Fulfilling core classes with AP, questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
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<p>I’m going to be a freshman majoring in chemical engineering and maybe doing premed at bama this fall. I was just looking at Bama’s core classes for engineers, at [Core</a> Curriculum – College of Engineering | The Office of the University Registrar - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://registrar.ua.edu/academics/core-curriculum/engineering/]Core”>http://registrar.ua.edu/academics/core-curriculum/engineering/) , and credit for AP classes, at [University</a> of Alabama Undergraduate Catalog 2008-10](<a href=“http://catalogs.ua.edu/catalog08/500700.html#100130]University”>http://catalogs.ua.edu/catalog08/500700.html#100130). </p>

<p>On the credit for AP site, it shows just AP “English” as giving 6 credits. Is this 6 credits each for Lang and Lit, or 6 for both lang and lit?</p>

<p>Also, the website says that I need:
“Nine semester hours of humanities, literature, and fine arts (HU, L, & FA) area courses, six semester hours are required in a discipline (EH, PHL, for example). A six-hour depth (or sequence) study is required and may be taken in either HU, L, & FA or HI & SB. There are no mandatory general education requirements for literature or fine arts except as required for a specific engineering program.”</p>

<p>What exactly does this mean? What are disciplines and depth studies? Can I use AP history credit to cover some of this?</p>

<p>It seems that all I have to take from the core are the 6 hours of writing, 3 hours of foreign language, and the HU, L, & FA. However, is it wise for me to take all the AP credit I can, considering I’m might be going premed? I read that most med schools don’t accept AP credit, so I probably will have to take more advanced bio, chem, and physics, which might hurt my GPA. Also, how will med schools know if I took the AP credit? Does this show on the college transcript?</p>

<p>Finally, how are GPAs for engineering, and especially chemical engineering majors? I’ve know that it’s generally harder to do premed engineering due to the lower GPA.</p>

<p>Btw, I’ve taken/will take the following AP courses:
AP World: 5
AP US: 5
AP Eng Language: 5
AP Comp Sci: 5
AP Bio
AP Chem
AP Physics C
AP Calc BC
AP Econ/Gov
AP Eng Lit</p>

<p>Sorry for the REALLY long post, had a lot of questions.</p>

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<p>If you get a 4 or 5 on AP English (either one), you will get 6 credits…fulfilling the frosh comp req’t. You don’t get double credit if you do both AP English exams.</p>

<p>AP History with a 3+ fulfill the sequence requirement and give you 6 HI credits.</p>

<p>Depth studies …that’s like Cal I, Cal II, and Cal III…depth in one area.</p>

<p>Discipline is the subject matter…like Philosophy or History…</p>

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<p>* However, is it wise for me to take all the AP credit I can, considering I’m might be going premed? I read that most med schools don’t accept AP credit, so I probably will have to take more advanced bio, chem, and physics, which might hurt my GPA. Also, how will med schools know if I took the AP credit? Does this show on the college transcript?</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>Yes, AP credit shows on the transcript as Passed…which is ok since those are AP classes.</p>

<p>As for pre-med. My son is ChemE and pre-med. He felt that his AP classes were a strong enough prep for taking the next level of courses. If you don’t feel that your AP classes were strong, then go ahead and retake those courses. Or, if you’re concerned that the “next levels” may hurt your GPA, then retake. </p>

<p>However, many med schools like it when students also take BioChem, Genetics and a few other “higher level” courses, so keep that in mind.</p>

<p>It seems that all I have to take from the core are the 6 hours of writing, 3 hours of foreign language, and the HU, L, & FA</p>

<p>That may be…you’ll have to check off your credits and determine that for sure. </p>

<p>*.Finally, how are GPAs for engineering, and especially chemical engineering majors? I’ve know that it’s generally harder to do premed engineering due to the lower GPA.</p>

<p>Btw, I’ve taken/will take the following AP courses:
AP World: 5
AP US: 5
AP Eng Language: 5
AP Comp Sci: 5
AP Bio
AP Chem
AP Physics C
AP Calc BC
AP Econ/Gov
AP Eng Lit</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>I’m guessing that you’re a dedicated and strong student. If so, then with dedication and effort (studying and homework), you should be able to maintain a high GPA as a ChemE/pre-med student. </p>

<p>But, don’t take your classes lightly. Don’t get behind. OChem I and II are very hard, so be prepared for those…don’t take OChem I first semester, you’ll be too overwhelmed. </p>

<p>you’ll need a 5 on AP Chem to get full credit.</p>

<p>Welcome to Bama.</p>

<p>What state are you from?</p>

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<p>thanks for answering all my questions, mom2ck. i think i’m probably going to take my ap science credits… college can’ be that hard. i’m living in texas right now, but i’m orginally from louisana. we moved after hurricane katrina</p>

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<p>burgerbread
See: [Core</a> Curriculum – General Studies Course Listing | The Office of the University Registrar - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://registrar.ua.edu/academics/core-curriculum/general-studies/#tab=tab-1]Core”>http://registrar.ua.edu/academics/core-curriculum/general-studies/#tab=tab-1)
for the specifics on what ‘core course requirements’ are.</p>

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<p>^^^Welcome, burgerbread. First off, congrats on your wise decision to relocate after Katrina. Wish we were able to do the same. Texas education so much better than Louisiana.</p>

<p>My son is a Mech Eng freshman, and has some AP credit, though not as stellar scores as yours.</p>

<p>I can give you some help on what he got credit for, though, as you will be in the same department.</p>

<p>Your AP US History will give you your six hours in depth credit for your social science.<br>
Your AP English Language should give you all your English comp requirements. Son got a 3 on his, so only got one semester, but since you got a 5, I think you’ve got both semesters covered.
Your AP World, which I assume is History, a social science, should satisfy your remaining 3 credits for the social science requirement. Son took AP Government and got the remaining 3 social science credits with that course, so he doesn’t have to take any social science courses at Bama.</p>

<p>As for humanities, I’m not sure. Son did take Latin AP and got 3 credits for humanities, but has to take the other 6 credits at Bama. I don’t think you’ll have any AP humanities, as your Eng Lit will count toward the Freshman Comp, I believe. </p>

<p>That’s awesome that you can take both AP Bio and AP Chem. Those will be a real help. Son got a 4 on AP Bio and got credit for the full year. Wish he could have taken AP Chem, as he’s having to take it over the summer. </p>

<p>Your AP Physics should help you cut out at least one freshman engineering course, as we had a friend who is premed and chem eng major who did this to help cut down on courses. I’m not sure how many credits he got and whether he was given his grade for the full 6 credits or only 3, but he took an accelerated version of a freshman engineering course that covered both semesters in one.</p>

<p>Good luck and welcome to Bama! You should really apply to CBH, too, with your stats. I’m assuming you’re a junior in high school.</p>

<p>Keep us posted and good luck in your senior year!</p>

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<p>Burgerbread…</p>

<p>What is your foreign language situation? </p>

<p>If you’re reasonable strong in Spanish, German, or French, you might consider taking the CLEP test and getting those credits. Those will fulfill Humanities req’ts.</p>

<p>If you don’t feel real strong, then you can take the placement test, and if you do ok or well on it, then you can place higher (not start at the beginning) and get additional credits after completing the course.</p>

<p>Or you can take the 103 version of a foreign language and fulfill 2 FL req’ts.</p>

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<p>^^^Good point, mom! Definitely look into CLEP. I don’t know how to do links, but maybe someone here can help you with the link to the Registrar’s page that shows the chart of what credits you get for AP/IB and CLEP.</p>

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<p>i took 3 years of honors spanish, got a B my third year. It started getting pretty tough. Not sure how difficult clep tests are…</p>

<p>montegut, are you from lousiana too? what part?
btw, i’m a senior. i’m taking all those ap courses this year since i wanted to get a feel of what branch of science i like best, still not sure lol.</p>

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<p>Just happened to be looking at the CLEP page the other day:</p>

<p>[University</a> of Alabama Undergraduate Catalog 2008-10](<a href=“Page Not Found | The University of Alabama”>Page Not Found | The University of Alabama)</p>

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<p>According to SEA_Tide who did CLEP for French, CLEP is much easier than AP foreign language exams. </p>

<p>It would be a good idea to at least try it. If not successful, then no harm, no foul.</p>

<p>At that point, you could take the placement exam for Spanish at Bama…depending on how your “place” you could get additional credits after completing the “placed” course.</p>

<p>Or, you can just take Spanish 103 and upon completion, you’ll be given credit for both FL credits…however, I’m not sure how 103 counts for HU core.</p>

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<p>From: [University</a> of Alabama Undergraduate Catalog 2008-10](<a href=“Page Not Found | The University of Alabama”>Page Not Found | The University of Alabama)</p>

<p>Remember that the maximum credit obtainable through all programs by placement is 45 semester hours, including, but not limited to, Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP)</p>

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<p>^^^^</p>

<p>That limit doesn’t include credits a student “earns” by placing into a higher foreign language and then is awarded the lower credits later.</p>

<p>For instance, if a student places into Spanish 3XX, then after completion with at least a C, the student is awarded additional credits for Spanish 103, 201, and 202. So that’s an additional 10 credits on top of the 3 credits earned for SP 3XX.</p>

<p>The limit doesn’t apply to those 10 credits. So, a student can get credit of 45 AP Credits and then get an additional 10 FL credits by the above method.</p>

<p>And, I think, if a student does have more than 45 AP credits, he can still “use” them to go to the next level of courses (if I remember correctly).</p>

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<p>Burgerbread: All that AP credit will become very valuable when it’s time to select classes/housing. Those two things are based on credits, so you will choose your classes (even if you are in the honors college) and housing earlier than others do. My son had 13 APs for 65 credits when he entered Alabama. He felt that his AP classes were more than enough to take him to the next level in his academic studies.</p>

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<p>I have a question re FL core requirements. If DS is double-majoring in History and Classics and taking both Latin and Greek, does he also have to take a modern language to fulfill the FL requirement? Or do Latin and Greek cover it, even though they are part of his second major?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance. And, for those who celebrate it, happy Easter! Or, as my Sicilian dad would say, “Buona Pasqua!”</p>

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<p>pre-meds shouldn’t claim bio or chem or physics or English or calculus AP credits. See the pre-med section of the forum.</p>

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<p>*pre-meds shouldn’t claim bio or chem or physics or English or calculus AP credits. See the pre-med section of the forum. *</p>

<p>Actually, it’s ok to claim the AP Credits, **but then you must take the “next higher” courses. ** So, for Bio, you might take Genetics or BioChem or Anatomy, etc. </p>

<p>That said, if you have AP Physics, you might want to take Physics again because taking the next higher courses in Physics may be too hard and won’t net you any needed knowledge for med school. And, of course, if you don’t feel that you got a strong education at the AP level, then do retake those courses, otherwise the “next higher” level will be too hard for you.</p>

<p>Taking the English credit is OK because med schools accept Bama’s 300 level classes with the “Writing” designation if you attach a note to explain that it’s Writing course. That was discussed in the Pre-med forum (other schools have that 300 W class as well) and they all said that by telling the med school about the W designation was satisfactory to them.</p>

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<p>So there is no harm in using AP credit for General Chemistry, since you’ll be taking Organic?</p>

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<p>Since OChem is required, I think you also need to take 2 more Chem classes. I have never heard that OChem counts as the “next level” if you take AP credit. </p>

<p>I will try to find that out. :)</p>

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<p>And I think it varies somewhat from med school to med school…</p>