<p>This might be because I don't understand how the policy works at UC San Diego, but they said that if you have AP credit for a course, you aren't allowed to take the course for credit.</p>
<p>BUT, I thought that med school adcoms WANT you to retake the course because a 5 on an AP Exam is a vague indicator of how well you actually did in that class.</p>
<p>What if I wasn't confident enough in my skills in that class? I can't retake the class and get credit for it?</p>
<p>A 5 on the AP exam is a much better indicator of how much you learned than is the letter grade you earned in the class. IF you scored a 5 on an AP exam, then move on. Take the next class. Why waste time doing the same thing? Adcoms want you to take advanced classes, not retake stuff you learned in high school.</p>
<p>If you are unsure, you may want to ask the medical schools about which higher level courses are acceptable in place of the ones which you got AP credit for.</p>
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<p>It is understandable that a public school under budget pressure does not want students to retake courses that they have already learned the material for, as it is a waste of money from the school / state point of view. On the other hand, not all UCs have this policy, although there is a UC systemwide policy of removing AP credit if one has taken a college course on the same material.</p>
<p>What bluedevilmike means is that medical schools are unlikely to acknowledge AP scores. In other words, you can’t just show most med schools your 5, you have to show them you got credit for a semester of biology from UCSD, which it sounds like you did. Not all schools give credit for AP scores, sometimes they just let you place into higher level courses.</p>
<p>Maybe I’m misunderstanding you, but if you want to retake the class, then don’t you just withhold the AP score and not take the credit? It makes perfect sense to me that if you use AP credit to skip a course that you can’t then take the course. You already have the credit for the course.</p>
<p>@I<em>wanna</em>Be_Brown: That is the part that I am confused about. When I send my AP Scores in May, do I have the option to “withhold” some of my scores? Or are they automatically sent and then “used” as credit? UC San Diego’s statement on this was VERY VAGUE since they just said that if you have AP “Credit” then you can’t take it. </p>
<p>Is there a difference between “AP Score” and “AP Credit”? Is AP Credit the AP Score, except used on the course?</p>
<p>If I can just withhold the score and not count it, then I wouldn’t have any problem with this policy. Unfortunately, I’m not so sure that this is the case.</p>
<p>I have another question with your last paragraph. If I have credit for the course, can I still take the class for a letter grade? GPA is also kind of important to me.</p>
<p>@Plumazul: The thing about retaking the class is that Med Adcoms want to see that you have developed a basic foundation in that course as well. A 5 doesn’t really show the range of mastery you’ve developed (50% or higher on the Physics Exam almost guarantees a 5 I believe).</p>
<p>PLUS, UC San Diego gives credit for 3’s and up and treats 4’s and 5’s almost exactly the same. I want to be sure that the Med Adcoms know that I’ve mastered the material. Plus, I want to feel reassured that I’ve mastered it as well, because of the MCATs.</p>
<p>UCSD is the only UC of which I’m aware which actually prohibits a student from registering to ‘repeat’ the AP course material for which they received a solid score (The other UCs just drop the AP credit if you take the corresponding class in college.) For premeds at SD, that means taking the next higher level course up. While one can always find an upper division bio course to take, since a college offers dozens of them, not sure that you want to replace Cal 1 with Linear Algebra, or Gen Chem/AP Chem with P-Chem. :eek:</p>
<p>Yes, I think you could withhold sending the score, but if you put a score on on your UC application (from Junior year testing), I would think that you have to submit the score to validate the accuracy of your app. But just guessing. </p>
<p>Probably best to post about this topic in the UCSD-specific college thread.</p>
<p>yes, this sounds like a school specific policy issue that no one here will be able to answer. I wouldn’t worry though about “what med schools think,” because if they didn’t think doing well on an AP was good enough, they wouldn’t accept it. If you don’t feel confident and want to retake the courses, I’m sure there’s a way, but if UCSD is going to give you credit, then med schools are going to accept it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses guys. Yes, Blue, that’s EXACTLY what I was afraid of: I do not want to take linear Algebra instead of Calc 1 nor do I look forward to physical chemistry, but being a biochem major, I would assume I would run into it eventually.</p>
<p>I feel like Honors General Chemistry might only touch upon some of the material that’s on the MCAT. I want it to go into depth so that I have more reinforced understanding,</p>
<p>Most med schools wont actually give a rat’s ass if you dont retake those courses, as long as you take more advanced courses which satisfy those reqs somehow. For instance, you can skip all of general bio and still satisfy those reqs with something like Mammphys and Endocrinology. Also, don’t take mammphys with Dr. Fortes - that guy’s a dick. You could take the honors chem if you want, but i dont think you’ll need to.</p>
<p>Source: I graduated from UCSD, and I’m in med school currently, and i didnt retake any classes that I passed with AP credit.</p>
<p>Somewhere in the midwest at an MD school :(</p>
<p>They don’t even really have premed advisors there in the first place (at least not that I know of), but my biggest piece of advice is: don’t seek help from advisors.</p>
<p>You can find any information you’re looking for on the internet much easier, especially on SDN. </p>
<p>As for UCSD specific advice hmm… At UCSD you can be a TA as an undergrad, and that’s probably the easiest way you can get a good rec letter. Also Chris Armour (animal physiology lab, mammalian physiology I professor) will <em>always</em> write you a rec letter as long as you get an A. Oh yeah, and you should probably check out that CCE program that they have at Palomar Pomerado Hospital, thats another surefire way to get great clinical experience as well as a rec letter, and “leadership experience” if you want it.</p>
<p>I have seen schools which require students who got the requisite AP score to NOT take the class and schools which refuse to accept AP credits for courses required by the major.</p>
<p>One of my DDs was not allowed to skip any courses in her major another DD chose to skip 1st year bio, against all advice, and it was the right choice for her, but she chose not to skip other topics, also the right choice for her. If you feel strong in a course and it feels right to skip it, fine. If you are concerned about your retention in that topic or your ability to be successful in more advanced coursework, do what you can to avoid skipping the class.</p>