GIRs

<p>MIT is one of two schools on the list and seeing as i have not heard from the other, i have been doing a lot of research into mit's curriculum. i realize that there are few aps that you can get credit for, but i also heard that you can take exams during orientation that can get you out of some gir courses. That being said, if you pass the exam, i assume you do not credits for the class, but is that gir requirement filled (ex. if i took the bio exam and passed, would i have to take another bio course during my four years or am i done with bio - i do not plan on majoring in bio).</p>

<p>If you take and pass an advanced standing exam, you do actually get credit for that course. Your transcript would read “Fall 2009, 7.012, P, 12 units” if you pass the 7.012 advanced standing exam, and you would not have to take another biology class at MIT.</p>

<p>The GIRs are for specific classes, not for any class in a given department. If you have AP credit or pass an ASE, you’re not required to take any more courses in that area.</p>

<p>More information on ASEs will be available on the [First</a> Year](<a href=“http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/2013/]First”>http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/2013/) website soon.</p>

<p>Also, ASEs taken in the fall don’t count against your credit limit :)</p>

<p>ok thanks, b/c i was told to try to only take four classes a semester, but i wanted to major in architecture and minor in civil engineering and figured that in order to be able to finish in 4 years, with 4 classes each semester, i will probably need to place out of some gir requirements…thanks for the help</p>

<p>Well, most of the undergraduate degrees are designed to be completed in four years, taking four classes per semester, and taking all 17 GIRs at MIT. </p>

<p>It can be tougher to do with a major and a minor that aren’t closely related (that is: where you can’t use the same classes to fulfill requirements for both), but in your specific case, it looks like the architecture department gives you up to 57 units for electives, and a civil engineering minor only requires 5 classes (60 units) – with some careful planning, it’s possible you could take all the GIRs at MIT and never have to take more than four classes per semester.</p>

<p>thanks for the great advice and information, you have truly been a great resource.</p>

<p>I’ll probably pass out of 8.01 using AP test scores. If I pass the 8.02 ASE but then decide to take 8.02 or 8.022 anyway… would that be a problem for any reason, and what happens to the credits?</p>

<p>I don’t think it would be a problem*, but you would forfeit the credit for the 8.02 ASE. You can’t get credit for the same class twice.</p>

<p>*I can’t actually find anything in the Academic Guide that pertains to this, but I’m fairly sure you can just choose not to accept the credit and take the class anyway.</p>

<p>Ok, sounds good, thank you! :)</p>

<p>“If you earn 8.01 credit and then enroll in 8.012 (the advanced version of 8.01), the 12 units of credit initially given for 8.01 will convert to 6 units of general elective credit. You will also receive 12 units of credit for a passing grade in 8.012.”</p>

<p>I imagine a similar case would be in effect for passing out of 8.02 and taking 8.022. It also sounds as if wanting to take the EXACT class for which you received credit (i.e., taking 8.02 after passing out of it) would forfeit all 12 credits. You might want to ask at <a href=“mailto:firstyear-www@mit.edu”>firstyear-www@mit.edu</a>.</p>