CLEP Credit?

[Mac Blade]

I searched through a ton of old posts addressing CLEP credit but didn't find anything that really applied to my situation. In high school, I took the AP Chemistry course offered at my high school. The teacher was very thorough and the class moved at an extremely fast pace. I always felt as though I was hanging by a thread receiving mostly C's and low B's for my exam grades (there was probably a fair degree of senioritis involved in that equation). When it came time to sign up for the AP exam, I didn't feel I would score well enough on the exam to receive credit, so I opted not to pay the $80.

I took general chemistry 1 the my first semester of college, and spent the whole semester totally bored. I easily made an A for the coursel. Now, I'm tempted to take the CLEP chemistry test for credit in general chemistry 2 and take Organic instead this semester. How bad of an idea is this? I'm planning to major in Microbiology. I'll end up taking advanced Bio/Chem coursework down the road by virtue of my major.

I'm also interested in graduating in 3 years, and while not necessary to do so, testing out of gen chem 2 would allow me more freedom to take non science courses I enjoy such as philosophy, film study, and writing classes. If I presented it this way, would Adcoms see it as me taking an opportunity to make myself more well rounded, or would they view it as a chance to dodge a pre-req?

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[gettheleadout]

I've been told that CLEP credit is not viewed the same as AP credit by medical schools, given that with AP credit you're assumed to have taken an actual classroom course, whereas with CLEP credit you're just passing a test. You may not complete the prereq for gen. chem. II by simply getting the CLEP credit, but I'm not sure...

 

[Negrodamus]

I've been told that CLEP credit is not viewed the same as AP credit by medical schools, given that with AP credit you're assumed to have taken an actual classroom course, whereas with CLEP credit you're just passing a test. You may not complete the prereq for gen. chem. II by simply getting the CLEP credit, but I'm not sure...

No, the Clep exam actually counts as college credit. He'll still have to take the labs though.

 

[Choo]

I searched through a ton of old posts addressing CLEP credit but didn't find anything that really applied to my situation. In high school, I took the AP Chemistry course offered at my high school. The teacher was very thorough and the class moved at an extremely fast pace. I always felt as though I was hanging by a thread receiving mostly C's and low B's for my exam grades (there was probably a fair degree of senioritis involved in that equation). When it came time to sign up for the AP exam, I didn't feel I would score well enough on the exam to receive credit, so I opted not to pay the $80.

I took general chemistry 1 the my first semester of college, and spent the whole semester totally bored. I easily made an A for the coursel. Now, I'm tempted to take the CLEP chemistry test for credit in general chemistry 2 and take Organic instead this semester. How bad of an idea is this? I'm planning to major in Microbiology. I'll end up taking advanced Bio/Chem coursework down the road by virtue of my major.

I'm also interested in graduating in 3 years, and while not necessary to do so, testing out of gen chem 2 would allow me more freedom to take non science courses I enjoy such as philosophy, film study, and writing classes. If I presented it this way, would Adcoms see it as me taking an opportunity to make myself more well rounded, or would they view it as a chance to dodge a pre-req?

Most of the schools I applied to wouldn't take CLEPs for prereqs unless you took a more advanced course in its place, Organic excluded. In that case, it most likely wouldn't matter how you were perceived by the committee because you wouldn't meet their requirements.

You can take CLEP tests for many other Gen ed requirements, which would possibly save you just as much time.

 

[gettheleadout]

Most of the schools I applied to wouldn't take CLEPs for prereqs unless you took a more advanced course in its place, Organic excluded. In that case, it most likely wouldn't matter how you were perceived by the committee because you wouldn't meet their requirements.

You can take CLEP tests for many other Gen ed requirements, which would possibly save you just as much time.

Yeah see this is why I can't CLEP out of the english prereqs, even though I'm exempt from english classes as degree requirements.

 

[Bernoull]

Take Chem 2 and say urself heartache down the road. ADCOM don't care about ur reasons for taking Clep over the course. I CLEPed out of 3 courses as a freshman including Chem 1&2, i took the associated labs separately and fulfilled my degree requirements bla bla bla... However, for admissions purposes, most school don't accept CLEP for prereqs so I had to take chem 1&2 during my application cycle... So again save urself unnecessary heartache..

gdluck

 

[Mac Blade]

Take Chem 2 and say urself heartache down the road. ADCOM don't care about ur reasons for taking Clep over the course. I CLEPed out of 3 courses as a freshman including Chem 1&2, i took the associated labs separately and fulfilled my degree requirements bla bla bla... However, for admissions purposes, most school don't accept CLEP for prereqs so I had to take chem 1&2 during my application cycle... So again save urself unnecessary heartache..

gdluck

Well, I can't argue with your experience, this was just the sort of open and shut answer I was hoping for. Thanks for the advice.