<p>omg...... the WCAS website says starting this year, they'll only accept up to 2 AP credits. So what happens to all the AP classes I've taken? Do I have to retake those classes all over again!? This is so horrible.</p>
<p>Not necessarily...I know all of my AP courses have been really interesting and I wouldn't mind taking similar courses again frosh year. That would refreshen the info in my head and I could ease myself into the college curriculum. I want to study psych but I don't remember all the details from my AP Psych course sophomore year.</p>
<p>Dude, I spent hundreds of dollars taking AP exams last year. I want them to count as something... ahhhh.</p>
<p>uhhh,</p>
<p>Does NU say you can use the APs to place out basic classess even without receiving any credit?? If yes, that means you can start with more advanced courses instead of repeating the basic ones. I suspect they do this to prevent people coming in with sophomore standing in terms of credits even they haven't taken any class at NU. I don't think they want to make people retake similar materials (albeit being taught by different teachers) however.</p>
<p>Oh my school pays for our APs....</p>
<p>Yeah a lot of schools let you test out of basic classes but make you take others in their place and won't let you put a lot towards your major. It would make sense if the did that.</p>
<p>starting fall 2006, you can only use two APs (it's six right now) to satisfy your distribution credits. I don't have much of an incentive to study for AP right now. :(</p>
<p>Is this only for WCAS?</p>
<p>I am pretty sure you can still get credit for the other ones, you just can't put them towards distros. For example, I have stats credit for my 5 on AP Stats but that doesn't fulfill any distros for me. </p>
<p>And FYI Sam Lee, "standing" is now based on quarters completed, so APs will have no bearing on registration.</p>
<p>This is for WCAS and any school that uses the WCAS method (such as McCormick)</p>
<p>wait so if ive taken like 9 classes (including those ill take in the next two weeks) i can only use 2 of them for credit???
where does it say that????
im WCAS btw</p>
<p>You can still use the AP credit to start out in higher level classes; nobody has an interest in forcing you to re-take basic US history etc. </p>
<p>It is very much in a university's interest to make sure that the vast preponderance of university credit is obtained under its own aegis. But with the proliferation of long study abroad programs, universities are facing the prospect of a student with a lot of AP credit and in one of these programs basically spending 2 years in residence. That raises a real question about what it means to have a degree from that university.</p>
<p>Northwestern's policy on this either is or soon will be standard at elite universities, for reasons like this. The school and all its other alumni have a collective interest in making sure that you go through a full experience there. This is part of what creates a school's reputation, and Northwestern apparently believes it has one worth preserving. Recent graduates doubtless feel the same way.</p>
<p>Starting out in higher level courses is at some level a basic point of AP, so theses courses and credits are far from "wasted" under NU's policy.</p>
<p>and whats a 'distro'?</p>
<p>Distro = distribution requirement; WCAS students have to take a few classes in a few different general areas to meet the requirement. The idea is to ensure a certain degree of breadth in one's education.</p>
<p>wait, so im not sure if i understand</p>
<p>my scores are: </p>
<p>stat (4), bc calc (5 with AB subscore of 5), us history (5), physics (5), spanish (3 which wont do anything).
im taking euro, us govt, chemistry, micro and macroecon these next two weeks.</p>
<p>so if i understand correctly, i could use my credit in something like physics and bc calc to not take those 2 distro classes and thats it? my other scores dont do anything if i use my 2 exemptions with like physics and bc calc?</p>
<p>this site is the one im using: <a href="http://www.wcas.northwestern.edu/advising/ap-sept06.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.wcas.northwestern.edu/advising/ap-sept06.html</a></p>
<p>on that page, whats the diff between 'course credit authorized' and 'distro credit authorized'?</p>
<p>o i get it, so i can use my 2 credit thing to just get credit for something like bc calc and physics and not have to take the class. but with the other ones, id be placed in a higher placement class with my scores.</p>
<p>HA there is no way i am studying for my APs now :)</p>
<p>Flora, you said this applied to any school that uses the WCAS method.</p>
<p>Does that include Medill? Do they have a different policy? I can't seem to be able to find anything on its site.</p>
<p>Medill has their own distro requirements that vary slightly. There are Literature, History, Math/Science, Poli Sci, Econ, Religion/Phil, and Art. APs can be used to get out of these; I am not sure if the new "2" rule applies to them though. </p>
<p>I got this all from the handbook: <a href="http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/medill/about/finalhandbook0506.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/medill/about/finalhandbook0506.pdf</a></p>
<p>does the school of communication use the wcas method?</p>