<p>I am currently taking AP Biology and AP Calculus, and so I have the option of taking the AP exams in May. However, I will be attending Cornell this Fall (I will be studying biology at CALS) and I am ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY SURE that I will take introductory biology and a semester of calculus at the university so that I'm well prepared for advanced coursework and medical school admissions. So, I'm considering not taking the AP exams. I just want to make sure that I won't be making a mistake by not taking the exams. Does anybody have any opinions on this?</p>
<p>I don't see any reason to spend the extra money.</p>
<p>i am so glad i used my biology ap credit and my calc credit.. im not premed though (going for a PhD program) but since you are absolutely sure that you are going to take intro bio and calculus then i see no point in taking the exams. However, if you take the first semester of bio and then decide that you'd rather jump off the gorge than take the second semester, you will have something to fall back on (assuming you get a 5 on the exam)</p>
<p>trv2008- i'm in a similar situation but i plan on taking the exams (same ones as you) anyway as they are free for me (although i agree--it would be kind of pointless)</p>
<p>Taking AP calculus would give you options though. I thought that...depending on whether its AB or BC, and what score you get, you can place out of the simpler math classes?</p>
<p>thats like me in senior year, i had choice of taking ap bio but its 83$ and i chose not to since people recommend taking bio over again in cornell but now i realize it was a terrible mistake haha, i wish i had taken that ap test and skipped. you dont learn anything new in bio 101, the lectures are a waste of time and Bio lab is a grade dropper</p>
<p>Your high school may feel very strongly about having people take the AP exams; it affects their Newsweek ranking, among other things. You might want to consider taking the exams for their benefit if not for your own.</p>
<p>Cornell will not force you to skip introductory courses that you do not want to skip. Moreover, if you choose to forfeit your AP credit in a subject and take Cornell's introductory course, your transcript will not reveal this. AP credits aren't added to your transcript until the end of freshman year, just so that people like you can choose whether or not to use those credits. So nobody (like a medical school admissions committee) will ever know that you took a course over.</p>
<p>A lot of high schools require you to take the AP exam if you take the AP course--my daughter's high school was like that, even if you were going to a school that didn't give AP credits at all. My son's school generally requires the AP exam. Some teachers don't require it but drop your grade if you don't take it. So check with your school/teacher first before deciding not to take it.</p>
<p>Why not at least take the AP calc exam? Even HARVARD Medical School accepts AB and BC credits.</p>
<p>As for intro bio, most people consider it to be not a very fun course, so if you have AP credit to fall back on, it's nice. I got a 5 on AP bio, but still decided to re-take bio for the laboratory experience (e.g. in Bio105, there's a ton of dissecting/anatomy, which I found interesting).</p>
<p>If med school admission is what you're worried about, call the schools and inquire about their policy with AP credit. I personally know plenty of people who used their AP credit, skipped intro bio, physics, calc, etc, and are now being accepted left and right to medical schools across the country.</p>
<p>I think you should take them anyway. Once you get there, you may decide that those classes are a waste of time. Also, I would personally rather take two new intruiguing courses over two courses I have already taken. Your rationale for not taking them is vaild though. It's up to you!</p>
<p>yeah. I MIGHT take some useless AP tests like ap gov, ap calc just to get credit. not to get out of classes, but just to fill some credits.</p>
<p>Preparing for an AP test may help you learn the material better. Taking the tests even if you're going to take the class over may be valuable in the long run, especially when you're preparing for the MCATs.</p>
<p>If you place out of some intro classes, you can free some time in your schedule junior year to study for the MCATs and take a lighter course load</p>
<p>Take the AP exams. If you do well you might be able to get general credit for the classes rather than using the ap score to place out of intro classes. With general credit you will then have more space in your schedule to take an elective of your choice at some point.</p>
<p>i took AP Calc AB and AP Bio, got a 5 on each. because of that, i got to place out of math (and never have to take it again!) and i got 8 college credits for bio. dont give up just because you are already in college at that point</p>