<p>So I've acquired college credit for Ap calc BC, chem, physics, and sone English abd history courses. I've gotten 3's and 4's on my AP exams. My sister told me that I should probably retake my math and science APs on a college level for a GPA boost and to make sure I understand what I need to know for future courses and to know I have it covered. Im doing mechanical engineering, do you guys think I should retake my math and science courses or not. </p>
<p>It depends on your university. Look at some old tests. See if you’re comfortable. If you are, skip ahead. If you’re not, might want to see if you could freshen up on those skills or go ahead and retake the course. </p>
<p>I didn’t retake my AP courses and I’m doing just fine, though. I’m happy that I didn’t retake my courses. It has opened up my schedule, allowed me to jump ahead in my flowchart, and be considered earlier for scholarships and study abroad experiences. </p>
<p>Well only retake if you’re going to the next level because AP doesn’t cover as much as a college course. If you plan to take calculus 3 then I’d say retake calculus 2 otherwise be done with math!</p>
<p>Depends on how confident you feel in these courses and whether or not you could use the extra room. I skipped all of the classes I got AP credit in, but I also received 5’s on the exams and felt confident in the subjects. I never had a problem with higher level courses, and my GPA never needed the boost. I ended up as a notetaker for some of the courses that I had previously skipped, and I was really glad in retrospect that I hadn’t made myself sit through those classes again because I would have been bored out of my mind. But I know other students who retook their AP classes and were very glad that they did, or skipped those classes and wish they had taken them. It just depends on how comfortable you feel. In general, I recommend that students retake the course unless they got an easy 5 if it’s a prerequisite for upper-division courses in your major. But if you could really use the extra space in your schedule because you need to graduate early or you want to double major or take a lighter load later, then by all means skip the class. It doesn’t hurt to retake it though.</p>
<p>Assuming that your college allows you to skip some courses with your AP credit (some may require a score of 4 or 5 to skip):</p>
<p>For courses which are not important prerequisites to other courses (probably history, English, and chemistry for a mechanical engineering major), skip if allowed and enjoy free electives in place of them.</p>
<p>For courses which are important prerequisites to other courses (math, physics for a mechanical engineering major), find the college’s old final exams (sometimes on-line) and try them. If you know the material well, skip. If you do not know or struggle with the material, retake.</p>
<p>^what UCB said. For a mechanical engineering major, do retake calc and physics. Yo’ull have a sounder base for the next level. With a 3 on the AP test, you’d be on shaky grounds compared to students who either got a 5 or just completed the college course.</p>
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<p>Actually, I recommended making the decision based on how well the OP knows the material, as tested in the old final exams, rather than automatically retaking the courses. (Although if the OP only got 3 scores, the greater likelihood is that the OP finds the old final exams to be difficult and will want to retake those courses.)</p>
<p>Yes you did, I didn’t repeat because concretely, 3 in an Ap exam last year = retake the class. Although looking at the final exams for the class one wants to skip (an idea you’re very right to put forth since so few students think of it) will show OP just how much s/he’s forgotten or needs to review before moving on to the next level. </p>