<p>I've seen some other threads but I haven't really found a clear answer. I'll be starting this fall as a freshman in Weinberg. I know that only 2 AP tests can be used to satisfy distribution requirements, but what happens to the rest? Are the disregarded? Are they just used to place out of low level classes so you can start at a higher level? Or can you get credit for most of them? I think I'll go in to school with a 5 on BC calculus, biology, chemistry, english comp, and world history and hopefully a 4 in spanish (test tomorrow), so I just want to know what all of that can get me at NU.</p>
<p>You can get into higher-level classes, but, like you said, only two distribution requirements. </p>
<p>[AP</a> and IB Exams - Undergraduate Advising – Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/advising/freshmen/credit/apib.html]AP”>http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/advising/freshmen/credit/apib.html)</p>
<p>So distribution credits are limited, but are the course credits limited to a certain number too? Because not all of the tests qualify for distribution credit.</p>
<p>[AB/IB</a> Credit, 2013-2014 - Undergraduate Advising - Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/advising/freshmen/credit/apib/2013-2014.html]AB/IB”>http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/advising/freshmen/credit/apib/2013-2014.html)
[AP</a> and IB Exams - Undergraduate Advising – Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/advising/freshmen/credit/apib.html]AP”>http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/advising/freshmen/credit/apib.html)
[Undergraduate</a> Registration Requirement Summary: Office of the Registrar - Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.registrar.northwestern.edu/graduation/undergraduate-registration-requirement.html]Undergraduate”>Undergraduate Registration Requirement: Office of the Registrar - Northwestern University)</p>
<p>Amazing what Google can do. Make friends with the internet, it will save you.</p>
<p>Distro credits are limited to 2, and they have to be in separate areas.</p>
<p>AP credits generally count towards graduation, but you have to take at least 3 years’ worth of classes before you can graduate.</p>
<p>Course credit isn’t limited.</p>
<p>The link above should answer all your questions and it’s authoritative in a way no one on this forum can be (unless there’s someone from NU lurking about).</p>
<p>Calculus BC: 4 or 5 will get you two credits (MATH 220 and 224) and an invitation to MENU. You may apply one of these credits to distribution area II.</p>
<p>Biology: 5 will get you one credit, BIOL SCI 1XX. I’ll get to what that’s good for later.</p>
<p>Chemistry: 5 will get you three credits (CHEM 101, 102, 103); 3 or 4 will get you 1 credit (CHEM 101). You may apply one of these credits to distribution area I. Credit for CHEM 101 does not place you into CHEM 102; it places you into the CHEM 171 and 172 sequence.</p>
<p>English: 5 will get you two credits, ENGLISH 1XX. See biology.</p>
<p>World History: 5 will get you two credits, HISTORY 2XX. You may apply one of these credits to distribution area IV.</p>
<p>Spanish: 4 will get you one credit, 5 will get you two credits, SPANISH 2XX. Either way, you will have met your WCAS foreign language requirement.</p>
<p>You may apply credits to two different distribution areas.</p>
<p>All credits (with some exceptions based on classes you end up taking) can be subtracted from the 45 required for a Weinberg BA (i.e., can be used as general electives) but they don’t apply to the undergraduate residence requirement (i.e., no graduating in three years based on AP credit). This what the Biology, English, etc. credits are good for.</p>
<p>NU student here, shoot any questions my way.</p>
<p>Note that a 3 on the Spanish AP exam will place you into Spanish 125, which is ‘accelerated intermediate spanish.’ Functionally, it’s the final course of the 6-course introductory spanish sequence, which means you fill the foreign language proficiency requirement in 1 course instead of 6.</p>
<p>Also, the residency requirement only has 3 years (but study-abroad ISN’T counted as residency at NU, so you’re not going to graduate in 3 years if you spend any time abroad).</p>
<p>Because of the 10 AP courses he took, my son is listed as a “freshman with sophomore standing”. His grad date is listed as 2015 - it should be 2016 - and probably will be 2016 after study abroad and co-op.</p>
<p>I thought that at NU you were not allowed to graduate after 3 years from AP classes. That’s what SteveC mentioned above, and I’ve heard it from a few other sources.</p>
<p>Read this again: [Undergraduate</a> Registration Requirement Summary: Office of the Registrar - Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.registrar.northwestern.edu/graduation/undergraduate-registration-requirement.html]Undergraduate”>Undergraduate Registration Requirement: Office of the Registrar - Northwestern University)</p>
<p>Requirement for a first-time freshman to earn a 4-year degree: 9 quarters in residence at NU.</p>
<p>For the purpose of counting toward the URR, a “quarter at Northwestern” requires:</p>
<pre><code>Being under the supervision of Northwestern faculty member(s),
</code></pre>
<p>AND</p>
<pre><code>Registering for and completing classes worth at least 2.00 units of credit in a term,
</code></pre>
<p>AND</p>
<pre><code>Receiving any of the following grades in credit-bearing classes: A, B, C (including pluses and minuses), D, F, P, N, X, Y, K or W.
</code></pre>
<p>Please note that most study abroad and transfer credit does not count toward either requirement of the URR. There is one exception: Completion of Northwestern study abroad programs that offer courses with Northwestern course numbers and the “-SA” course suffix counts toward the URR as long as all other provisions are met.</p>
<p>I’ll re-iterate: if you take any time to do co-op, study abroad, etc., you will need at to complete at least a portion of a fourth year at NU.</p>
<p>Edit: Of course, this is only what’s available on the NU site, and should be confirmed with the registrar/other appropriate offices.</p>
<p>Edit again: I’m not sure whether it’s possible to fit courses to fill all degree requirements into 3 years. It probably is, but I’m not in the mood to draw it all out.</p>
<p>When I said, “unless there’s someone from NU lurking about,” I had in mind someone from the registrar’s office. 
PieceofToast is right, though. The URR is 9 quarters as of Fall 2012. Prior to that, it was 12 with “exemptions” for AP credit, study abroad, etc. I’m guessing they got tired of people trying to “lawyer” the exemptions and simplified the policy.</p>
<p>“Vertical” degree programs (A is a prerequisite for B is a prerequisite for C, etc.) might be hard to pull off in three years. More “horizontal” programs (psychology comes to mind) wouldn’t be as difficult (at least in principle–time conflicts can always bite you in the rear).</p>