<p>It's April, and we all know what that means: AP test registration. Unfortunately, the last day to sign up at my school is tomorrow, and I hadn't really seriously considered taking any tests this year because I didn't think they would help me much. I have taken 7 AP courses this year, though, and it hit me today (yeah, I know--a little late!) that it may be good to look in to credit options a little more. Whoops. </p>
<p>I realize that there is a lot of information on the Yale Class of 2014 student website about acceleration, etc., but I'm wondering: if a student doesn't want to graduate in three years, is taking AP tests still worth it? What exactly does that credit go toward at Yale? How can it help? Can AP tests be used as substitutes for placement exams in the fall?</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend AP tests, just for the sake of the scores on your application. Every little bit helps on a yale app, and it would help show yale how you compare to other students across the nation.
Good luck!! I’m studying for them right now myself.
By the way, how was it taking 7 ap classes? I’m considering taking that many aps next year and I don’t know if it is an unmanageable amount of work.</p>
<p>In general, no it is not worth it. Only take the science AP’s. AP’s are only relevant for two things: 1) graduating early, and 2) getting into more advanced classes freshman year. The latter relevance only really applies to science classes. If you want to take an advanced class, generally you can just sign-up for it, but having a 5 in some science classes like Chem (and maybe bio too) prequalifies you.</p>
<p>Okay, great, thanks! That’s exactly the kind of advice I was looking for…</p>
<p>And imagodei, I am an accepted senior, but I may not be the right person to turn to for advice about 7 APs; my school operates on a pretty unique block schedule system, which makes my situation different from most others. I guess, overall, it’s a difficult undertaking, but it all depends on context and what you have going on in your life outside of school.</p>
<p>It might still be worthwhile to take AP’s even if you don’t want to use them for acceleration credit, because there are some small freshman classes outside of the sciences that require scores of 5 on the relevant AP, to enroll in them.</p>
<p>I’m actually in your shoes. Accepted senior taking 9 exams this year. Cost aside, I just figured that it couldn’t hurt – even if I don’t do well. So why not?</p>
<p>Do AP scores have any affect on applications for programs while in college? Do they carry any weight anywhere besides actual college admissions and class placement?</p>
<p>Actually, I understand that some AP credits may help to satisfy prerequisite requirements for entry into post-undergraduate programs (i.e. Calculus BC to fulfill many medical schools’ mathematics requirement).</p>
<p>However, I personally would not have signed up for AP exams if I had known I would be attending Harvard.</p>
<p>Be very careful when it comes to using your AP credit to forgo Gen Chem (for H or any other Med school). D1 did this (despite my warning) and has regretted it ever since. It means that you start with OChem and then have to take a year of higher level chem courses + labs, like Biochem or Physical Chem. And be aware, taking tough courses doesn’t give you a boost with Med school like it does with UG admissions, gpa is much more important.</p>
<p>Bio is not such a big deal, as you will likely want to take upper level courses like physiology, genetics, etc. rather than gen bio.</p>
<p>This is second hand, but my daughter said a student told her No. They never force you to use your credit. She talked to students that delibarately didn’t want to be bumped-up because they thought it would be too hard and they hadn’t taken the course in 2 years.
Others in science wanted to get out of the Intro classes.</p>
<p>I have heard that in particular undergrads who are planning to apply to Med school feel that it is to their competitive advantage not to accelerate in Chemistry, for the reasons stated by entomom. I don’t personally believe that it’s to their educational advantage necessarily. Admittedly, I don’t know much about how med school admissions work, but I’m not sure I believe the competitive advantage argument…if it is true, too bad - doesn’t reflect well on the priorities of med school admissions to the extent that it encourages this kind of gaming of the system, instead of aggressive quest for excellence and advancement in science.</p>
<p>^^There are other advantages to accelerating in chemistry. Son (who is not a pre-med student) took Freshman Orgo this year. Yes, it has been a pretty humbling experience. (Sciences not challenging at Yale? Ha!) But it was a fabulous class and, as a direct result of it, he landed a plum, fully funded summer research opportunity abroad.</p>