<p>Can anyone makes heads or tails of the registration information that was emialed to my son? He went to the AU group on Facebook and the kids there seem equally as confused. I am hoping the AU admissions Advisor can shed some light on this. For example, how can you pick a math class without the plaacement exam. Do we just asssume that he’s getting AP credits for English 1, etc? With trying to combine more than one major/minor what are the best gen eds to take? He put in a call to his advisor, but won’t really be able to speak with him since son is in school all day and must go straight to track practice (or else) afterwards.</p>
<p>a) Math: Use your best judgement on Math. If your son is taking pre-calculus right now you can bet on him testing into Statistics/out of 100-level math. If he has not, then Finite Math will be a high school equivalent of up to precalculus, with Precalculus obviously being a safe bet if he is just finishing up Trigonometry . Great Ideas in Mathematics is math for people who never really liked/excelled in math and was really helpful to a lot of people I knew, while Mathematical Modeling is a more theoretical approach for people who really enjoy thinking in ‘gray’. </p>
<p>If something happens and your son scores better or worse on the math placement tests than you expect, the advisor will make a change and either put you into another section or discuss the changes when your son shows up for orientation. What you’re filling out is really your best guess at what you want to take – but rest assured, your son have a chance to give his input before he receives his final schedule.</p>
<p>b) Here is the AP credit exchange table: [School</a> of International Service, American University](<a href=“http://www1.sis.american.edu/advising-undergrad/ap-equivalents.htm]School”>http://www1.sis.american.edu/advising-undergrad/ap-equivalents.htm)</p>
<p>c) It depends on your son’s double major. Sit down with the list here [General</a> Education Program - The Creative Arts](<a href=“http://www1.american.edu/american/registrar/geninfo/gened1.htm]General”>http://www1.american.edu/american/registrar/geninfo/gened1.htm), and the list of requirements for both majors or minors (listed on the AU website) and see how many things double or even triple count. </p>
<p>If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I know it can be confusing, and really difficult when you cannot get ahold of someone with the answers because you can’t go ad sit down.</p>
<p>Thanks AU Transfer. We’ll take another look at the registration today. Your suggestions do make sense. If he decides not to take Eng 1, since there are so many other courses he would like to take, will he be missing any important skills? Do they learn how to use the library research databases in this course? I think opting out of US and European history is a safe bet for him. We need to get his AP scores to AU.</p>
<p>Lit 100 and 101 are necessary to get everyone writing on a similar level because AU has no idea what people come in writing like. However if he has written a research paper before, and really knows MLA format backwards, I don’t see him needing either course at all. They do learn how to use research databases for a day or two per class. (So possibly, four hours of training over the course of the year.) If either him or you are very concerned, they are listed on the AU Library website and he can go fiddle around with them this summer. All students are required to take a research methods class (usually Second Semester Sophomore or during Junior Year), and so that is where he’ll really learn the extent of what the library has to offer. </p>
<p>I think opting out of both Histories is a fantastic idea. And it knocks out and entire General Education level which gives him only 8 classes of general education to take instead of 10.</p>
<p>DS did do a 40 page research paper this year using primary and secondary resources and MLA. He’s afraid of missing out on something if he opts out.</p>
<p>He’s fine – I came from a strong writing high school too, and found the program to be completely pointless. (One of the components of Lit 101 (the second course) is that you need to be able to sustain an argument for 10-12 pages. He shouldn’t be worried about missing anything.</p>
<p>I tested out of the writing requirement and I have found that I didn’t miss out on anything. I have yet to do bad on any writing assignments I have been given and a lot of my friends have talked about how they thought the classes were a waste of time and didn’t really teach them much they didn’t already know</p>