How usefull are dc and ap classes in highschool

[professor]

im a sophomore in high school, and am being offered a good number of ap and dc classes (some of which they have waived prerequisets for so they may be alittle trickey) i plan on taking as many as possible, and I am sure youll get questiones about my homework once in a whie... but, how usefull is a dc class from a local college? if i take precalc and algebra 1 dc class then when i go to find a college, how many do you think will give me the credit for it..and as i understand ap classes are a bit more prestegious, though are they still unanimously accepted as credit. (im talking about a school like [preferably caltech] or mit)

 

[Brad Barker]

im a sophomore in high school, and am being offered a good number of ap and dc classes (some of which they have waived prerequisets for so they may be alittle trickey) i plan on taking as many as possible, and I am sure youll get questiones about my homework once in a whie... but, how usefull is a dc class from a local college? if i take precalc and algebra 1 dc class then when i go to find a college, how many do you think will give me the credit for it..and as i understand ap classes are a bit more prestegious, though are they still unanimously accepted as credit. (im talking about a school like [preferably caltech] or mit)

in general, ap classes are very useful. some schools, like mine, have... fairly "low" standards--a 3 will get you some credit. a 4 or 5 will get you two classes out of the way, in some cases. other schools don't let certain ap scores count for college credit, which sucks.

check those schools' ap credit policies. (i think mit is good with taking ap credit.)

and you can also check what their policies are for dual enrollment, or whatever you're calling it (dc?). all else failing, you can email people in admissions.

 

[professor]

zlright yeah that works...good to know that ap classes are as usefull as my admins/guadance counselers at my school say. thanks and yeah dc=dual credit same as dual enrollment. anyone have any experience without of state schools allowing that to count as credit? I know it may be variable, but it would be reassuring to hear that someone has

 

[JasonJo]

you could earn a lot of college credits, you can jump into calculus 3 in my university with a 4 or 5 on the Cal BC exam. and a lot of courses have calculus 3 as a prereq, so imagine being able to take upper division classes in your 2nd semester as a freshman. it is very useful.

if you are going to take BC Calculus also take Physics C, you will be set

 

[leright]

you could earn a lot of college credits, you can jump into calculus 3 in my university with a 4 or 5 on the Cal BC exam. and a lot of courses have calculus 3 as a prereq, so imagine being able to take upper division classes in your 2nd semester as a freshman. it is very useful.

if you are going to take BC Calculus also take Physics C, you will be set

My god, I wish I would have been at a high school that offered even regular calculus, let alone AP calculus. My school only went up to pre-calc...

I didn't take nearly enough math...I only went up to pre-calc. I had always expected to go into business, and didn't think I would have any interest in math. Well, I was VERY wrong, and decided to study physics, and that I had a strong passion for math. That set me back quite a bit, but I caught up by taking summer courses.

edit: in fact, my HS didn't offer ANY AP classes. THe only thing that resembled an AP class was "college english"

 

[Brad Barker]

zlright yeah that works...good to know that ap classes are as usefull as my admins/guadance counselers at my school say. thanks and yeah dc=dual credit same as dual enrollment. anyone have any experience without of state schools allowing that to count as credit? I know it may be variable, but it would be reassuring to hear that someone has

well, here's an anecdote...

i had two friends in high school who, senior year, took all dual enrollement (dual credit, as it were) classs.

one went to boston college. the other went to boston university.

boston college didn't accept any or most of the dual credits, but boston university did.


so... it's really an issue with each individual school.

and as far as i know, the only advantage to taking precalc at the college as opposed to taking it at your high school would be so that you could get a higher weighted gpa. (or if your school has a really bad math teacher or something.) and i sincerely doubt that if you get a passing grade in precalc before you enter college, but the college you go into doesn't accept the credit, that they'd make you take precalc again, if that was a concern.

 

[GCT]

AP classes are a definite plus, especially if you wish to have the prospect of graduating early. I had several friends who graduate after their 3rd year of college because they got tons of AP credit in high school...it makes life in college a lot easier, trust me.

 

[GCT]

take as many AP classes, and corresponding standardized tests as you can

 

[iggybaseball]

I only took one AP class while in high school and I would say the biggest benefit of it was the exposure to the material. I HATED chemistry but knew that I was going to have to take several courses in chemistry. Therefore I decided to take an AP class on it so I could build up my knowledge on my weekest subject. It worked like gold and I pulled 2 B's from the class. First semester of gen chem was horrible. The teacher virtually read from the book and had a difficult accent to understand. Several of my friends had a great deal of trouble. I remember thinking that I would be lost if I hadn't prepared myself as much as I had. The preparation was very well and considering that I hated the subject and that it was the only class I didn't get an A, I felt myself pretty lucky. Getting credit for taking the classes never helped since I simply didn't take the exam. But the knowledge that prepared me for college was priceless.

 

[professor]

alright i suppose you would be right, i had forgot to think that even if i don't get the classes waived they will be an easy A when i get to them or atleast an easier one. and yeah I am glad my school goes to calculus 1 (as a senior I am only taking ap/dc classes at school, and the rest at the local college-they had to make sure everything would work before the skipped me) so i get calc 2 also...hopefully if having that done is as usefull as you say then ill be set

 

[bomba923]

Professor, I am bomba923. Like you, I am a HS student, but I am a junior (11th grade).
Just a curiousity, do you live/go to school in San Francisco?

Anyway, it's always good to take several AP classes. I took the exams for AP English Lang/Comp, AP Statistics, AP Calculus BC, and AP Chemistry tests. In May 2006 (my senior year!), I will take exams of AP Economics (macro+micro), AP Physics (both B & C), AP Biology, AP English Lit., and if possible, AP Comp science (both A + AB)!

*However, I will take Calc III(3) this fall 2005 (first senior semester)!

 

[Brad Barker]

AP Physics (both B & C)

...why both?

is the schoolboard paying for it?

actually, I'm not even sure if that's allowed--they're scheduled during the same time, right? they were when i took phys b.

 

[leon1127]

Professor, I am bomba923. Like you, I am a HS student, but I am a junior (11th grade).
Just a curiousity, do you live/go to school in San Francisco?

Anyway, it's always good to take several AP classes. I took the exams for AP English Lang/Comp, AP Statistics, AP Calculus BC, and AP Chemistry tests. In May 2006 (my senior year!), I will take exams of AP Economics (macro+micro), AP Physics (both B & C), AP Biology, AP English Lit., and if possible, AP Comp science (both A + AB)!

*However, I will take Calc III(3) this fall 2005 (first senior semester)!

I don't think you can take computer science A & AB in one year, although AB test already includes A credit. Plus most college don't accept computer science credit because they don't use java as a introduction language (my own experience).

PS: after i looked at your schedule, i think you are asian...
----------------------------
take as manay as you can. I got a situation that i immigrated to US during HS and they didnt accepted any of my credit, thus college denied my admission application. BUT i took 8 AP tests this year and pass 7 of them, which makes them to re-accept me.

 

[bomba923]

I don't think you can take computer science A & AB in one year, although AB test already includes A credit. Plus most college don't accept computer science credit because they don't use java as a introduction language (my own experience).

Many thanks for the tip! (Save much time/money-->more time for other AP's)

PS: after i looked at your schedule, i think you are asian...

No...I'm Russian ("west" part of Russia-->the part in Europe, not in Asia)
*Like you, I immigrated to the United States, but I was only four at the time
However, I live in a city where Asians comprise quite a large majority...

actually, I'm not even sure if that's allowed--they're scheduled during the same time, right? they were when i took phys b.

Oh it's allowed alright...my school has two AP schedules: the "usual" schedule, around the first/second week in May...
and the "late" schedule, for students with two tests @ the same time on the same day...(i.e., take one test during usual schedule, the other during late schedule)
*However, I'll be quite busy-->have to work a couple "AP jobs" to help pay for the tests (usually tutor others @ lunch or afterschool for 30min or 1hr. Each completed service means One FREE AP test).

 

[leon1127]

...why both?

is the schoolboard paying for it?

actually, I'm not even sure if that's allowed--they're scheduled during the same time, right? they were when i took phys b.

They offer late exams for people who got conflict of 2 exams scheduled on the same day. My experience was that i took environmental science and physics C after a week after than normally people because i took chemistry and physics B on the normal schedule.

and about the fee of the test, the test itself costs about 83 dollars. But state gov and local school board will fund a little bit and the price will probably reduce to 40-50 dollars, but i only had to pay 7 dollars for each test since i had free/reduced meal.

 

[zwtipp05]

and about the fee of the test, the test itself costs about 83 dollars. But state gov and local school board will fund a little bit and the price will probably reduce to 40-50 dollars, but i only had to pay 7 dollars for each test since i had free/reduced meal.

That's if you live in a cool state! I had to pay the 83 bucks straight up. Thank you, Bob Taft! Ohio school funding is tight enough as it is.

Some schools will accept AP credits as elective credit only. I had 24 units of AP coursework accepted at my school, but I can only get 4 credits of General Education Requirements waived. However, I managed to get into Calc II (i took BC, but wasn't comfortable enough with infinite series crap to take Calc III). I also totally tested out of my Chemistry requirement.

I still get a fun schedule for next year though. Calc II, Physics, Intro to Engineering, etc.

 

[Brad Barker]

i honestly don't know why you are taking physics b AND c, from a utilitarian perspective.


at university of florida, there are three (actually four) physics sequences:

phy2004/2005
phy2053/2054
phy2048/2049 and the honors version, phy2060/2061

i honestly don't know who the first sequence is geared for. but 53/54 is the standard physics without calculus seqeuence.

here, that's what a good score on the physics b test will get you. (a 5 got me both courses and the both labs.)

but 48/49 is required for all physics majors and all engineering majors. that's the sequence with calculus.

that's where the physics c credit goes toward.


having both sequences completed is useless--i had to jettison the credit i got for 53/54, anyway, to make room for other ap credit.

 

[Learning Curve]

I don't think you can take computer science A & AB in one year, although AB test already includes A credit.

I'm also taking CS A & AB same year, this year actually. That's how we do it at my school.

Our guidance counselor lied to us over and over when I was a freshman and sophmore and now I won't be able to take all the classes I wanted to before college.

 

[leon1127]

I'm also taking CS A & AB same year, this year actually. That's how we do it at my school.

Our guidance counselor lied to us over and over when I was a freshman and sophmore and now I won't be able to take all the classes I wanted to before college.

not trying to make you down but this is from collegeboard

"Computer Science A or AB?

As you probably know, you can only take one Computer Science exam. One thing you might not know is that, even if you're taking the Computer Science AB course, you can still sign up for the Computer Science A Exam. Consider taking Computer Science A if you're not comfortable with the advanced topics taught in Computer Science AB. '

Perhaps you can take 2 classes in your school simutaneously, but you can't take 2 exams in the same year for sure.

 

[Learning Curve]

oops

Sorry, what I am taking is CS the first semester and then CS A the second semester. I misread the post.

 

[Eratosthenes]

When I took Calculus 1, 2, and Physics 1, 2 a lot of my friends had taken the corresponding AP courses in high school and they said it helped them a lot. So I think it's worth taking AP courses, even if you don't get the credit. It's a great way to reinforce what you already know plus learn other new stuff at the same time.

 

[Learning Curve]

Actually the Computer Science AP A in my school is kinda a joke. If you like computers you can get an A. A friend of mine who isn't the brightest bulb on the tree (great guy) isn't all there but got an A in the class.

What I want to know is how much are AP classes are related to college courses (difficulty wise)?

 

[professor]

can you take an ap exam without the class being taken...?

 

[leon1127]

can you take an ap exam without the class being taken...?

I self-taught physics B, C, environmental science and Calculus BC, and I was able to register for the tests and made pretty good on them except environmental science (T_T).

 

[bomba923]

I self-taught physics B, C, environmental science and Calculus BC, and I was able to register for the tests and made pretty good on them except environmental science (T_T).

Hmm...isn't Phys B knowledge generally accumulated across the years? , you know...from elementary to HS...(seriously tho!)

*Anyway, I taught myself Calculus BC, and got a 5 for both the BC score and the AB "subscore" ...and currently I'm self-teaching Physics C.
In Fall 2005 I'll be a HS senior and will take Calculus III

-Also, I must say: it's quite more fun to teach yourself! No students to slow you down...no long homework/labs/notebooks...set your own hours/style...etc..you get the point!

*IIRC, I believe this method is called, "Autodidacticism". Search it on Wikipedia or Google for interesting results!

 

[Brad Barker]

Actually the Computer Science AP A in my school is kinda a joke. If you like computers you can get an A. A friend of mine who isn't the brightest bulb on the tree (great guy) isn't all there but got an A in the class.

What I want to know is how much are AP classes are related to college courses (difficulty wise)?

the college board has college-level standards for its ap program.

whether or not your teachers live up to these standards is highly variable.

 

[Learning Curve]

the college board has college-level standards for its ap program.

whether or not your teachers live up to these standards is highly variable.

I see. That's my condition in my AP Statistics class. Our teacher isn't very difficult and only teaches about half of what's on the AP exam. Instead she has us buy the Barron's Guide to Success on the AP Statistics Examination for the rest of the material on the test

 

[Brad Barker]

I see. That's my condition in my AP Statistics class. Our teacher isn't very difficult and only teaches about half of what's on the AP exam. Instead she has us buy the Barron's Guide to Success on the AP Statistics Examination for the rest of the material on the test

yeah, i was pretty much in the same boat with ap phys b. not only did the teacher only cover half of the material (traditionally), he didn't cover it very well!


but i went on to get a 5 anyway--self-studying was critical.


so if you have the interest, do what you can to learn the material. if you feel like you didn't learn much and need statistics for what you do in college, take the class at college.


it sucks to have teachers who seem to half-*** it.