<p>Through my AP scores, I have 30 credits at McGill. This would effectively make me a U1 rather than a U0 student. Because I'm unsure of my major, I want to avoid skipping the U0 year. Is it absolutely mandatory that I send my AP scores to Mcgill, and if so, would I be forced to become a U1 student?</p>
<p>Unfortunately McGill does require that you send all AP scores, and unfortunately you will have to be U1 with that. I am in the same boat - 30 AP credits, and bumped to U1. I asked if I could still start U0, but they told me I could not. </p>
<p>That said, you could not send them any scores and claim that you didn’t take the exams, just the classes, but that would be a very risky thing to do.</p>
<p>Witholding AP marks that Mcgill knows you have taken is grounds for rescindment. And if Mcgill doesn’t know you’ve taken the AP exams, it doesn’t matter anyway because they won’t be counted regardless of whether you sent them in or not.</p>
<p>If you declared AP exams on your self-reported grades, you MUST report them</p>
<p>And if you meet the requirements for finishing the freshman program, Mcgill says you MUST become a U1.</p>
<p>It’s a little strange. My situation is quite the opposite from yours. You’re fighting to get from U1 to U0, I’m fighting to get from U0 to U1</p>
<p>Would there be a problem if I decided to cancel an AP score?</p>
<p>Since I applied from a U.S. high school, I never had to declare any AP tests. How could McGill ever find out that I decided to withhold scores?</p>
<p>Wouldn’t you want to save the money? Anyway, most students actually start in U1, so you wouldn’t be alone in a class of strangers who know each other.</p>
<p>I don’t know where you guys are getting your information.</p>
<p>1) I’ve never heard of anyone getting their admissions rescinded from McGill (let alone any university) for “with-holding” their AP exams. McGill would <em>never</em> know you took the exam, unless you sent the school. </p>
<p>2) Not sending your scores, and staying U0 in status has some great benefits, with only one obvious drawback: time and money. </p>
<p>The benefits are that you can use your freshman year to get acquainted with the McGill system. This includes the messy bureaucracy, and the potentially mediocre instruction. Coming from the science/engineering U0: the 100+ person lecture hall experience, mixed with the the professor who can’t possibly care about every single one of you, is push for you to start becoming auto-didactic. </p>
<p>Cynicism aside – though, I truly believe what I’ve written – at least in the Sciences, McGill truly attempts to stay consistent. The stuff you see in U0 is great preparation for the stuff you’ll see in U1, and the teachers will expect you to know it. So if you’re like some of my french bacc buddies who went into (Chem. Eng.) Thermodynamics while simultaneously doing Chem 120 (and getting the basics of thermodynamics) you might find yourself playing catchup, or just plainly not understanding. I think that being diligent in my U0 studies set up a great foundation for the rest of my education (especially the math courses). </p>
<p>That being said, the U0 courses aren’t great, and they seldom give you small class sizes (even the tutorials are 40+ people in size). Their content is what’s important, not the instruction. The best part is, more often than not, the book (and solution manual, if available) are clear enough to follow, should you get lost (you just need to be honest in your effort to follow it). </p>
<p>3) @Blobof: I’m not sure where you’re getting your numbers. If you’re an out-of-province Canadian, an American, or anyone else in res, there’s a good chance you’re starting in U0. The majority of the people I knew starting in U1 courses were the Quebecois kids, coming from CEGEP, and seeing as most were from Marianopolis, or Dawson, they all sort of knew each other and had cliques already setup. </p>
<p>U0 is the time to sit in a class room, maybe goof off a bit, and take solace in the fact that you, like everyone else, know few people. So, you can start fresh and make friends.</p>
<p>The U1 thing is so annoying, McGill has NO RIGHT to bump any student up against his or her will, it doesn’t even make sense because it’s just contributing to McGill becoming even more bankrupt than they already are.</p>
<p>Having said that, this is what I did, and what a lot of my friends did (this applies to ARTS, I’m really not sure about other faculties, could be the same, could be different): </p>
<p>Keep your AP credits, declare any major you think you may be interested in (you can change this as much as you want, its literally as easy as one click), take four classes a semester, and do four years anyway. It’s really the best of both worlds-- I still kind of did a “freshman program” anyway and took lots of different classes from different disciplines BUT didn’t have to follow the requirements of McGill’s actual freshman program, I still got out of a lot of prereqs due to my APs, and ultimately I had CHOICE-- if I had decided after my first year that I didn’t want to do four years and would rather do the three years, I could simply make up for it by taking some summer courses and do three years anyway. You have no choice if you don’t send your APs in. </p>
<p>McGill CANNOT kick you out after three years if you haven’t finished your major/minor requirements. That is a fact. If you go over the 120 credit limit, you simply get classes “flagged” which means that they won’t count for your GPA, but if you stick to four classes a semester you shouldn’t go over. </p>
<p>I was really upset when I found out I was U1 in my 1st year for similar reasons as you, but now, going into my fourth year, I couldn’t be happier. Everything works out for the best. Feel free to message me if you have questions.</p>
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<p>2/3 of the admissions are from in-province (McGill’s system of admission essientially works that way), and they don’t all come from Marianopolis and Dawson. Though some of those who do come from those two local institutions may have their own cliques already, it’s simply a case of visibility bias (those who come from different CEGEPS and don’t have cliques don’t gather in large groups and are thus less visible than a gathering of cackling private school snotty kids).</p>
<p>I’m a US applicant and according the McGill site, I have 22 credits from my AP’s. I just found out from th is thread that they won’t let me not use my AP credits. This stinks because I’m going to take a gap year and I want to retake all or most of my AP classes in college. But I only have 22 credits, not 30, will I still be allowed to start as U0?</p>
<p>Edit: I just saw at the bottom “« = A maximum of 8 credits is awarded for Physics courses.” and would’ve had 16 credits from physics courses. So now I’m down to 14 credits, so I would be U0, right?</p>
<p>You’d have to check with the McGill admission’s people.</p>
<p>24 credits and you become a U1. I have 21! the admissions lady told me that i would become a U1 for second semester but i assume i would stay in my residence right</p>
<p>I have the same issue – I have 21 AP credits and would like to avoid becoming a U1. I really wanted to take a few AP tests this year, but am concerned about doing so now. Plus, at least one of my AP tests that I have already reported to McGill (listed it on my app) is in a subject that is one of the required courses in my major, and I would really like to take it at McGill. Am I correct that I can only take it for no credit?</p>
<p>Recently attended a McGill admitted students session where this subject was discussed. We were told that you MUST take the credit and the exemption for any AP for which you scored a 4 or a 5 and that you are required to report all of your scores. McGill has no way of confirming whether or not you have reported all of your scores, but if for some reaon they find out you did not, you could risk some disciplinary action (what type of disciplinary action was not discussed). You do have the option to not take the AP exam even if you are taking an AP course, in which case you will not be required to take the McGill exemption. We were also told that you may register for a class at McGill even if you have the AP credit; however, this will not be considered ‘auditing’ the class. You will have to do all of the work in the class, take the exams, etc. and you will receive a grade for the class that will appear on your transcript. However, this grade will not be figured into your GPA and you will not receive credit for the class.
Hope this information is of some help!</p>
<p>A couple of questions from a US applicant:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Can anyone explain why McGill is doing this? Why is it a terrible thing if you took AP exam but still wanting to take the same level class again? Sometimes you had a bad teacher in high school and you feel like you have not solidly learnt the material.</p></li>
<li><p>Why does it matter whether you are U0 or U1? What is the difference besides being in different designation? Don’t you just take whatever courses that come next for you major? Does being U1 require that you graduate within 3 years, while being U0, you can take 4 more years.? Sorry, I am confused, there is something like graduation requirement or some other stuffs that I am missing.</p></li>
<li><p>Does McGill make you graduate in the middle of the year when you have enough credit? If not, why do they make you turn into U1 on the second semester of the first year?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Question from US applicants. </p>
<p>I applied to chemical engineering, however, according to this link ( [Advanced</a> Placement Examinations](<a href=“Advanced Placement Examinations | Transfer Credit & Advanced Standing - McGill University”>Advanced Placement Examinations | Transfer Credit & Advanced Standing - McGill University) ) and the credit requirements for ChemEng ( [Chemical</a> Engineering (111 credits) | Programs, Courses and University Regulations - McGill University](<a href=“Engineering Undergraduate Programs | 2010–2011 Programs, Courses and University Regulations - McGill University”>Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) - Chemical Engineering | 2010–2011 Programs, Courses and University Regulations - McGill University) ), I need to have taken AP Physics C and AP Calculus BC… However, i am currently taking AP Physics B and AP Calculus AB. Will i get bumped into U1 ?</p>
<p>No you will not be, you need I believe at least 30 credits to be bumped to U1 unless you have other AP credits. If you look at the table, you will have 11 credits (AP Calc AB -> 3 and AP Physics B -> 8). That is if you get 4 or above on your AP tests.</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>Yes i have other credits that I did not mention.
AP Chemistry, taking this year.
AP Language (4)
AP Micro (5)
AP Macro (5)</p>
<p>DO i risk anything?</p>
<p>I don’t get it why there are so much worries about being a U1. Isn’t that a great thing to graduate in 3 years which saves parents money and you could make a living yourself ?</p>
<p>I don’t know, maybe current students or someone that knows for sure can chime in. My question is do you want to be bumped to U1 or not? And why does it matter whether you are bumped or not bumped if you know you want to do Chemical Engineering?</p>
<p>Isn’t it good that you get all these credits and possibly get to graduate early if you want to? The only thing that I see is if you are premed and you want to take these easy classes again to get better GPA.</p>