<p>I was accepted to Yale SCEA, and I am considering dropping my AP Physics C course I'm currently enrolled in. I have the okay from my regional admissions counselor. My question is, if I get a 4 or 5 on the exam, can I simply place out of the first semester of Physics? Or is an additional placement test also required. Two semesters of physics are required for the major I'm considering, if that changes anything.
Thanks!</p>
<p>AP Credits can only be used to meet pre-requisite courses for certain majors or for acceleration credit for the purpose of graduating in fewer than 8 semesters. They cannot be used in lieu of required courses. Placement tests sole purpose is for determining the proper starting course level for certain subjects. See below:</p>
<p>Proper placement is particularly important for courses with quantitative reasoning components and for courses that require knowledge of specific scientific concepts, such as biology, chemistry, economics, mathematics, and physics. A very large percentage of Yale students take at least one course in one of these departments, so we ask all incoming students, regardless of their intended major or what courses they plan to take in freshman year, to complete a math and science survey which is available through a link at the top of this page. Some departments use this information—along with scores from standardized or Yale-administered placement tests—to advise you about which courses to take.</p>
<p>Thank you very much! So that pretty much means that I should drop the AP Physics course, because I’ll just have to take it again in college (if I choose the major I am planning on), right?</p>
<p>It depends on the major. If Physics is a “prerequisite” course it’s possible that you may be able to bypass it with a high AP score but if it’s a “requirement” for the major then you are correct. The best thing is to search the major you are thinking about and see what it says regarding AP courses.</p>
<p>[Subjects</a> of Instruction | Yale College](<a href=“http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/subjects-instruction]Subjects”>http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/subjects-instruction)</p>
<p>The advantage of scoring high on AP exams to satisfy “prerequisites”, as opposed to using them for acceleration credits, is to allow you more freedom to take other courses that may interest you.</p>
<p>One other note, even with a high AP score in Physics C, you typically also need a high score in Calculus AB or BC to receive credit for Intro Physics courses. 
See below:</p>
<p>1 credit for 4 or 5 on either AP Physics C test, with 5 on AP Calculus AB test or 4 or 5 on Calculus BC test. 2 credits for 4 or 5 on both parts of Physics C test with requisite score on Calculus AB or BC test. No credit for AP Physics B test.</p>
<p>No, it doesn’t mean you should drop Physics. You’re almost done with the course, and even if you don’t do well enough on the AP to even place out of it, then at least you have a decent foundation of college-level physics which will probably benefit you when you retake it.</p>