How Useful is AP Credit in U.S. Govt. or English Literature at Rice?

<p>I was just curious since I am taking the premed track and have no desire to go into poli sci. However, I am interested in taking a couple of English classes at Rice, but the English classes at Rice aren't cumulative, are they? I don't want to spend the money on and time studying for the exams if I don't have to (although I am still taking the AP classes this year). </p>

<p>So, basically, will AP credit in either U.S. Govt. or English Lit. benefit me in any way? I'm hoping that some current Rice students will be kind enough to offer their insight. </p>

<p>~Thanks</p>

<p>Copy and pasted from somewhere else:</p>

<p>Rice will take a 4 or a 5 in any AP exam and there is a chart (<a href="http://www.ruf.rice.edu/%7Ereg/ap/APIB2007-2008.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~reg/ap/APIB2007-2008.pdf&lt;/a> for last years; it shouldn't change much) that tells exactly what courses and credits you will receive for each test. As for if they are worth it, they are EXTREMELY worth it. You can place out of boring intros classes that you won't learn anything in, and, more importantly, the AP credits you earn count for everything that those courses count for (except for GPA). That means if you get a 4 or 5 on, say, calc BC, then you come in with 6 credits in math (counts for math 101 and 102) and those courses are required for an engineering major, so you don't have to take them! Also, let's say you take US History and score a 4 or 5. Then you come in with 6 credits of Division II distribution, so instead of having to take 4 classes in social sciences at Rice, you only have to take 2! They are a HUGE time-saver.</p>

<p>For you specifically: It looks like, for whatever reason, distribution is not offered in years past for U.S. Gov, so that would be basically elective credits (not helping you much). AP English is the one AP that is truly somewhat useless because you just get generic English credit, which just counts as elective credit again, really. So in most cases I would say that AP credit is extremely useful, but in your case, it actually doesn't look like it does much good. Although, I would suggest taking the tests anyway, just in case.</p>

<p>Thank you so much! As of now, I have a number of credits that I can use for the Division II and III distribution requirements and enough elective credit (thanks to the English Lang. and French Lang. AP exams). I plan to take the AP exams in Biology, Calculus BC, and Microeconomics although after reading your post, I probably won't be taking the English Lit. and U.S. Govt. exams (I really don't want to remember spending the last quarter of my senior year cramming for five AP exams).</p>

<p>Again, thank you so much for the insight, Clendenenator! You've probably saved me from a few sleepless nights this year!</p>

<p>I'd second what Clendenator said .... look at the chart and see if it will give you any distribution credit. If not, I wouldn't bother taking it, since, unless you're trying to get out in less than 4 years and really just need some general credits, they won't be of any use. (This doesn't apply to Juniors, who probably want to take the APs just to show that they can do well in them, obviously).</p>

<p>As to your slightly different question about the English classes being cumulative - as far as I know, none of them are cumulative in that you have to have certain pre-reqs to enter them, though if you try to jump into an upper level course, it might be a little bit daunting. (I took my first english class at Rice this semester as a senior and decided to take a 300 level ... I felt a little bit lost most of them time and probably ended up with a B, but you can do it.)</p>