I need either, really, a 4 or a 5 in all except Physics (need 5 for them).</p>

<p>Im_blue, did the credit help you graduate early?</p>

12

<p>Yes, I graduated in 5 semesters total, due to coming in with 50 AP credits.</p>

13

<p>personally, i would take them, so that i wouldnt have to take them again in college. im sure the officers at your school have agreed that the material is similar enough that you shouldn't need to retake it again. although, i do believe that the college classes will be much harder and will give a different experience.</p>

14

<p>Okay, I'll definately be trying! Can you recommend me some books for self-study of Computer Science AB, Physics C, and Chemistry?</p>

15

<p>Hmm, I used Princeton Review's book for physics. It has the material for C, but also the theory from B as well.</p>

16

<p>I'd recommend the Princeton Review books for pretty much any AP they have them in. They're very concise and don't take long to read.</p>

17

<p>Meng ~ maybe I'm a dinosaur here, but I teach my kids the AP material all of the time (homeschoolers) and I would definitely not recommend 10 APs in one year...it just seems very excessive unless you are the one-in-a-thousand student who can perform at this level. Pick four or five subjects that you really want to master before you arrive at college, and get all 5's on those tests...that's my advice. Or maybe stretch and stay with six you have classes for already. But that should be a lot of work...</p>

<p>How are the six going so far? Don't you have midterms in these classes now or soon?</p>

18

<p>The APs right now are doing just fine. Easier than I expected actually but I'm sure the AP will be different and it'll get harder throughout the year. It scares me a little to think of it as easy because I'm sure the test is not and I'm sure there is more I should probably be practicing and learning. It's just tedious homework right up until now. I'm in high school so we have our finals at.. letsee, two weeks into January.</p>

<p>I will definately buy the Princeton Review books and try to get my parents to help me out a little two (both are engineers) so it'll be a little easier. :) Thanks everyone!</p>