Re-taking classes you got AP credit for

TheAnswerIs42 · Post by **TheAnswerIs42** » Sat May 09, 2009 2:06 pm

This probably doesn't apply to this person, but in my major I needed Math 112H and I was SO glad I took that despite the fact that my AP score tested me out of it. It was good to take a proof-heavy math class when I already knew the content from high school, and be ready for all the other proof-heavy math classes in college where I was learning the content as I went along. About 75% of my class had already taken Calc AB. Transitions and review help sometimes.

In fact, when I look back, I hardly used any of my AP credit to test out of things. I retook English too, since the stuff they send incoming Freshmen "strongly encouraged" it. That was a waste of time though, at least for me. I did make use of the AP Euro History credit though.

What about you guys? Did you use your AP credit to skip college classes, or just to register earlier?

Yarjka · Post by **Yarjka** » Sat May 09, 2009 4:29 pm

I was originally a Zoology major, so I had to take Zoology 101 even though I already had AP Biology credit. It was a complete waste of time since everything was repeated and biology was my favorite subject in high school (read: I had actually studied the material and learned it).

After my mission I switched majors, so then I didn't even have to have the Zoology 101 credit ... so it turned out to be a total waste.

However, the professor, Dr. Kent Hatch, was very fun; so, I enjoyed the class, even if I didn't learn anything new ... and I suppose it was an easy A for me, which is a good boost to the GPA.

Giovanni Schwartz · Post by **Giovanni Schwartz** » Sat May 09, 2009 6:04 pm

I'm personally going to use my AP Chem credit to get out of Chem (at ASU. None of that BYU junk for me.) and my AP Eng to get out of Eng 101 (then I only need 102 for my degree). I decided to redo calc, even though I tested out of it, and I'm also going to redo physics because I'll probably test out of it. My AP Am Hist credit doesn't get me anything with a 3 ] =, and the 5 I'm basically guaranteed on music theory won't do much for my engineering major. So I'm really only using 2 of the 6 that I had possible.

NerdGirl · Post by **NerdGirl** » Sat May 09, 2009 7:17 pm

They didn't even have AP at my high school (where I was in a graduating class of 30).

Giovanni Schwartz · Post by **Giovanni Schwartz** » Sat May 09, 2009 11:45 pm

Wow... I think my graduating class is about 800. Or more.

vorpal blade · Post by **vorpal blade** » Sun May 10, 2009 12:28 pm

Back in the Sixties we didn't have AP. However, there were some classes at BYU you could skip depending on the classes you took in High School, and some tests you could take.

Katya · Post by **Katya** » Sun May 10, 2009 1:30 pm

NerdGirl wrote:They didn't even have AP at my high school (where I was in a graduating class of 30).

My graduating class was smaller, but we did have AP classes. I took calc and French but I didn't end up taking credit for either of them. In Calc I didn't do well enough to test out of 112 (and I needed the review at that point, anyway) and in French I could have taken credit, but I tested out of the classes it would have covered through a placement test, anyway. (With BYU so eager to kick people out for excess credits, taking AP credit isn't always a good idea.)

Whistler · Post by **Whistler** » Sun May 10, 2009 8:27 pm

I had AP English credit but took Honors 200 (writing) so I could graduate with honors. Total waste.

Neologism · Post by **Neologism** » Sun May 10, 2009 9:18 pm

Whistler, do you just mean that that class was a total waste? I am an incoming freshman, and I was wondering if there is really much of an advantage or whatever to graduating with honors...anyone's opinions are welcome...

NerdGirl · Post by **NerdGirl** » Mon May 11, 2009 4:31 am

I took Honors 200, and I thought it was a pretty good class. I'm sure it depends a lot on who your teacher is and who's in the class with you, though. I thought most of my honors classes were pretty good. I didn't end up graduating with honors because my gpa wasn't high enough, but I still managed to get into grad school twice. I had to write a thesis for my major anyway, so writing an honors thesis wouldn't have required any extra effort.

Whistler · Post by **Whistler** » Mon May 11, 2009 12:42 pm

Neologism wrote:Whistler, do you just mean that that class was a total waste? I am an incoming freshman, and I was wondering if there is really much of an advantage or whatever to graduating with honors...anyone's opinions are welcome...

I meant the class. I clashed with my teacher a bit - I vacillated between complete embarrassment and contempt during class (embarrassment because I felt like I was annoying, contempt because I didn't think my teacher knew that much about what she taught). As for graduating with honors, it's probably good if you're in a very popular major (such as English or Psychology), but it might not be worth it in already-selective majors. Parts of the honors program were fun - it gave me an excuse to take classes outside my major (which I did anyway), but I felt like other parts were a little ridiculous.

Katya · Post by **Katya** » Mon May 11, 2009 2:33 pm

Neologism wrote:Whistler, do you just mean that that class was a total waste? I am an incoming freshman, and I was wondering if there is really much of an advantage or whatever to graduating with honors...anyone's opinions are welcome...

I took 4 honors classes and had a miserable experience in 3 of them. I know a couple of people who graduated with honors, but I don't know anyone for whom it definitely made any sort of concrete difference for them when applying to grad school, etc. (E.g., I got into the top program in my field without an honors degree.)

Honors classes tend to be smaller and they're supposed to be taught by professors, not grad students or TAs, so there are those advantages. However, I took enough odd classes that I had the small-class-with-a-professor experience many times without being in an honors section.

Katya · Post by **Katya** » Mon May 11, 2009 2:34 pm

Oh! But I do wish I'd taken Honors 200 for freshman writing, because my experience in English 115 (it has a different number now) was the low point of an already miserable freshman year.

Whistler · Post by **Whistler** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:27 pm

I... kind of doubt that Honors 200 was any different from English 115. It's 150 now.

Katya · Post by **Katya** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:06 am

Whistler wrote:I... kind of doubt that Honors 200 was any different from English 115. It's 150 now.

Everyone I know who took it had a better experience than I did. Even based on your description, I still wish I'd been in Honors 200. (I got a stupid B+ in 115 because my teacher felt that I didn't use enough adjectives in my writing. Seriously.)

Yarjka · Post by **Yarjka** » Tue May 12, 2009 9:15 am

I also hated English 115, which was taught by someone who seemed young enough to be a high school student. At the time I felt I was an aspiring writer, and my A- just killed me.

Whistler · Post by **Whistler** » Tue May 12, 2009 9:32 am

Katya wrote:
Whistler wrote:I... kind of doubt that Honors 200 was any different from English 115. It's 150 now.
Everyone I know who took it had a better experience than I did. Even based on your description, I still wish I'd been in Honors 200. (I got a stupid B+ in 115 because my teacher felt that I didn't use enough adjectives in my writing. Seriously.)

Ew. Okay, you win this one.

Portia · Post by **Portia** » Tue May 26, 2009 1:49 pm

I retook Chem 105. In retrospect, it was not all that necessary, but at least it was easy, having covered the same material. The most useful AP class for me was French Lit--knocked off a third of my major.

The early registration was also nice, but I changed my mind so much, that it sort of cancelled out the effect. I think APs' value lies more in having better, more interesting high school classes than "testing out" of anything.

yellow m&m · Post by **yellow m&m** » Tue May 26, 2009 2:30 pm

I'm retaking Calculus. I got a 4 on the AP test, 4 years ago. But, I didn't think I needed it for my major, and now I know I need several maths for my major, I'd rather retake Calculus 1 then move up than take Calculus 2 and risk failing.