<p>I plan on going the pre-med/biology route once I am in college and am wondering whether I should even use the AP's in calc BC and chemistry for credit, assuming I make higher than a 3 on both exams.
I don't want to waste time repeating material if I already know it, but at the same time, I know that AP exams for math and science (especially BC calc) are majorly curved...so you may not know what you think you do. </p>
<p>I understand every college's AP policy is different....some give credit, some don't......but I would definitely like some input from people who have "been there."</p>
<p>So, if anyone has retaken AP's in these subjects and can tell me whether it was worth your while, that would be awesome, since I am getting such mixed reviews.</p>
<p>It would be stupid to not use AP credits, I came into college with 21 credits from AP so I get to graduate in 3 1/2 years! Plus it saves you and your parents money for classes that they would otherwise need to pay for.</p>
<p>I got really sick my freshman and had to withdraw from school for a semester, but my AP credits kept me on track. You will never know what will happen in college.</p>
<p>If you are pre-med, med schools don't take some AP credits. You should retake them since you stated they were science and math based. It won't hurt for the MCAT either.</p>
<p>I am no expert on med school but if you don't want to retake the courses, med schools should be satisfied if you take a higher-level course instead (e.g. Calc 3 instead of Calc 1-2). If you feel like you understand calc and your college accepts your BC score for placement, I think you would be bored in Calc 1 or 2. I only took AB but placed into Calc 3 (multivariable) by placement exam. (Admittedly, the placement exam did not contain questions on sequences and series; if it did, I would have been placed in Calc 2). </p>
<p>I personally hate taking courses in which I am familiar with much of the material already, and I would probably go nuts and start working on transfer applications if I retook two courses in the same semester.</p>
<p>I'm like you, PreMed, but I plan on retaking them. Med School means high GPA and MCAT. Placing into higher courses means probably a lower GPA in them (higher level, new material=harder), and it never hurts to review the basics for the MCAT. </p>
<p>I could probably place out of almost a year (depending on how I do this spring in tests) but I'm not going to use my credits for anything but electives so I can focus on my science stuff.</p>
<p>If you don't get a 5, i would definitely suggest retaking them, even if your school accepts a 3. personally i decided to take calc 3 (i took BC my junior year and got a 5) but i struggled a lot and dropped to calc 2, where i realized how much i had forgotten. i am now taking calc 3 this semester and feel that i have a stronger basis now. </p>
<p>I also placed out of intro chem (a full year course) because of AP chem and i think i made the right decision in that respect. i really liked chemistry and would have been bored retaking a class i had already taken even if it meant getting an easy A. </p>
<p>look at the sylabus for the class and maybe see if there is a practice final online or form someone who took the class last year. if you think you could do well, don't take the class. if you would struggle to get a good grade on the final, retake it. </p>
<p>but don't just retake a class because it would boost your GPA. you are in college to learn. take it if you will learn from it.</p>
<p>I plan on retaking physics and calc. Physics, because I honestly feel like it's a course I could learn from taking twice, it'll be good for my GPA, and I dont want to take that risk with med school (also going pre-med).</p>
<p>Calc, Im pretty sure im going to get like a 2 on the exam haha</p>