<p>So what's everybody going to validate?</p>
<p>I'm going to validate Calc I and hopefully the English's. (I hate Eng)</p>
<p>Also, I noticed that many people have complained about Chem I and II being the "plebe killer", I've had Chem Honors in my high school, and it wasen't hard at all. Is it really THAT bad? or do people just over exaggerate?</p>
<p>I'm in the second chemistry class my school offers right now. I remember that Honors Chem was REALLY easy, I got by with a 98, and hardly had to try. Most of it was very basic, and/or prior knowledge. If anything was new, it didn't require much math, or could be reasoned out. From what I heard at NASS, Chem I at USNA isn't that bad, and is review.</p>
<p>Chem II, however (similar to what I'm taking now) is extremely challenging for most (currently struggling to keep a 90). Calculus starts to work its way into it (related rates, etc.), along with advanced formulas, and a lot of things that students have to internalize to simply understand the basics. Essentially, there are no "rules" to figuring out problems, and ALL prior knowledge usually has to be used. Not to mention, a bad teacher in Chem II can be disastrous.</p>
<p>I have a very good understanding of Calculus and expect a 5 on the AP Calc BC exam, but I'm not sure if I want to validate. Everyone graduates in 4 years, so validating doesn't seem like it would get me ahead too much and going for easier academics during plebe year may be smart. Other than Calculus, I'll definitely try to validate English.</p>
<p>I just talked to my friend up at the Academy, she said for her (as an English Major) Chem I wasen't that hard, it was Chem II that hurt.</p>
<p>I'm not worried that much anymore after what Simayan said about Chem I. I'm sure if we pay attention in Chem I and study we'll do fine in Chem II.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>
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I'm sure if we pay attention in Chem I and study we'll do fine in Chem II.
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</p>
<p>Most likely. I had a full year in between my Chem I and Chem II class, so I had a lot of remembering to do. Keep your head above it all, and you'll do fine.</p>
<p>No. Validate. Validate Validate. These other classes are such a pain in the ass and if you can get out of the others. Seriously, do it. Your life will be so much better later one when you're not taking 22 credits (like me) as a youngster. Chem 2 is much harder than Chem I. People who did pretty well in I are doing awful in II. But for some people it's easy.
And you can only validate one semester of English I believe. You have to take HE151 (?) and then you're done.</p>
<p>ohhh well I know that I have validated Calculus I because I got a 5 on the AP Calculus AB Test last Spring. I'm not taking any AP Tests this year, but I am planning on validating anything that I can. I'm taking AP courses, but I'm going to just take USNA's validation tests.</p>
<p>JackTraveler</p>
<p>What all classes do you highly reccomend validating, w/ the exception of Chem.?</p>
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What all classes do you highly reccomend validating, w/ the exception of Chem.?
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</p>
<p>EVERY one you can. They are money in the bank. Some may suck worse than others, but regardless, its always nice to validate. Also, if you have any college credit in random classes try and carry them over. Many mids assume that they can only validate a handful of specific classes. I was lucky enough to take some classes at a local university when I was still a senior, and through that I was able to validate western civ I, government, and human behavior (actually validated that one as a 2/c fulfilling one of my electives). With those validations, I don't think I ever had more than 16 credits in my last two years, and as a history major... yeah that was legit.</p>
<p>
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I've had Chem Honors in my high school, and it wasen't hard at all. Is it really THAT bad? or do people just over exaggerate?
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</p>
<p>For someone who had one honors chem class in high school (soph year), I thought it sucked. It was on a whole different level than high school; more material, faster paced, etc etc. As far as being the second hardest undergrad class in the country behind something at MIT (that unsubstantiated rumor has been flying around for years), probably not. But for the average, and even above average mid, it is not easy.</p>
<p>
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I just talked to my friend up at the Academy, she said for her (as an English Major) Chem I wasen't that hard, it was Chem II that hurt.
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</p>
<p>Personally for me, Chem I was the ball breaker. I had a straight 70 the whole semester and worked my butt off, but Chem II I basically had a mid to low B all semester and threw it away on the final. Everyone is going to have their different experiences. Personally I thought Physics I was easy, but a lot of people struggle with it. My advice would be to take everything you hear with a grain of salt and go in expecting the worst.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>I took college Western Civ, but I didn't know that I could validate that class too! Wow, great!</p>
<p>What I was most worried about validating courses(core courses) was that I would miss some of the basic foundations of the courses and get thrown into something I really wasen't ready for.</p>
<p>But thanks again!</p>
<p>Speaking of validating, would AP Euro History count towards Western Civ? Also, do they offer anything for AP US History? It seems like that class is one of the most universal in the country, but USNA's chart on the web doesn't say anything about it.</p>
<p>USNA</a> Course Validation Policy</p>
<p>That chart says the AP Euro= 5 validates and the Candidate Academic Background System also states "
A score of 5 on the Education Testing Service Advanced Placement exam in European History secures validation for HH212 Civilization & the Atlantic Community, a core course normally taken in the spring semester of the youngster (sophomore) year. Please be sure that the test score has been sent to the Naval Academy." Also stated on the CAB is "
Validation exams for HH121 U.S. Naval Heritage, HH212 Western Cultural Heritage (750 BC-1750 AD), HH212 Civilization & the Atlantic Community, and any other course the History Department offers may be scheduled individually with the History Senior Academic Adviser".</p>
<p>We've visited our plebe several times and each time we meet new friends of his, who declare that chemistry is known as the "plebe killer". Our son has had a solid "B" all year, but feels as though he has put forth his best effort. He went to EI study session which he said helped.</p>
<p>For the record, I think when most people say that certain classes are really difficult here they are not over-exaggerating. My friends and I find ourselves saying this a lot: "wow, this was easy in high school but for some reason nothing we learned in high school seems to help or work here." This really applies to the core classes (chem, calc, and especially physics). Basically, like stallion said, it's on a completely different level and, unfortunately, algebra-based high school basic courses will do not much more than give you a background on the subject. If you can take calculus-based high school classes, then that would likely help, though.
Another thing about the academics here is the speed at which the courses move. For instance, my differential equations teacher said last semester that we have to cover in a semester what MIT has over a semester and a half to cover. The speed is the real killer, and the fact that everyone is taking at least 15 credits (some people lots more) doesn't help...just .02 from a youngster.</p>
<p>I got a 5 on Cal AB last year, so I've got that one in the bag.</p>
<p>Hopefully I can get a 4 or 5 on BC this year.</p>
<p>Several mids have told me to validate Cal II if you can. Cal III is actually an easier class to take plebe year as far as workload etc.</p>
<p>Can you validate Plebe Writing and English via their test?</p>
<p>And if I make high enough AP exam scores, do I still have to take the validation exam?</p>
<p>While browsing the USNA website, I searched "2012" and found this website:</p>
<p>Candidate</a> Information - AcDean & Provost - USNA</p>
<p>It has a link to the Candidate Academic Background System which includes questionnaires to start the validation process. Within that system, it has information about AP scores automatically validating courses.</p>
<p>Be wary of skipping straight to Calc 3 plebe year. I actually found it to be harder than Calc 2 (granted, I had had the Calc 2 material before, but not the Calc 3 stuff). If you're good at math, then you should be fine...it depends on the calc class that you get assigned to. If you plan to go engineering or sciences, you'll take Calc 3 with vector fields (leads to diff eqs); if not you'll take Calc 3 with optimization (leads to stats).</p>
<p>the simple way it was explained to me is that calc II is a horse of a different color. it's material that doesn't quite fit into another category. calc III is the next logical step after calc I.</p>
<p>What is covered in USNA's Calc II?</p>
<p>Validate what you can; it will be SO worth it later on in terms of electives and choices that will become available toyou.
Don't try to "game" the system by electing not to validate becuase you think you can get a better grade or it will be an easy class for you to take. 1: you will find the class to be really boring.</p>