Applying to Top Med Schools with AP Credit?

[Paul202]

I was wondering if any of y'all have had the same troubles I have had this cycle. I believed my high schools advisors when they told me to take as many AP credit's as possible, among them AP Chemistry, Physics, English, Calc, and Stats. The extra credits I came in let me double major and minor, however now I'm beginning to see a big problem.

Among the schools I am applying to, it looks like schools like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Cornell all have problems with certain AP credit classes. I have been in contact with the admissions office for these schools, which usually means bending over backwards to explain how I fulfill the requirements. Not only that, but since nobody is in the office due to COVID I am force to rely on email instead on a phone call.

Has anyone else had these same difficulties during their application cycle, and if so were you able to get them resolved? My family says I should just apply and it should work out, but I don't have the time to write secondaries and the funds to afford the schools if I will end up being ineligible anyway.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Orangekiwi]

The short answer is that it depends. What classes do you have AP credit for? Some schools will accept AP credit, some will accept it for the class but not for the lab requirement, some won’t accept it but will accept upper level classes as a replacement. If you placed out of general chemistry did you place out of both semesters or just one? Did you take any upper level chemistry classes? (Biochemistry can count as one at most schools) same goes for physics and math, if you placed out, did you take any other classes in the department? Harvard I believe requires two semesters of calculus, although that may have changed. Have you looked into MSAR? It’s $30 for the year, and gives you information on every schools academic requirements, and whether they accept AP or online credit to fill it. The one thing I can tell you is that schools are unlikely to stray from what their stated policies are, as the LCME mandates that schools have specific guidelines for admission that they follow exactly to ensure that their students meet the criteria for medical education.

 

[Paul202]

The short answer is that it depends. What classes do you have AP credit for? Some schools will accept AP credit, some will accept it for the class but not for the lab requirement, some won’t accept it but will accept upper level classes as a replacement. If you placed out of general chemistry did you place out of both semesters or just one? Did you take any upper level chemistry classes? (Biochemistry can count as one at most schools) same goes for physics and math, if you placed out, did you take any other classes in the department? Harvard I believe requires two semesters of calculus, although that may have changed. Have you looked into MSAR? It’s $30 for the year, and gives you information on every schools academic requirements, and whether they accept AP or online credit to fill it. The one thing I can tell you is that schools are unlikely to stray from what their stated policies are, as the LCME mandates that schools have specific guidelines for admission that they follow exactly to ensure that their students meet the criteria for medical education.

Harvard actually changed their math requirements this year completely, now there is no requirement just recommendations. Funnily enough some of the data on MSAR is misleading at best and at times incorrect, I actually had to send screenshots of the MSAR to Duke Admissions office since they told me that they accept all AP credit, contrary to what the MSAR says. For other schools is there is any ambiguity AP credit is always marked as not accepted, even if the truth is that it can be substituted for higher level courses.

 

[smearguardhighlighter]

I have had nearly no issue with my (large) school list using Bio + Math APs. JHU/NYU/Harvard/Duke/Pitt/Keck accepted it without issue though for Harvard, I took a couple upper level bios so that might have been why they said it's not a problem. Yale took upper levels too. Columbia and Cornell, I didn't apply to for this reason, though. The one that might give you a bit of trouble is chemistry but from what I've seen, it's usually Bio that they give people an issue with.

Long story short, I checked nearly 50 schools' MSAR/websites and called all of the ambiguous ones, and the ones that didn't accept it unconditionally were more the exception than the rule. Check MSAR, check websites, and write down all of the ones that take APs without an issue. From there, email the ambiguous ones and don't add them until they respond. Then evaluate whether you're happy with this school list. It will limit you at some schools, but it's really not enough to not apply, from my limited experience. If you're a CA resident, UCs are ones that I've heard can be issue though.

 

[Paul202]

@gonnif Thank you for the detailed breakdown!

@tonybaloney That is what I have been doing, so far Cornell and Yale have gotten back to me but I am still waiting on Harvard and Columbia. You may have gotten lucky - it seems that schools are pretty accepting of AP math and bio classes, but when it comes to Physics, Chem, and English (ones that I used) - they are not that forgiving. Good luck this application cycle!

 

[smearguardhighlighter]

@Paul202 You're right, I don't know specifics for chem/physics (my very low AP score on those saved me I guess, haha) though bio kept me out of some places.

Good luck to you too, I hope it works out!

 

[angelino]

Some universities don't let you take the same class if you have 4 or 5 on AP exam. They consider that repeating and they don't allow students to repeat courses for easy grades. Then what? It isn't your choice.