List of Medical Schools that take AP Credits???

Parents Forum
1

<p>hi, I would be a freshman at USF(University of South Florida) this fall of 2010, and hopefully in 4 years attend medical school. In high school I took AP calculus, and passed the AP exam with a score of 3. Honestly, this is the only subject I have ever had a hard time with. Luckily, I passed it and I thought I would not have to deal with it again. My major(Biomedical Sciences), requires me to take calculus1(which i got the ap credit for), and then take either calculus2 or statistics. My plan was to take statistics, however I found out that most medical schools do not take ap credits unless the score is a 5. The last time i took calculus was 2 years ago, this means I would have to take pre-calc, then calculus, and then finally move on to statistics. My questions are: Should I go and re-take this classes, have to pay for them and risk my gpa?.....Should i just move on to statistics and in the future look for a med-school that takes ap scores of 3?....taking pre calc,calculus again vs. better med-school?...should i settle?...is it worth it? </p>

<ul>
<li>Could anyone provide me with a list of med schools that take ap-credits of 3?...or just scores of 5?...or the ones that do not accept any ap credits?...any list that might provide me with a better insight. </li>
</ul>

<p>*Thank you in advance, for all the responses, suggestions, or advice. :)</p>

2

<p>I encourage you to look at the coursework that’s expected for a premed student, and the math prerequisites for the coursework. When you do that you’ll find that there is a relatively long list of science courses that you’ll need to take. The more advanced courses in biology and chemistry are extremely difficult to handle without a solid foundation in math. The theoretical basis of these courses almost always depends on some level of calculus – and often at calculus that is significantly deeper than AP high school calculus.</p>

<p>So trying to place out of calculus (especially since your “3” and admitted difficulty with the subject) in college is a mistake for you. Medical schools are very competitive, and you’ll need to be successful in your undergraduate science courses.</p>

3

<p>My son got a 5, as did his friends, but they all took calculus in college, even if they could have opted out. Going back to pre-calc and then calculus is not a bad idea at all, if you want a solid foundation. The previous poster is right in saying college math is deeper than high school math. Bypassing these courses will affect your ability to take other classes, including sciences, and make your whole college career more of a struggle.</p>

<p>My only suggestion would be to perhaps review precalculus this summer, somehow, by yourself (get a book), with a tutor, or through a community college or online class (check out Aventa Learning, which is high school level, or community college online classes).</p>

<p>Then you could start with the calculus this fall.</p>

<p>Someone can correct me, but it seems as if medical and other grad schools wouldn’t “take” or “not take” AP classes. In fact, many undergrad colleges don’t take them. Some will give credit retroactively after a student passes the more advanced class, since doing well on the course that follows calculus in the curriculum would prove that the calculus content had been adequately covered. </p>

<p>Without a 5, or possibly a 4, I don’t think most good colleges would let you bypass calculus anyway.</p>

<p>You’ll learn more this way and feel more comfortable as you move on, so good luck!</p>

4

<p>I’d suggest that you take the math placement exam at USF (they probably offer one for incoming freshmen) and start where that suggests, even if it involves some back-tracking. I teach at a large public university, which keeps data on the performance of students who accept the results of the math placement exams, vs. those who don’t. Our students are definitely better off to start with the course recommended on the basis of the placement exam. As mentioned, you will need the math for other courses. Freshman chem is not calc-based usually, but if it’s been 2 years since you took any math, you may be a bit rusty on the math it does involve. Similarly, you can take non-calc-based physics for med school, but it is still math-intensive, and it uses different parts of pre-calc than freshman chemistry does: a lot of trig in physics, exponentials and logarithms in chem.</p>

5

<p>I am assuming you got the 3 on Calc AB, not BC, which means you have a rather shaky grasp of the first semester of College Calc. only. Plus you took it 2 years ago, and admit you would have to retake the Pre-calc before taking any calc. </p>

<p>Take the math courses. I can’t imagine your college letting you go on to Calc 2 with only a 3 in Calc 1. That in itself would be difficult. </p>

<p>And how can you do well in your major without a firm foundation in Calculus? You talk about risking your GPA…it would be riskier to attempt the advanced courses in bio & chem without knowing the math well.</p>

<p>AND you should also have Statistics, of course. :)</p>

<p>As another poster said, Med school apps are extremely competitive, and you will be in a better position 4 years from now. Never mind “better” med schools–most people are lucky/happy to get into ANY med school!</p>

6

<p>I don’t think you’ll have to backtrack to pre-calc. I took the Calculus exam and got a 2, then waited till my junior year in college (and I took a gap year as well) before I took Calculus again having forgotten everything I might have ever known. I found it amazingly easy the second time through. In fact I got asked if I would like to correct calc homework for a job the next year.</p>

7

<p>You cannot imagine how math intensive some of the upper level bio and chemistry courses are going to be. If you are envisioning yourself in a lab happily putting things in test tubes than you have a very narrow view of what a medical education entails.</p>

<p>Take as much math as you can and do well in it. You will be increasingly frustrated by how difficult some of the pre-med classes are if you don’t have a solid foundation in all aspects of math. If you struggled in Calc because of the concepts than take the college’s math placement test and see if you can go right into first year college calc. But if your algebra foundation is shaky then taking pre-calc (even if you self-study) is the way to go.</p>

<p>I had to take a remedial math class before I started graduate school (which basically began with third grade arithmetic and moved forward all the way through first year college calc) and although it was a major pain and expensive it has paid off throughout my career. Math is required for so many fields these days… and even if you don’t end up going to med school you will be grateful to have a solid foundation.</p>

8

<p>While the med school may give you the AP credit, most will want you to take the higher level course to show that you have indeed mastered the previous course (AP credit course). I would retake Calc 1 and go from there.</p>

<p>Med school is extremely competitive and I would agree that some students are just HAPPY to get accepted to any U.S. med school. Heck, some are thrilled just to get an interview at a school.</p>

9

<p>Most US medical schools do NOT accept AP exam credits for any coursework regardless of your score on the exam. (This includes chem, bio and English as well as math.)</p>

<p>The only absolutely sure way to know if the particular medical school you’re interested in attending will accept your AP credit is to contact the director of admissions and ask. (Keep a copy of your correspondence. Policies can and do change. You’re 3-4 years away from applying. Only the policies in place at the time of your application apply.)</p>

<p>Typically, you may be allowed to use AP exam credit for Calc 1 IF you take Calc 2. You probably won’t be allowed Calc AP exam credit if you take statistics. Generally speaking, admissions will allow you to substitute a higher level course for a lower level one. (But then again, ask as policies vary tremendously among schools.)</p>

<p>And you do need to check on entrance requirements—more and more schools are now requiring 2 semesters of calculus from applicants. In fact, the national committee on medical admissions will be meeting next year to revise entry policies for medical schools. Among their recommendations: 2 semesters of calc and stats for med school entry.</p>

<p>BTW, this topic is frequently discussed in the Pre-Med forum.</p>

10

<p>Most Med. School accept AP credits for Math and English. Strongly advise to contact Adcoms of all Med. Schools on your list (or potential list) with any questions in regard to their specific requirements. They are very willing to help and are very qucick with responses. Requirements vary from school to school.</p>

11

<p>Best to check each individual school’s website, what each wants can vary from Harvard’s HST program which wants math through def eq to other schools not requiring calculus at all. Columbia, NYU, ECU, texas schools, Northwestern, UC schools, Dartmouth, all vary in what they will and will not accept. Vanderbilt accepts no APs whereas other schools will take all APs as long as your undergrad school has given you credit on your official transcript which is sent to AMCAS for verification.</p>

<p>The problem lies in that some undergraduate schools accept little to no AP credit to begin with. But that is a different question!</p>

<p>Requirements for Admission</p>

<p>Harvard Medical School
Mathematics: one year of calculus. Advanced placement credits may satisfy this requirement (Calculus AB = 1 semester, Calculus BC = 2 semesters).
Some flexibility can be applied to meet this requirement as long as the courses are relevant to biology and medicine. For example, a semester course in calculus that covers derivatives and integration plus a semester course in statistics (preferably biostatistics) or a calculus-based physics course plus another science course that includes biostatistics. Preferably, students will have some combination that equals a unified two-semester course that covers important, biologically relevant concepts in calculus and statistics. As of the class entering in 2016, one semester of statistics will be required.
Other innovative approaches (including interdisciplinary courses taught together with biology and biologically relevant physical sciences) that meet the stipulations outlined above will be considered.</p>

<p>University of Penn
Physics and Mathematics
Mathematics is the common language of all quantitative science. Physics provides the conceptual framework for quantitative biology and biomedical sciences. Students should have a firm foundation in mathematics and physical science on which the medical science taught in medical school can be based.
Students should have facility with algebra and be able to develop equations from known physical and geometrical relationships. They should also be able to construct and interpret graphic representations of data and functions.
Students should be familiar with the constants or units of physical measurement.
Students should be familiar with basic Newtonian mechanics and the physical properties of the various matter states that are of biological relevance.
Students should have basic knowledge of the principles of electricity and magnetism, particularly circuit diagrams and wave motion.
Students should have firm grounding in basic statistics and probability—particularly in the testing of hypotheses.
Basic computer literacy is also strongly recommended because of the importance of computer science in many areas of medicine. </p>

<p>Johns Hopkins
MATHEMATICS: Calculus or Statistics - one year. Advanced Placement credit for calculus/statistics, acceptable to the student’s undergraduate college may be used in fulfillment of the math requirement.</p>

<p>Duke
One semester of calculus plus one semester of an additional college-level math, statistics or biostatistics are strongly recommended</p>

<p>Yale (no math mentioned)
The minimum requirements for admission to the first-year class are:
Attendance for three academic years, or the equivalent, at an accredited college of arts and sciences or institute of technology.
Satisfactory completion of the following courses including laboratory work:
General Biology or Zoology
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
General Physics
(Acceptable courses in these subjects usually extend over one year and are given six to eight semester hours credit.) These courses should be completed in a U.S. or Canadian college or university. Advanced courses may be substituted for introductory-level courses in each of these subjects.
The Admissions Committee has no preference as to a major field for undergraduate study and leaves this decision to students with the advice that they advance beyond the elementary level in the field of their choice rather than pursue an undirected program. A liberal education is the supporting structure for graduate study, and must encompass understanding of the humanities, arts, and society as well as the scientific foundations of technology and civilization. The student of medicine enters a profession closely allied to the natural sciences and must be prepared to cope with chemistry and biology at a graduate level. Students entering college with a strong background in the sciences, as demonstrated by advanced placement, are encouraged to substitute advanced science courses for the traditional requirements listed above.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

12

<p>UIC’s COM has no issue with accepting liberal arts/math AP credits. The true issue is with the sciences. If you AP out, you have to take a 200 level course in that subject matter.</p>

<p>This is really such a school dependent issue.</p>

13

<p>^^^</p>

<p>True…</p>

<p>My son was told that since he had AP credits, that he should make sure to take the next levels so that med schools will know that he has taken “college” classes - not just AP classes.</p>

14

<p>Yes, if you take the AP credit for a class – med schools want to see you to take the next level class. This proves to them that you mastered the class you took the AP credit in. </p>

<p>I wouldn’t take AP credit for the sciences and make sure you take the lab component for all the science classes.</p>

15

<p>I graduated with an MD from Drexel University College of Medicine in 2001. When I was applying to medical schools in 1996 the only medical school I recall having any requirement for college level math courses was the Harvard joint program with MIT. I had an undergraduate degree in Astronomy so was fairly proficient in Calculus but was never required to use it in medical school, residency or in private practice. Most of my medical school classmates’ math educations ended with Algebra II in high school and I knew of only one other student who was proficient in Calculus. Even in my Nuclear Medicine Residency Program which you would think would be math intensive the MD who was the head of the department told me he had no knowledge of Calculus and that was true of other faculty members and residents as well. All but the simplest calculations were handled by the Medical Physicist. Doctors use math dozens of times a day but it is very elementary level math such as computing ratios or solving very simple algebraic equations.</p>

16

<p>My friends’ experiences have been that it’s just better to repeat science and math courses in college since they’re really a different ballgame from AP. I tried to take a higher calc class despite being a bit shaky with first semester calc and got Ds and then eventually dropped out after 3 weeks. The professor and I agreed that it was the best decision ever (especially that I replaced that course with a Russian Lit class that I came to love!).</p>

<p>Also you’ll see that colleges have their own curriculum for how they want to teach math/science and it’s just better to start your “training” with them than to come in with methods that your HS teacher taught you.</p>

17

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<p>Wow. I know nothing about this, but this is completely contrary to the impression I get reading this website. Not because I think the math is required or anything, but because the impression I get is that most med students (and I emphasize the word “most”) were top science students in both college and high school, and that most top high school students would at least have trigonometry and pre-calc. </p>

<p>I went to school with gobs of pre-meds at UCSD a long, long time ago and I can’t remember what sort of math they took.</p>

<p>I knew from reading a couple of your other posts that your personal path to academic success and med school was a little more circuitous than most, but I didn’t know this lack of mathematics was typical of most med students. That really bucks conventional wisdom, at least here on CC. But I guess CC isn’t conventional.</p>

18

<p>^I suspect the situation is somewhat the same as architecture school. We were required to take physics and calculus, but there were no courses that actually required us to use it - not even the four semesters of structures classes. </p>

<p>I was actually pretty good at math (and good at structures when I bothered to study - not as often as I should have as all our courses were P/F), but I was always surprised at how math phobic my fellow students were.</p>

<p>That said, my college physics class (which I gathered was a pre-req) for med school, had a pre-requisite of calculus. So at least from my college all the pre-meds took calculus (or had it in high school.)</p>

19

<p>I suspect your travels to med schools back in 1996 (that’s 14 years ago) are quite different from what is happening today.

My nephew recently graduated from a top LAC with a double major in Math and Chemistry (Honors in Math, 3.77 gpa), he just “aced” the MCATs, and yet he’s “sweating” about med school applications right now. He’d say most medical schools “look down upon” the notion that you’d use a HS course to skip an important foundation course in college.</p>

20

<p>"My son was told that since he had AP credits, that he should make sure to take the next levels so that med schools will know that he has taken “college” classes - not just AP classes. "</p>

<ul>
<li>it depends on school and class. At D’s school it is NOT a good idea at all to skip the first Bio class, despite of “5” on AP. D. said she would have the hardest time in other Bio classes if she skipped the first one, which was weed out killer taught by 3 profs simulteniously in classroom and was much more challenging with lots more material than AP Bio.</li>
</ul>