Am I just being lazy about school?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the considerations of taking the CLEP test for college credit in calculus versus retaking the course at a university. Participants explore the implications of CLEP acceptance at various institutions, particularly focusing on the University of Washington, and the broader context of preparing for a computer science degree.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire to take the CLEP test for calculus credit but notes that their preferred schools do not accept it.
  • Another participant suggests that the lack of acceptance of the CLEP test by multiple schools might indicate concerns about its equivalency to university-level calculus.
  • A different viewpoint emphasizes that if a student is enrolled in an accredited university-level calculus course, they can typically receive credit based on their transcript without needing to take an exam.
  • One participant shares their experience of consulting an adviser who provided a sample final exam to assess their calculus competency, suggesting that demonstrating understanding may lead to credit.
  • Another participant distinguishes between credit and placement, indicating that while placement into higher-level classes may be possible, credit acceptance is school-dependent and often unfavorable for competitive universities.
  • Concerns are raised about the perceived low standards of the CLEP test and the declining quality of high school calculus education, suggesting that passing the CLEP may not equate to the same understanding as peers in university courses.
  • One participant advises that for a computer science degree, focusing on discrete mathematics may be more beneficial than calculus.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the validity and acceptance of the CLEP test, with no consensus on whether it is a viable option for obtaining calculus credit. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach to take for college credit in calculus.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the variability in policies regarding CLEP acceptance and credit transfer among different universities, as well as the potential differences in the quality of calculus education at the high school level.

breebreebran
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I'm currently a senior in high school.
I'm in Calc I right now and I'm sure by the end of the year ill be proficient enough in it. So what I want to do is take the CLEP test and get credit for it in college instead of having to repeat a semester of it. But all of the schools I want to go to don't accept the CLEP test.
All my life I've wanted to move to Seattle, Washington
But UW doesn't accept the CLEP test. So now I'm weighted between finding a school that does accept CLEP, or just going to UW and paying for another semester of something I already know how to do.
Should I just retake it in college?
I want to get a bachelors in computer science if it matters.
 
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I know nothing at all about the CLEP test. But consider that if more than a few schools don't accept it, there could be a good reason. Perhaps in the past it has not shown to be equivalent to university-level calculus.

It's your decision in the end, but yeah I think it's silly to disqualify a school based on one class. Especially if it's a school you've wanted to go to all your life.
 
If you're enrolled in a university level course that's being taught at an accredited institution, then you don't have to take an exam to skip it... you give the new university your transcript and usually they will give you credit for the course.

If the course you're taking is not a university level calculus course, or it's not being taught by a recognized institution/instructor... what would lead you to believe that you're going to know the material already?
 
I was in a similar kind of situation, I spoke to an adviser in the math department. They were unsure of the competency of my calc class so he handed me a sample final for one of their calc classes.

Not saying every school would be that flexible but it may be possible. After all, demonstrating an understanding of the material is usually at the top of the list for receiving credit.
 
Credit and placement are different things. If you learn enough to be placed in a higher level class, I'm sure you can get placed there. As for getting credit, that depends entirely on the school. Read their web pages to get information on that. Generally speaking CLEP is useless if you are intending to go to any sort of even slightly competitive university. For University of Washington, I suspect that http://www.washington.edu/oea/services/testing_center/mpt.html is all that will matter for placement.

Meanwhile, be aware that for CS you'll want to be learning more discrete math. Calculus, while probably required, is rarely useful for CS. You'll want to learn combinatorics, probability, graph theory, set theory, logic, maybe some number theory, ... Lots to do that you can start on now if you like.
 
The bar for CLEP isn't terribly high. That's why places don't always accept it. So the whole premise - that you understand the material as well as other students because you can pass the CLEP test - is flawed. Also, the quality of HS calculus has gone way down as the number of students has gone way up. In the mad rush to calculus, often things get left out.
 

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