Spanish course selection dilemma

Colleges and Universities A-Z Indiana University - Bloomington
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<p>AP scores just got posted on OneStart today! DD is a Kelley DA and also plans to minor in Spanish and study abroad in Spain. She already had her freshman orientation and registered for HISP-S 280 because she wasn’t sure what her Spanish Language AP score would be. She got a 5, which gives her credit for HISP-S 280 in addition to 200 and 250 (second year Spanish I & II). She’s not sure if she should keep her current schedule and just “repeat” HISP-S 280 or if she should switch to a 300-level Spanish course. She will still have to take the same number of Spanish classes to complete the minor whether she chooses HISP-S 280 or a 300-level Spanish class, but overall she would have 3 extra credit hours toward graduation if she switches to the 300-level class. She is interested in keeping a solid GPA to eventually apply for the Business Honors program. A quick scan of grade distributions shows similar grades for 280 and the 300-level. Looking for advice on which Spanish course she should take, especially from anyone who took AP Spanish in high school and can suggest how well it prepared you to jump right into 300-level Spanish at IU.</p>

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<p>She should take a 300 level class. My oldest daughter is a senior at IU this year, in Kelley. She tested into 280 as a freshman, without taking AP Spanish in hs or any Spanish class at all her senior year in hs, and she got an A. 280 will probably be too easy for her; she should move right into 300.</p>

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<p>My kids high school didn’t offer AP Spanish, but it did offer 6 years of Spanish. Both had 6 years of Spanish. The last year was probably equivalent to AP Spanish. Both started in the the 300 level and did fine–A’s from both.</p>

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<p>I asked this question in July 2013 on behalf of my daughter. She ended up taking HISP-S 280 first semester freshman year even though she had the AP credit for it. She thinks it was a good decision - fairly easy A for her, which is a nice way to start out her college career, plus it didn’t affect the number of classes she needs to take to complete the Spanish minor. The only negative is that she “wasted” 3 credit hours by re-taking a class for which she had earned AP credit. If she was an accounting major where number of credit hours is important, her decision may have been different.</p>