<p>I was wondering what it takes to validate Plebe Chemistry (I know you have to pass their test). My specifically, how does the Plebe Chemistry validation test differ from, say, the AP Chemistry Test? If anyone on here has validated Plebe Chemistry I would really appreciate your help in this area. Also, would it be inappropriate to contact the Chem. Department chair in order to find out some of these differences? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Yes, it would be inappropriate to contact the chair.</p>
<p>I can't tell you how the tests differ (because I did not take AP chem), but regardless, it will be a challenge. The best thing you can do to prepare is to study your chemistry book, review, review your tests, or perhaps, if you really want to, buy an AP chem practice test. If you can score high (5) or so on the chemistry test, you probably have a good chance at validating one semester of chem.</p>
<p>There are tradeoffs of trying to validate:</p>
<p>1) If you validate, you don't have to take the course.
2) If you validate and decline (which you can do), then you will have an extra course, but an easier time getting a higher grade - probably an "A" (QPR boost).
3) Take into account if you want to do early graduate work.</p>
<p>I understood that all plebes had to take chem? But I guess I didn't understand it quite right. So jadler, if you validate chem what can you fill that course spot with? Can you take an elective?</p>
<p>My Mid did not take AP Chem but did do AP Physics - there was, as he said, no comparison between the AP exam and the validation exam. Mine did score a 5 on the AP and said there were things on the validation test he had never seen! He did take honors Chem Took the SATII and scored above a 750 he said the same thing about the Chem validation. </p>
<p>Do your best in AP and hope it works out for validating. Do not try to out guess what you need to study.</p>
<p>The Class of 2011 - parents brief - there was a power point presentation that included the number of validations for the class of 2010. You may be able to find it if you search USNA for Class 2011 Parent brief. </p>
<p>Languages had the most with 1166 validation
Math Calculus (145) With talking to the Math chair at PPW 2010 during the department display time he told us that out of the 145, 82 validated 2 semesters.
Chemistry was next with 145 (just remember there will be those sitting for the validation who came from one year of college with a chem course.</p>
<p>Followed by English at 81, Gov't at 22, Physics at 21, Economics at 9 and Biology at 2.</p>
<p>With validating 2 semester of Calc, English, and a History Class his plebe year classes were 1st Sem: CalcIII, English 2, Chem1 Gov't and Leadership and semanship.
Semester 2 was Differential Equations, History2 (History of Western Civ.), Naval History, Chem 2, and Navigation.</p>
<p>No electives there, all required courses. You just back fill with the next required course. Also if you are placed in a required course for youngster, your section will be denoted as a Plebe only section. And if you validate a good many classes you will have a different advisor from the rest of your company mates.</p>
<p>Typically, it is hard for a plebe to validate Chemistry with only a high school background, regardless of how difficult the h.s. is and regardless of AP score, etc. Remember that USNA is a technical college. Very few h.s. courses will be advanced enough to get through an entire semester of college-level work, let alone an entire year. I would guess (and it's only a guess) that most of those who validate chem have come from college or a post h.s. college prep environment (NAPS, Foundation or other). For some reason, people are more successful at validating calculus out of h.s. </p>
<p>In terms of whether to accept your validation, I would consider how well YOU thought you did on the test and whether you validated "out" of a course (IOW, you validated all of the required levels) or just validated some of it. For example, did you validate one semester of chem or both? If you didn't validate out, you will be placed in the next level of the course (i.e., Chem II). If you didn't feel confident taking the validation test even if you passed, you may not feel so great in that advanced course. Something to think about. There is no universal right answer, BTW.</p>
<p>Is there a big problem with not validating? I won't validate chem since I took it last year and it wasn't even AP. I am taking AP Calc this year and getting an A, but I don't know if I could validate. Do most students validate something?</p>
<p>Some of these earlier posts from May-July 2007 may be of interest here.</p>
<p>Good luck to all. Hope to see you on 2 July.</p>
<p>Interesting statistic from a couple of years ago:
Only 12 plebes validated both semesters of Chemistry.</p>
<p>[Told to us directly by the department director, who was seeking those Plebes out during PPW.]</p>
<p>There are some short and long term benefits to validation. On the other hand, you will, depending upon what and how much you validate, have a very different academic schedule from your peers.</p>
<p>It's not real easy validating but it's not brain surgery either. mine validated both chem and calc ... did poorly on the calc AP exam, and only took chem in 11th grade... NOT AP chem. I'd not throw in the towel, but as 85 counseled you wisely, don't try to psych it out. Either you'll know it or not. Do your best, and that's what you know you can do.</p>
<p>Anytime you can get chemistry off of your schedule, it's a good thing to do. Jadler brought up the point about leaving it on there if you validated to increase your QPR. I personally would not go through all of that trouble. Getting any core or required course off of your schedule equals more room in your matrix to study what YOU want, not what USNA wants you to study. If you're a history major, a cool history seminar youngster year in lieu of chemistry/physics would definitely appeal to most.</p>
<p>My advice... if you validate, accept the validation and move on. It always leaves room for you to play with in your upperclass years once you get the core material out of the way.</p>
<p>Don't worry if you don't validate anything. USNA does not assume that you will or won't when you walk in. I had good SAT's, but no APs thus doing rather poorly on the validation tests. I managed to validate 1 semester of Spanish after taking it for 5 years. Now I'm taking Russian. It's all about finding out what you want to study. </p>
<p>Bottom line, if you're like me and get D's in chemistry both semesters, you're going to tell everyone to get rid of the class if you can because I haven't done anything harder and I got an A in physics 1, so chemistry is just some people's bugaboo even if you're good at math.</p>
<p>'85 brings up a good point in post #5, though. I validated a semester of chemistry and was placed in "Modern Chem" which is basically an accelerated form of Chem 2. But I hadn't taken chem since junior year of High School, so a lot of the stuff we covered required knowledge and understanding of things that I had forgotten. I am still convinced that I barely validated the first course based on educated guessing...point is, that class I was placed in was quite possibly the hardest and most frustrating class (well, second most) I have ever taken. Right now I'm ahead of my matrix so I'm starting to see the advantages of validating...but taking that class was definitely not fun. So like '85 said, consider how you did on the test before accepting the validation; I'm glad I did, now, but my QPR didn't like it much that first semester...</p>
<p>Do all plebes take validation tests, or do you have to request to take them?</p>
<p>validation tests are taken in the first 2 weeks of plebe summer, before the plebes are too physically exhausted. they are available to all. some go into the test as if they were taking it and write letters home rather than actually taking the tests.</p>
<p>What is the name of the Plebe Chem. textbook? If I can find a cheap copy on half.com or amazon I might order it and see how it differs from our AP Chem test. Thanks for all of the help with the validations. It seems like they are the way to go (even if it means lower grades or harder classes). All hard work eventually pays off in the long run (upperclass years).</p>
<p>Does anyone know if, in order to have an honors major (like Honors History), you have to have more electives in this major than one typically would? I'd assume that if you want to go down such a path it would be wise to validate as many classes as possible.(?)</p>
<p>you can check the requirements for each major on the department website.</p>
<p>Validate chem if you can that way you can get ahead on your matrix. A kid in my company validated a bunch of stuff and is already in Physics and he'll be taking a lot of his classes next year for the other years and probably doing VGEP. I only validated German and missed all of the other ones by one or 2 points. I wish i had taken it a little more serously to get out of it, because I'm trying to major in Chem and double minor in Russian and German. I did take a year of college chem and there was stuff on that that I had never seen and come to think of it, I don't think we learned last year.
I've never heard of an honor's major either.. Dunno.</p>
<p>Does USNA allow you to drop classes within a week like other colleges? I'm just curious if you validate a course and quickly realize that you are in over your head in the advanced class, can you then choose to go to the lower course?</p>
<p>Yes there are some majors that have an honors track - Math is one of them.</p>
<p>You should take a bit of time and investigate the Academics page on the USNA web page. There is a lot of info there:</p>
<p>Academic</a> Dean & Provost - United States Naval Academy </p>
<p>USNA</a> Divisions & Departments</p>
<p>The Academic Calendar will answer your drop add question. Drop Deadline is in April - now whether it is easy or looked upon favorably is another question.
<a href="https://webevent.usna.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?userid=guest&calID=2786&cmd=cal2week%5B/url%5D">https://webevent.usna.edu/webevent/scripts/webevent.plx?userid=guest&calID=2786&cmd=cal2week</a></p>
<p>So what is the textbook name? I am reasking because my post went by the wayside and I really would like to know.</p>