<p>Is it recommended to place out of any science-related classes? I mean I consider myself an intelligent, hardworking student, but I am having some doubts as to whether or not I will be able to wrap my head around everything my first year at NYU. I am taking the AP Bio exam next month and I think that if I study enough i could get a 4 or a 5, but would this put me into a more difficult class?</p>
<p>I don’t think NYU allows premeds or science majors to use AP credit to place out of science classes, or if they do they advise very strongly against it. Med schools prefer that you take all of your sciences in college because biology I in college is a lot more challenging than any AP class. NYU uses the exact same textbook for Bio I and II that my high school AP class used. I got a 5 on the AP test but didn’t do so well in my first semester of bio here, so you will probably have to adjust your study habits. The first semester is a little but rough because you’re still taking everything in and learning how to study for college classes, and slightly lower grades in your first semester won’t hurt your med school chances as long as you do well every semester after. </p>
<p>One thing you’ll probably do is take the Bio placement test. This doesn’t determine whether you place out of principles or not, it’s simply whether you get put into the regular or honors class. I ended up in honors but if you want my opinion it was pretty useless. You take the exact same lectures and exams and the only difference is a tacked on recitation section where you read and discuss research papers. It doesn’t have any benefits really and its extra work you don’t really need, so I’d say skip it. The only benefit is a smaller lecture (About 100 kids as opposed to 500+ in the regular class) that’s in the afternoon instead of the early morning, but it still doesn’t really make it worth it.</p>
<p>Oh thank you very much! So there really is no huge advantage of an honors bio class over which is considered a “regular” bio class. As someone sure on going pre-med, I definitely wouldn’t want to miss out on the foundation of it all, because I know I won’t be able to adjust to the difficulty level in my first year as quickly as I would like to. And I don’t really mind being in a larger lecture hall. I will just be sure to sit in the front so I can focus more. Haha.</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>