Foreign Language AP vs. Retroactive Credits

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Wisconsin
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<p>"I'm not dumb but I can't understand..."</p>

<p>The</a> University of Wisconsin-Madison Language Institute</p>

<p>Apparently, depending on where an incoming freshman places in the Foreign Language Placement Exam at SOAR, he/she can earn as many as 8 credits if placed into 3rd Semester XXX, or 12 if placed in 4th Semester XXX.</p>

<p>There are some restrictions, but all doable. My question is...are these credits in lieu of AP credits earned from HS AP exams? In addition to?</p>

<p>Maybe someone can read it and make sense out of it to me. But I think we all need to understand it going into orientation.</p>

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<p>Or 16 if placed in fifth semester or above. 16 is the maximum.</p>

<p>I don’t know if I’m understanding your question right, but I’ll give it a whack. Retro credits are earned specifically for taking a class, like Spanish 204, and getting a grade of B or better, but with AP you automatically get the 3/4 credits from passing the test. So say you pass the AP test and take a foreign language class that you tested in to at the university. You get the AP credits (which will be about 3 or 4 credits), and you get the retro credits, either 4, 8, 12 or 16 credits, depending on the class you took. And of course, you get the credits for the class itself.</p>

<p>As an example, I took German 225 first semester. I got 16 retro credits (for the first four semesters), and 3 credits for 225 itself. If I had taken the German AP exam and passed, I would have gotten an additional 3 credits. So 16 retro and 3 for the AP, and then 3 for the class itself. (Ignore the fact that the AP German exam tests you in to German 226.)</p>

<p>Does that help?</p>

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<p>and agree with jnm123 that this should be understood before going to SOAR.</p>

<p>My DS tested “between levels” at SOAR. The student advisors told him he could choose whichever class level he wanted to put himself in. (AP German was not available at his HS and so he did not take the AP test.) Never one to avoid a challenge, DS took the higher level- German 226. He found this course to be challenging and ended up with a “C”. Goodbye retroactive credits. </p>

<p>Had I understood the retroactive credit policy I would have attempted to be a helicopter parent and insisted that he take the easier level to improve his odds of getting a “B”. After all, I’m paying the bill and 12 credits earned retroactively is 12 credits I don’t have to pay for.</p>

<p>Even now I’m not completely clear about what Madison’s site says- </p>

<p>“If a student earns Advanced Placement credit in a foreign language, they can still earn retroactive credits, provided they take a course specifically designated appropriate for students with AP credit (see section on Advanced Placement). AP credit supersedes the foreign language placement test for purposes of placement.”</p>

<p>Pathetique, you state that the AP test would have placed a student into German 226. So if a student takes the AP test and passes, according to Madison’s policy, a student would have to enter German 226 to get retroactive credits? (as stated above- “provided they take a course specifically designated appropriate for students with AP credit”). They could not take German 225?</p>

<p>One thing I’m understanding is that if a student really, really wants those retroactive credits and midway through the course, he/she realizes that he/she will not be able to get a “B”, he/she may elect to drop the course but take it again second semester- otherwise he/she would be ineligible for retroactive credits if they get less than a “B” in the course. I have heard of students doing this.</p>

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<p>So, if I have taken four years of a language (French) in high school, but no AP, what level of French would I typically be able to place into? How many retroactive credits?</p>

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<p>During SOAR, you will take a foreign language placement test and learn of the results as you choose your classes. Your advisers at SOAR will tell you what level/class is recommended for you based on the placement test results.</p>

<p>Just remember that whatever class/level of foreign language you choose, you must get at least a “B” in order to get the retroactive credits. Unless you drop the class, you only get one shot at the retroactive credits (the first foreign language class you take in college).</p>

<p>The amt. of retroactive credits you earn is based on the level of language you successfully take and get a “B” or above in. The higher level the class, the more retroactive credits- up to a max of 16 credits.</p>

<p>My son had 4 yrs. of high school German- straight A’s all 4 years. AP German was not offered at his school. When he took the placement test at SOAR, he was told he scored between levels so he could choose which class he wanted to take. He chose the higher level German- 226 and found it to be a struggle. I believe it was his hardest class of the 18 credits he took that semester. He ended up with a “C” in the class. Had he achieved a “B”, he would have received 16 retroactive credits.</p>

<p>I wish he had chosen the lower level German class to take so he could have received 12 retroactive credits. (12 credits is almost a semester of tuition.) Because he had completed a semester of a foreign language (the German 226 that he received the “C” in), he is no longer eligible to receive retroactive credits.</p>

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<p>I meant the AP German test gets you out of 226. Passing it with a 5 is the equivalent of having taken 226, so you could take higher than that. My mistake. I don’t know how they can tell you you can’t take 225 when AP got you out of 226. Although it’s in a different subject, as an example I passed AP Calc AB (which is Math 221) and tested out of Math 221 in placement testing. I still could’ve taken 221 if I wanted to, and many people do. For language retro credits, I can see why it would be different, but I don’t think it should be. However, it does say “AP credit supersedes the foreign language placement test for purposes of placement”. That says the opposite of what I’m saying, but I don’t see how that’s a good policy.</p>

<p>So yeah. Call and ask, or ask them at SOAR. At SOAR there are people there specifically to answer questions about foreign language classes and taking foreign language classes, the retro credit and AP policy, etc. SOAR is there for these questions, and having them at SOAR is what they expect. It’s not necessary to know all the ins and outs of these things before you get there. You have the rest of summer to change your schedule, so don’t think you’re confined to the classes you pick at SOAR.</p>

<p>Also, Ms.t8ks, he would still have gotten 16 retro credits if he took below 226. German 225 is below German 226 (and the pre req for 226), but 225 is still essentially fifth semester, which gets you 16. He could have also taken 221 (which is also essentially fifth semester) and gotten 16 as well. Now, taking German 204 would have only gotten him 12.</p>

<p>RonPaul_2012, it’s very hard to say. It depends on how, well, serious your studies were. I was in the same situation as you but with German, and I tested in to fifth semester (well, in between fourth and fifth), which is 16 retro credits. Many people though, who I had German with for four years straight, only got in to third semester, albeit at different schools. It completely varies, but I would say on average, probably fourth semester (12 retro credits), give or take a semester, and that might be being generous. They say a year of high school is equivalent to a semester at college, so following that, you’d be at fifth semester. Also, when you get your score (have you taken the test yet? The results might be in the student center). Look at this site:</p>

<p>[The</a> University of Wisconsin-Madison Language Institute](<a href=“http://languageinstitute.wisc.edu/content/uw_students/placement_language_courses.htm]The”>http://languageinstitute.wisc.edu/content/uw_students/placement_language_courses.htm)</p>

<p>Go to French. That’s how they determine what class to put you in. Say you score 660. That’s 204. But they’ll tell you you can take either 204 or 227, because you’re so close to the cut off.</p>

<p>That link may also answer the question above. If you look at the AP policy for, say, French, it does say “To earn retro credits, take…” Hm. Kinda confusing. I’m glad I didn’t get in to that realm. :)</p>

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<p>Thanks, all, for giving it a shot! Apparently this requires complex thought…</p>

<p>If what Pathetique says is accurate, then if my D places into, for example, 4th semester Spanish (Spanish 204) AND gets a ‘B’ of higher in that class in the fall, then she would get 4 credits for the class itself, 8 credits retro, and THEN the credits for scoring a 4 or higher on the HS AP Spanish exam (3 or 4), for a total of 15/16 credits.</p>

<p>Impressive? Well, not so fast. I checked into requirements for a Spanish major, and a student needs at least 16 hours of 300-level Spanish classes AFTER taking 223, 226 and (I think) 233. The minimum 27 total hours needed to declare a Spanish major is, to my way of thinking, a moot point because it appears that most intended Spanish majors will have a boatload of credit hours over what’s necessary, but will still have to take the 200 & 300-level track classes, which are 25 hours on their own. Even a Spanish minor requires 26 hours, including those 200-level classes.</p>

<p>The only bright side to this, hopefully, is that all those retro credit hours will be hours that count towards graduation. </p>

<p>I’m starting to think that a student trying to get out of UW-Madison in 4 years with a double major is like trying to solve Rubik’s Cube. But on CC, a challenge we’re willing to take!! Hah!</p>

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<p>You’re mostly correct. Placing in to fourth semester gets you 12 retro credits, not 8. Third semester gets you 8, second semester gets you 4, fifth or above gets you 16 for most languages. The biggest debate here is whether or not you can get retro credits if you pass an AP test and take a class that is lower than what the AP equivalent was. So you pass AP Spanish Language with a 4, which gets you out of Spanish 204, to earn retro credits you would *have *to take a class above fourth semester Spanish, so you would probably take Spanish 226, even if the placement test put you in Spanish 204. Pass with a B, then you get 16 retro credits, 3 credits for Spanish 226, and then an additional 4 credits for passing the AP exam with a 4. That’s my understanding, and [UWMad</a> Foreign Language Policies](<a href=“http://testing.wisc.edu/madison%20for%20lang%20policies.html]UWMad”>http://testing.wisc.edu/madison%20for%20lang%20policies.html) might give some more information regarding that. I would ask at SOAR or email them and ask though.</p>

<p>Either way, retro credits are great for just picking classes. When your enrollment time is, is determined by how many credits you have. I entered school with 28 AP/transfer credits, then got 16 retro credits, in addition to the credits I earned first semester. For picking classes for next fall I already, as a freshman, had the credit status of a junior, so I got to pick classes well before some of my peers. A nice little perk. :]</p>

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<p>P- Then you get to be a senior forever, and your parents will get spring mailings from companies for graduation announcements, framed diplomas and other junk for years to come instead of just one season. I presume you continued in the foreign language for the knowledge, not the credits. Most students will still attend for 7 or 8 semesters to finish a major and meet the other requirements. Getting AP or other credit frees up your schedule to take other courses- registering earlier is a nice perk also.</p>