I’m a future buckeye starting this fall. I am also an honors student (engineering major), which means I will attend orientation in June, well before AP scores are released (including my AP calculus BC and AP Spanish scores).
From what I gathered on the OSU website, I’m going to have to take the math placement test despite my AP testing because scores won’t be available in time. However, the placement tests alone won’t let me place out of any calculus courses, only past precalculus.
My question is will I, after scores are available after orientation, be able to use AP calculus to sign up for more advanced math courses?
2nd, probably less relevant question: if the OSU foreign language placement test doesn’t place me out of as many Spanish courses as the AP Spanish exam, and I signed up for a lower level Spanish course at orientation, can I use the AP scores as an override and get placement into the higher level course?
Any info from buckeyes who have gone through anything similar to this would be greatly appreciated!
If you have credit for Math 1151 based on your AP score, and you get credit for the class, you aren’t going to be able to take Math 1151 unless you get permission from the department I believe. I had credit for this class from a college course, was told at orientation I had to take the next math class, felt extremely unprepared for it, and petitioned for a retake of Math 1151 despite having credit. I assume AP works the same way, but I’m just speaking from my experience. I’m guessing the placement test is there so if you didn’t get a sufficient score on the AP test, they can get a gauge of where you are math-wise and place you in the correct class.
Regarding Spanish placement test, I know two people who had 5+ years of Spanish, gotten a 4 on the AP test, took the placement test for Spanish, and didn’t test out of Spanish 3. Both took Spanish 3 and got an easy A, and spoke/wrote Spanish at a much higher level than the people in that class. I took Spanish 3 last semester as an upperclassmen, and most of my classmates were freshmen with WAY more Spanish knowledge than I had who also placed into this class with the placement test. Out of ~10 students in my class who tried to test out after being placed in the class, 2 passed. If you’re going into FEH, honestly, I’d not complain if you get placed into any Spanish class; it’s an easy A.
AP does not work the same way. As a matter of fact they encouraged those who got credit for Calculus on AP to retake Math 1151. At orientation they showed charts of average grades in 1151 and the next level 1172 (I think) for those who passed AP.
You will probably sign up for 1151 at orientation and if you pass AP and want to change I think you contact your advisor to change to more advanced.