AP tests

[MeSoPro]

if I take AP tests and get a pretty good score on them, should I still take the class in order to review/GPA booster? For example, if I get a 5 on the APChem test, should i still take Chem 101 for the review and the easy 4.0 or should save the money and take a higher level chem class?

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[x1240tony]

I believe you still have to take the class for your requirements. They will probably place you in an honors or engineering chemistry, rather than 101. You should take which ever one you feel you will do well in.

 

[nysegop]

if I take AP tests and get a pretty good score on them, should I still take the class in order to review/GPA booster? For example, if I get a 5 on the APChem test, should i still take Chem 101 for the review and the easy 4.0 or should save the money and take a higher level chem class?

To get into most medical schools you will be required to take chemistry regardless of AP credit. That's why I opted out of AP biology. I will have to take the class in college regardless of my score.

 

[Eon]

Check with the college. You might be able to skip the course and take an Honors version of it or just take an upper level science course. This is what my future uni does, that's why I opted to take the AP Bio test and just get placed in Honors.

 

[Quaxton]

To get into most medical schools you will be required to take chemistry regardless of AP credit. That's why I opted out of AP biology. I will have to take the class in college regardless of my score.

Taking AP Biology would still have boosted your GPA, even if you decided not to take the AP test.

 

[Coffee Machine]

I believe you still have to take the class for your requirements. They will probably place you in an honors or engineering chemistry, rather than 101. You should take which ever one you feel you will do well in.

This is highly school-dependent. At my undergrad, if you got a certain score, you got credit for the class, period. To the OP, I actually would encourage you to still take the course, especially if you're a science major or are thinking about medical school. Medical schools won't care either way, but a solid gen chem foundation will help you when you start studying for the MCAT.

 

[VictorAlpha]

I don't know what the requirements are at this point. I will say this though: I took credit for all my AP classes and repeated none. This was like 35 college credits mind you.... and yes, it probably did have some effect on me not doing well initially in college. If you want the "sure-est / quickest" way into w/e professional school you are thinking of..re-take the classes as if it was your first time and study hard....GPA is that important. Or at least it seemed that way to me because I didn't have it.

If you really love the subject matter and want to go a little further with it then take the more advanced class. It's more of a gamble but there's nothing saying you couldn't crush that class too.

 

[BABSstudent]

Some medical schools do not accept AP Chem credit for gen chem. Since you really don't know which medical schools you will apply to, I suggest not taking the AP test and just enroll in the class in college.

And as for honors chem or bio in college, medical schools don't care if you take them or the regular version.

Source:
http://www.uwmedicine.org/education/md-program/admissions/pages/frequentlyaskedquestions.aspx

It is question 16.

 

[thedrjojo]

IMO, take the AP classes/tests. I used AP Bio (placed out of Bio 101 and 102), AP Physics (1 course), AP Computer programming (a credit is a credit), AP Calc BC (placed out of Calc 1 and 2)... that was almost an entire year worth of courses (my undergrad, Lafayette College, every course was 1 credit [said to be equivalent to 4 credit hours], you took 4 credits a semester, and needed 32 credits to graduate, so by bringing in 6 credits via AP exams was money... my senior year was a cakewalk)

Med Schools require 6 credits of Biology (if not more nowadays... I'm about 8 years out from applying to med school so things may have changed), but not required to be Bio 101 and 102 (as a Bio major I had no issue there)

Med Schools require 6 credits of Physics, so I took physics 2 and biophysics

Med Schools require some amount of Math, so I took Statistics and Game Theory (yup, counted game theory as math requirement).

General Chemistry is a bit tougher unless you end up being a chem/biochem major. Most people won't take inorganic chemistry.... and whether a Biochemistry course would count for your gen chemistry requirement may be debatable (I'm pretty sure they aren't going to be like, oh, this guy got an A in Biochem I and II, but AP'd out of gen chem, so he doesn't meet the requirements for admission and so we are going to have to pass on him )

 

[MeSoPro]

Thank you all for the replies! I was also wondering what chem courses does APChem cover. is it just Gen chem?

 

[Quaxton]

Thank you all for the replies! I was also wondering what chem courses does APChem cover. is it just Gen chem?

I believe College Board has the syllabus for AP Chemistry that teachers are supposed to follow.
Here they are:

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_chemistry_coursedesc.pdf

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...VJjZgh&sig=AHIEtbTtc7nrGnv0luL1C6F58piS2VrHpg

 

[thedrjojo]

Thank you all for the replies! I was also wondering what chem courses does APChem cover. is it just Gen chem?

Most schools will give you credit for Chem 101 and 102 for AP Chem... some will only give you credit for Chem 101 (or the equivalent if they don't call the general chemistry 101...)