Good morning. I’m currently a sophomore and I’m deciding between taking a Physics dual enrollment class at my local university/junior college to receive credit for AP Physics 1 either second semester or the summer. How does the system work? Meaning, can you decide which year of high school the credit transfers to on your application? Also, would a counselor be able to add AP Physics 1 to your transcript once you received credit for it and my local college granted it to me as well? Any feedback would be gladly appreciated!
Generally, no. It’s up to the HS.But really, what difference does it make?
The actual specifics of “How” is HS-specific; ask your GC., but since it is not an AP class, it can’t be listed as AP.on your transcript, although the HS could still weight it the same.
@skieurope Thanks! What do you mean by “What difference does it make?”?
It means that if the class is computed as part of your sophomore GPA vs junior year, it will not matter in the long run.
Is there a reason you would want it to show as a Sophomore year course, as opposed to Junior year? It will appear on your transcript if you school allows it, and your school will decide how it impacts your GPA. This is not a question to ask here, because it all depends on the policies at your specific school.
Most likely they will NOT list it on your transcript as AP Physics 1 - that is a designation for a class following the AP curriculum, after which you take the AP Credit. You would not be taking “AP Physics 1” you would be taking whatever course the college allows you to take. This will also not be a dual enrollment class - those are classes specifically designed to offer credit both at the college and in your HS, and are usually offered at your school, not on the college campus.
Contact your guidance counselor, and ask about college classes and Independent Study, which is what they will most likely consider such a class. When you apply to colleges, you will submit both your HS transcript, and the transcript from the college. The college you ultimately attend will determine whether you will be allowed to transfer those credits to use toward your degree. Some will transfer them, others will use them for placement, but won’t allow credit for courses taken before you graduate high school.
Every high school will have its own policy regarding how dual enrollment classes are handled. At D’s school, they were not listed on the transcript and the grade did not factor into the GPA. The GC did, however, send the transcripts together with the HS transcripts. The dual enrollment courses themselves did count towards HS graduation requirements, but we had to petition that they be accepted and D’s school only counted the classes after we had received confirmation that they would satisfy the UC a-g requirements.
As for whether colleges will count dual enrollment classes towards their graduation or gen ed requirements, that depends on the school. Colleges and universities set their own rules regarding course credit for dual enrollment and AP course credit.
@CTScoutmom The reason why I want it to show as a Sophomore year course because, on my official high school transcript, all my AP’s are maxed out which includes my electives so I wasn’t able to take a science (currently) which angered and scared me for quite some time. However, I just recently found out about dual enrollment through my local university in which I would be able to take a college level Physics course which would deem me the credit (substitute) for AP Physics 1 which literally solved my entire dilemma. So, as for rigor of courseload regarding my HS science background, with the AP Physics 1 credit (Physics course) at my college, I would be at AP Physics 1, AP Bio next year, and then AP Chem Senior year which like said, instantly allowed me to surpass my peers in terms of a competitive science background.
Literally no one will ever care if your school treats you as taking no science as a sophomore and two sciences as a junior vs taking one science each year.
@CTScoutmom I’m most likely going to run all of my questions through my HS GC in order to see what would be plausible like you had mentioned. And in terms of credit and my HS/College transcript. I just have a hard time understanding how this is going to play out in terms of credit and showing colleges I took a college Physics course (substituting for AP Physics 1) even though my schedule/transcript was maxed out. So, it’s like basically I never had this problem and I would receive the credit (for AP Physics 1) and still take all 4 years of science (Bio/Chem/Physics)
That’s exactly what I meant when I said that it won’t matter if it counts as a sophomore course or a junior course.
No AO is going to scrutinize your transcript semester by semester. If your GC rates your overall schedule as “most demanding” the GC will barely skim your transcript other than to look at the GPA and rank. There is not category that is called “super duper demanding” nor do you get brownie points for taking every AP under the sun; it’s not an arms race where the one with the most APs wins.
Your transcript is one part of the application, but just one part.
@allyphoe Here’s the thing though, I won’t be able to take two sciences Junior year due to my other APs and my electives (mainly my electives). That’s why I’m trying to take this dual enrollment Physics class at my local university to substitute that credit for AP Physics 1. Thus, showing very prestigious universities (one of them being my dream college Notre Dame) through my dual enrollment transcript that I had basically taken AP Physics 1 and received credit for both semesters sophomore year, even though it may not show on my HS transcript. That’s basically why I’m doing it in the first, to have taken the most rigorous science AP courses there are (Physics/Bio/Chem, in that order on my transcript).
@skieurope Yeah, I understand. It’s just that for Notre Dame, they’re one of the top 15 universities in the country and very selective. That being said, I have heard from other people who have had experience with this particular issue and they told me that I could be at a disadvantage compared to the other applicants given the selectivity and prestige of Notre Dame. Also, they all told me to take a Physics dual enrollment class (to substitute that credit for AP Physics 1) so that my dilemma would be solved and I would then be at a higher advantage. Just check out my “Am I in the right position to get into Notre Dame?” thread. You guys’ will see what I mean when you read the other peoples’ comments.
Those people said, “have four years of science.” You’ll have four years of science. No one said “be sure your transcript shows you took physics as a sophomore rather than as a junior.”
For example, my kid had a scheduling issue that meant she took bio in 9th, chem and physics in 10th, and another science class in 11th. She has four years of science, even if she takes no science in 12th.
I did, and I still don’t see what you mean.
Bottom line, if you have 4 years worth of science (which does not mean that it has to be 1 course per year), and have bio/chem/physics and an advanced class in one of those disciplines, you are more than covered for every single college in the US. Nobody will care what order you took them in, or what year you took them in, or any other permutation. The only thing that matters is that you took them. If you end up with more than 5 credits of science (assuming it’s not at the expense of another core subject) then that’s fine, but still doesn’t get bonus points.
Everyone is saying pretty much the same thing! “Four years of Science” means four year’s worth of credit. It doesn’t matter when you take them. You could take all 4 science courses the same year, and it would still qualify. They are not talking about taking science all 4 years, they are talking about 4 years of credit (not necessarily 4 classes, as you might take science electives that are only a single semester.
My daughter attends a school that requires 4 science, 4 math, 4 engineering, and 4 STEM (technology or engineering) to graduate. Last year, as a sophomore, she took science, math, engineering, technology, and an extra class that counts as technology. This year she couldn’t fit a technology class into her schedule, but it doesn’t matter, because she’s still on track to meet graduation requirements. Another classmate took no STEM last year, and is taking two this year - again, she will still meet graduation requirements. Even if your school doesn’t list it on your transcript, if you submit the college transcript, you will meet the admission requirements.
@CTScoutmom Haha. Thanks, guys’! Sorry for all of the misinterpretation. I’m now fully aware of the situation. I’ll definitely get this all through my GC and make sure I receive those college/AP credits for a competitive science background since Biochem is my major. Thanks again!
@skieurope That’s directed to you as well.
@allyphoe As well as you allyphoe. Thanks for all the comments and feedback guys! I appreciate it 
If your taking a physics class at a college it may count as a class taken for high school but it will not be called AP Physics 1. It will be called whatever the college calls it (Intro to physics, general physics etc). It is up to your high school as to how they weigh the class towards your gpa.
When it comes to applying for colleges colleges will want a transcript from your high school and from any college you’ve taken classes at even if listed on your high school transcript. They will count your high school and college sciences as to how many science courses you took. One area that I’ve seen mentioned is colleges may want to see math taken senior year no matter how many math credits you have so that is something to ask colleges you plan to apply to if you don’t plan on taking math senior year.
Once you are accepted to a college and pay the deposit they will evaluate your college courses and tell you which classes they will give you credit for and how they are used. At this point they can request a syllabus so it is wise to save the syllabi from college classes.
@CTScoutmom this confused me This will also not be a dual enrollment class - those are classes specifically designed to offer credit both at the college and in your HS, and are usually offered at your school, not on the college campus. My daughter did two years of dual enrollment classes meaning they counted towards high school credits and she received college credits through the college she took them at. Every one of the dual enrollment classes she took were on a college campus with college students. The classes were all in the college catalogue and nothing was designed to be taken by high school students.
@momtogirls2 Yeah! That’s what I’m going to be doing, in terms of actually being on a college campus and taking the courses from the actual college/junior college. Thanks for your input. So, as for whatever class the college calls it such as “Physics 101” or “Algebra-based Physics”, that’s what will be printed out on my dual enrollment transcript when I apply to colleges? Along with my HS transcript?