<p>I'm enrolled in these classes:</p>
<p>Calc AB
Physics C mechanics
Macroeconomics
US. gov.
Art history
English literature</p>
<p>I know Calc AB isn't worth much unless it's BC but what about the others?? It's going to be a tough time in May so I was just wondering if it is worth it to take all 6 of these. Will I get a lot of credit for these? The USC website sorta confuses me...</p>
<p>My S took all of the AP exams you mentioned except Art History. He also took an AP exam for US Gov & Env Studies as well as Com Sci -- the 2nd one (can't remember its name).</p>
<p>He WAS drained from taking all the AP exams, but did get credit for all the AP exams, since he scored 5s. The maximum # of credits USC will give for entering freshmen is 32 via combo of college courses & AP. S went over the 32, so he only got the max of 32 (so in some ways the additional ones were "wasted"), but since he wanted to take the tests, we paid & let him.</p>
<p>The 32 credits lets you have sophomore standing and basically bumps you ahead in registration, since it's done by the # of credits you have, giving you a better chance of getting the courses, instructors & times you want. It didn't help for 1st semester, since everyone registered at orientation, but I believe it may have helped since then.</p>
<p>You can e-mail your USC advisor for your state to get more complete & accurate info. You can find him/her at the usc.edu website.</p>
<p>YES X 6!</p>
<p>With a score of 4 or 5 in:
-Physics or Art History, you can satisfy a GE,
-Macroeconomics, you can waive Econ 203,
-Calc AB (Mathematics AB), you can waive Math 125.</p>
<p>For your other AP's, USC awards 4 units of elective credit for most AP examinations with a score of 3 or higher (up to 32 units.) </p>
<p>I agree you should take them all of them. It might help you graduate from USC earlier. A year of tuition is a lot of money.</p>
<p>If you feel the need to drop an AP, then I suggest you drop the English Lit AP (unless you plan to be an English major). At least at Viterbi, you still have to take Writing plus a related General Ed course. However, if you want to aim for the 32 units and potentially save tuition money, then take the English Lit AP exam. Do you want to be at USC all 4 years or potentially finish early?</p>
<p>As cc411 stated, the Physics and Art History will exempt you from two GEs (with 4s or 5s). Those two GEs can also be covered with the same scores in AP Euro, and AP in another science (Bio or Chem), so if you are thinking of dropping one of the APs you could consider the Physics or AH if you already have one of the others I mentioned.</p>
<p>So if the AP exams that you have taken don't waive GE requirements, then do they waive elective requirements or something?</p>
<p>
[quote]
For your other AP's, USC awards 4 units of elective credit for most AP examinations with a score of 3 or higher (up to 32 units.)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The APs gave my S a "bank" of credits that could be used to add to credits if he took courses in the summer or other times & they didn't quite meet the # of credits he was "supposed to get." (At least that's how the dean explained it to us.) As a practical matter, he's considering graduating a semester early & saving us some $. He also has the option of doing an internship or term or summer abroad & still graduating "on time."</p>
<p>My son did get a great deal of credit for electives but in his engineering major
they have 17-18 units a semester which is pretty much set and I think one elective course in four years. He took AP Bio but they require a Physics course anyway. Some of his friends took AP Physics but it did not totally count for the exact class and some had to take it over. It does help for where you stand in the line up for registration. He can't use the AP spanish since his CS major doesn't require a language, they won't waive any classes with AP Psych and still had to take CS class even though he had APCS BC? (I think you need a 5 on that) Sometimes I wish he went to a UC or another school which would have counted all his Ap's
To answer your question, you also may need to check your high schhol. In my daughter's school you have to sign a contract that you will take the AP exam or they do not give you credit for it on your transcript. Her school also does not give you an extra point on your GPA for AP's.</p>
<p>The usefulness of the AP credits counting towards courses depends on the major. My D was waived out of Psych intro due to a 5 on the AP Psych (good for Neuroscience or Psychology majors). I think a 4 or 5 in AP Language waives you out of the language requirement.</p>
<p>Sheer Reflection, it would help to know what your intended field of study is.</p>
<p>Futureholds makes a really good point about finding out your high school policy about taking the AP exams and your grade/credit for the course in high school. Sequoia also makes a very good point about needing to know your major and how the APs might meet the requirements.</p>
<p>My son came in with 11 AP tests, received the 32 credits, but when push comes to shove, a lot of the APs did not count for course credit in his Engineering program. The most valuable APs for Engineering students are Calculus BC and Physics. It is also valuable to take the APs which actually give you General Ed. credit. I was disappointed that despite getting a 5 on AP World History, it does not count for General Ed. courses (but AP Art History, AP European History, and AP U.S. History counts, at least this past year).</p>
<p>My intended field of study is chemical engineering. As for my high school Futherhold, my school doesn't care if you take the test or not but the teachers do try to push you to take it (for practical reasons of course).</p>
<p>It depends on the major but my for my daughter who is not majoring in engineering, she only needs to take 9 courses for her major(9X4=36). That's left 128-36=92 units to be filled by TO classes and electives. So the AP credits did help a lot with the electives.</p>
<p>I am not sure Macroeconomics and AP English Lit. will count towards AP course requirements for Chem. Engineering, but might count towards the 32 allowed credits, depending upon the score you get on the tests. Also, please keep in mind, that many freshmen change their minds about their majors. The great thing about the Freshmen Academy Engineering class is you will be introduced to all of the possible majors at Viterbi Engineering, and may find something else more appealing. Also, I don't know how many credits you are allowed for Chem. Engineering beyond the required classes.
You can type in AP credits Viterbi Engineering at usc.edu and you will see the exact list and how it matches. There is always a chance that this list could change, as the list you see is for 2008-2009 academic year. I wonder why you are not taking AP Chemistry unless you already took it last year.</p>
<p>If you're going into Engineering, for sure take Art History and US History. They'll get you out of GE categories 1 and 4 and make life a little easier. I know you said US Government, though, so I don't know if that's the history test or the government and politics test. If it's the latter, then that won't count towards a GE and it'd just be another elective.</p>
<p>I came in with 32 units and I'm really happy I did. It's different for the Engineering school because so many kids come in with 32 units, so it doesn't really give you a "leg up" on your peers when you're volleying for the better teachers, but it's nice to be at their level and not at a disadvantage.</p>