<p>I met with two pre-med advisors before Spring Break (once to discuss classes, and once to get my schedule approved). I am planning on taking O Chem next year, along with upper level Bio courses to supplement my AP credit (Cell Biology and Genetics). However, when I asked about General Chem and Physics, since I already have AP credit for these as well, both advisors said that if I was comfortable with the material I didn’t need to take them, and mentioned nothing about supplementing with higher level courses. I’m confused now, because a lot of the things I’ve read online state that you shouldn’t accept AP credit in science courses if you aren’t planning to supplement, which is contradictory to what I heard from both advisors. Does anyone have thoughts on this?</p>
<p>Yes, you do have to supplement AP science classes. However, I really don’t know what the rule is about Physics.</p>
<p>You might want to post this question in the Pre-med forum here on CC for really accurate info. Those people will know…</p>
<p>I’ve never heard that OChem I and II are adequate subs since they are req’ts but maybe that’s the confusion.</p>
<p>[Pre-Med</a> Topics - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/]Pre-Med”>Pre-Med Topics - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>And send a note to Mr. Chris Hutt…director of pre-med advising. However, it is Spring Break so he may not be checking email right now.</p>
<p><a href=“http://premed.ua.edu/[/url]”>http://premed.ua.edu/</a></p>
<p><a href=“mailto:chutt@as.ua.edu”>chutt@as.ua.edu</a></p>
<p>I will pass on info I gained from the Pre-med forum here as well as info my D1 received from her pre-med advisor(another university). D1 also had AP credit but most (not all) people on the pre-med site told us to not use your AP credit for the science pre-reqs for the MCAT. GPA and sGPA are very, very important and she was directed to repeat gen chem and cell bio in order to have an easier first semester in college and get the highest GPA possible. She felt taking the AP classes was good prep for her gen chem and cell bio but they were by no means a walk in the park. She still had to study for them. She did go up in classes in English using her AP credit. Most kids, if they have Calc credit may end up taking calc 2 right away instead of Calc.1 again. Your choice depending on how strong you feel in it. She is now in OChem and Physics and while doing well, is having to study ALOT! I dont think she would have wanted to go right into OChem last year. Ochem is one of the weed out classes for Pre-meds so if you take it right away, realize it wont be a walk in the park. D has been advised to guard her GPA no matter what it takes. I would be cautious of taking on too much for your first semester.<br>
Do spend time on the Pre-med forum here. D1 and I have learned valuable information there.</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>If you do choose to retake your bio classes, you don’t have to retake both. You can just retake Bio I (Bio II seems to be about plants and stuff). And if you take Cell Bio, that will the extra class needed for Bio if you use Bio II credit.</p>
<p>My son did use his Bio and Chem credits (I wouldn’t advise that) and took Cell Bio his fall frosh year. Yikes! Not my idea! He has minors in Chem, Bio and Math so his AP credits are “well covered” with additional classes. </p>
<p>But we still aren’t sure about the AP English credit. We’ve been told both by Bama and the CC pre-med forum that the 300 level classes with the W designations are accepted.</p>
<p>M2CK, do you mind saying what Chem your son went into due to his AP? Also, did he take it first semester frosh year?</p>
<p>My son went into Orgo I after using AP credits. He took it frosh year, but I think he took it second semester. </p>
<p>When it comes to pre-med pre-reqs (especially the orgo classes), you want to get the profs with the best reviews. </p>
<p>My son loved Dr Marco Bonizzoni…he had him for Orgo II. Right now, I’m blanking as t who he had for Orgo I. I’d have to ask him.</p>
<p>My D went right into Cell Bio her freshman year. I guess, when I think about it, she did not take the basic, basic bio I which like M2K said was about plants/ecology. D was glad she has taken AP in prep for this class.</p>
<p>D did use her AP English credit and is just trusting that it will be ok. When it comes to the English/Math AP usage, the waters are a little muddy. Things vary so much between med schools. We were told on the Pre-med forum to check with individual med schools but to a new incoming freshman this was way to much to think about. I guess if the schools dont like the AP credit she just wont apply to that school LOL.</p>
<p>When we visited the campus on March 2, we met with the Chair of the Math department. One of our questions was about AP credits. The UA policy is to give 8 hours of credit (125 and 126) if you make a 3 on the BC test. He clearly seemed to disagree with the wisdom of taking advantage of that, especially with a 3. He felt the maturity of the student was important on placement, because at the college level, the whys are just as important mathematically as the hows. Many high school students only learn the hows.</p>
<p>I agree that if you only got a 3 on AP Cal BC, you shouldn’t get 8 credits, you should only get 4 at most. </p>
<p>My kids only used AP Cal credit for Cal I (they both got 5s). At Bama, they took Cal II, III, Dif Eq I, Dif Eq II, and other math classes (one was a math major, and the other is a math minor). they both also took Stats (which is good for pre-med students).</p>
<p>Yes…Bio II is about plants/ecology which can be skipped by a pre-med student who has AP Bio credit. You can still take Bio 1 if you like to strengthen that area or to get a more assured A. </p>
<p>At the time, we never considered that you could use half of your AP credits for one class and still take the other class. If we had, son probably would have taken Bio I and skipped Bio II.</p>
<p>I think the AP Chem issue is confusing. My gut tells me that Orgo I and II do not count as “taking the higher levels” since those classes are already required. But, maybe I’m wrong.</p>
<p>I dont think you are wrong M2K. I believe that if you use your AP chem credit you may be able to take Orgo right away but you would have to also take another advanced chem class.</p>
<p>There are several exceptions, but from what I’ve seen, many medical schools accept AP credit (including the schools I’m interested in). So is supplementing with higher level courses an issue of being competitive for admissions? Is someone at a disadvantage because they didn’t repeat lower-level science courses, even if they score well on the MCAT, possibly better than someone who did retake those courses?</p>
<p>It just seems counterintuitive to me that I should retake physics or general chemistry when I feel very comfortable with the material, but do not want to take an upper-division physics course. If I apply to schools that do accept AP credit, and supplement my biology credit and possibly a semester of my chemistry credit with upper level courses, am I at a disadvantage as compared to people who just took all the most basic classes?</p>
<p>Reading your older posts about pre-med requirements, stats seems to be a good idea.
Son has AP credit for Calc 125. (scored 5). What stats class is recommended?</p>
<p>I think this is the one</p>
<p>ST 260 Statistical Data Analysis. 3 hours.
Prerequisites: CS 102 and MATH 112 or equivalents.</p>
<p>Introduction to the use of basic statistical concepts in business applications. Topics include extensive graphing; descriptive statistics; measures of central tendency and variation; regression, including transformations for curvature; sampling techniques; designs; conditional probability; random variables; probability distributions; sampling distributions; confidence intervals; and statistical inference. Computer software applications are utilized extensively. Emphasis throughout the course in on interpretation.</p>
<p>Thank you I will look for that stat class.
Poking around the internet I see that the MCAT is changing for 2015. Son is a freshman 2012/13 so that puts him in the first group under new requirements. Everything I read seems a little vague about exactly what that will mean. But the calc seems less important and the stats are encouraged. Along with psychology/ philosophy etc.</p>