Should I AP out of the intro computer science class?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Georgia Institute of Technology
1

In the spring semester of my senior year I took an AP Computer Science class online, and recently I found out I got a 4 on the exam, meaning that I can receive credit for CS 1301. But I don’t know if I want to take the credit. The online AP CS class I took last semester was an awful experience. The instruction was confusing, and going into the AP exam I essentially knew the basics of computer science. To prepare for the AP exam I read the Barron’s, and if I hadn’t read through it—even though I didn’t understand the details of a lot of things and was left confused about a lot of other things—I surely would have failed the AP exam. But even though I went in feeling quite unprepared, the exam wasn’t too bad and I still managed to get a 4, so I must have done something right. I mentioned these things to exemplify the quality of the education I received from the online class. I personally think the class was bogus and did not teach me nearly as much and to the same degree than a CS 1301 student would have been taught. I don’t know if I want to pass up the formal education.

The next thing is that I really did enjoy the material that I understood. I think it would be fun to take the class.But the class is a lot of work according to a current student I’ve been talking to.

So these are my reasons that I would take the class: I don’t think I received a proper education from the online AP CS class nor one at all suitable to replace a college-level course. Taking the college-level class seems fun, even though it will be a lot of work apparently. I do not know if I want to pass up the experience itself—what if I would like to switch my major after taking the course, what if I miss out on a way of thinking that lots of other students had experienced in the course?

And these are my reasons for using the AP credit: I am a biochemistry major, so I see no point in taking a class outside of my area of study if I don’t have to. It would also save money.

So what should I do? Logically, I should take the credit for the class, but the experience and education I receive might be worth it.

2

I think that most everyone would tell you to take the credit. Your major does not require any more CS classes and the credit gives you a better time ticket for class registration. Also, Tech is going to automatically give you the credit. The only way you don’t use it is to take the class at Tech. Because you don’t need to take any other CS classes you have plenty of time to decide when/if you want to retake it. Of course the situation would be different if you decided to switch to CS.

3

Take the credit.