Retaking AP Credit-Earned Courses

[LoftyIdealist]

I've been looking into medical schools to apply to, and I've noticed that certain schools require or recommend a certain amount of hours of non-science (arts, foreign languages, humanities, social sciences) courses. However, I received enough college credits (30+) through AP exams such that I only have to take one more general education course required for graduation.

I understand that not every medical school works the same way, but generally, how would it be perceived if I decide to retake these 100-level classes for which I already have credit (granted, through AP exams)? These would include classes like English composition and literature, history, political science, psychology, et cetera.

Would the admissions committee look at this as "shying away" from challenge, even though I'm planning to double major in chemistry and microbiology, which entails 17+ credits of science courses per semester? In other words, would this decision adversely affect me in any way? I'd rather take these easy courses than upper-level non-science courses that would take away more time from more important activities, such as volunteering and research.

But at the same time, would taking only science (and math-based) courses each semester have a detrimental effect as well? Or should I try to work in at least one non-science course per semester? And if it helps in your advice/assessment, I'm in my first year of university, and I'm currently fulfilling most pre-requisites for admissions (General Biology/Chemistry/Physics I/II with labs, Calculus II/III, Statistics).

Thanks in advance.

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[Sammich117]

I'd try to take at least a couple. Also, make sure your college explicitly lists what courses you got AP credits for on your transcript. Some schools just lump it all together as "AP Credit" and med schools won't take it unless the course is listed.

 

[LoftyIdealist]

I'd try to take at least a couple. Also, make sure your college explicitly lists what courses you got AP credits for on your transcript. Some schools just lump it all together as "AP Credit" and med schools won't take it unless the course is listed.

Would Abnormal Psychology (upper division) count as non-science? In any case, if any medical schools require that I take certain non-science classes (and I'm already accepted), could I take them during the summer before I matriculate?

Will I have to list all of the courses for which I received AP credit on the AMCAS application regardless of the situation? Or is it only required if you plan on using that particular credit to fulfill a medical school prerequisite? If I don't plan on using any for medical school admissions, then would that mean I don't have to list them? For example, I didn't have to take Calculus to fulfill the one year calculus requirement for most medical schools due to AP credit, but I wanted to fulfill all of the prerequisites at the college-level, so I just decided to do Calculus II and III (for the one year requirement). So, in this case, would medical schools "want" to see that I have credit for Calculus I?

I'll have to look into that lumping, as I've talked to several advisers at the university, but they've all said different things. It doesn't help that one transcript lists these AP credits as "Transfer Credits" and the amount of credits, and another transcript lists the exams individually and the corresponding course for which I received credit.

 

[rockymhs]

I was in same position as you.

I came to college with lot of AP credits.

For many pre-req courses that you may have gotten AP credit for, they will count as long as you take upper level courses for that subject.

For example, if you have AP chem credit, you can take biochem or p-chem to make you AP chem credit count, and you won't have to worry about it.

However, I had AP physics credit, and I did not want to take upper level physics course. So I went ahead and re-took physics.

So, you can re-take college courses after receiving AP credits. However, I recommend taking upper level courses for each subject if you can.

If you are a biology-related major, biology and chemistry will be well taken care of in the course of your college years.

 

[rockymhs]

Would Abnormal Psychology (upper division) count as non-science? In any case, if any medical schools require that I take certain non-science classes (and I'm already accepted), could I take them during the summer before I matriculate?

Will I have to list all of the courses for which I received AP credit on the AMCAS application regardless of the situation? Or is it only required if you plan on using that particular credit to fulfill a medical school prerequisite? If I don't plan on using any for medical school admissions, then would that mean I don't have to list them? For example, I didn't have to take Calculus to fulfill the one year calculus requirement for most medical schools due to AP credit, but I wanted to fulfill all of the prerequisites at the college-level, so I just decided to do Calculus II and III (for the one year requirement). So, in this case, would medical schools "want" to see that I have credit for Calculus I?

I'll have to look into that lumping, as I've talked to several advisers at the university, but they've all said different things. It doesn't help that one transcript lists these AP credits as "Transfer Credits" and the amount of credits, and another transcript lists the exams individually and the corresponding course for which I received credit.

Psychology would go under "behavioral & social science."

As for listing out your AP credits, you must include all AP credits that your college accepted. Since your school accepted 30 credits from AP, you will have to list all of them in AMCAS even if your transcript may lump them together in some cases. Some of those AP courses will fulfill your pre-req courses as long as you take upper division courses or retake them. But once again, I highly recommend taking uppder division courses.

 

[riverjib]

I'd try to take at least a couple. Also, make sure your college explicitly lists what courses you got AP credits for on your transcript. Some schools just lump it all together as "AP Credit" and med schools won't take it unless the course is listed.

I know a lot of people who entered college as sophomores, since they had AP credit that satisfied basic science and English classes. Those who didn't major in something that is typically pre-med (bio, chem, etc.) AND chose to graduate in four years instead of three took one or two upper-level classes in the subjects that their AP credit satisfied. For example, if AP bio and English satisfied the requirements, they took cell bio and a 300 level English class.

There are a few schools that require you to take all BCPM pre-reqs in college. A friend in my lab crossed off schools that did that, because he thought it was ridiculous to take freshman-level courses he aced in high school. He listed the schools...I think BU might have been one, but I'm probably wrong.

I wouldn't necessarily re-take classes you took in high school, unless one of your top choices is among those that have these requirements. In most cases, upper level classes in those fields >>> 100-level classes. But med schools certainly wouldn't judge you for taking them if you have time to do so, as long as you explain that you did so to ensure that you could apply broadly. Plus, in many schools (including mine) getting an A in introductory-level sciences like gen chem is actually much harder than getting an A in PChem or inorganic, since the intro courses are meant to weed out less qualified pre-meds.

I think the whole AP thing is silly. They should universally be considered "real" college courses, or not. I think that if you've mastered the material and your college accepts the credit, it should be counted across the board. It was completely different when I was in high school. AP courses were only offered to seniors, and it was tough to get into them. An example of how it worked: 50-60 students took physics junior year, in 4 classes. One was an honors course. Only those who earned above a 93 (an A in my school) got into AP physics, which was a C-level AP course. There were 15 of us. Our AP teacher told us on day one that he wanted us to take the exam, but that he thought that we should probably take Physics I anyway when we matriculated. I was the only one who wasn't accepted to MIT, Brown, Hopkins, Harvard, or some other elite institution. He (and my six other AP teachers) told us that our schools would present the material differently than it was presented in the AP curriculum. Plus, having learned the concepts well enough to score a 4-5 on the AP exams, freshman year would be much easier, and our freshman GPAs would fare well.

That's obviously completely different, thirteen years later. Students now take AP classes before they prepare for the PSAT. Maybe it's been watered down a bit, or maybe high schools are more efficient in preparing top students for college. Given my experience in the last few years, I think the former is true. Either the whole AP thing should be abolished, or reserved only for the top few students who are so prepared for college course work that AP credit is treated seriously enough to be included in students' college GPA. Otherwise, what's the point?

 

[LoftyIdealist]

Thanks rockymhs. I take your points very well.

I am definitely planning on taking upper-level science courses such as cell and molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, microbiology, immunology, parasitology, virology, bacteriology, anatomy and physiology, et cetera, so I'm not too concerned about this matter. I'm more so concerned whether I should take upper-level or lower-level non-science courses for medical schools that explicitly require them. I should have also noted that these certain medical schools do not accept AP credit in lieu of these non-science requirements, so I suppose they require taking them at the college level. In that event, would it matter if I retook these AP credit-earned lower-level courses?

 

[Morsetlis]

If time isn't of concern, I'd retake the easy freshman-level classes. Having only 2 lower div classes and 3 upper div classes in an area means that a B in an upper div class will lower your GPA more, absolutely, than a B in an upper div class when you have 3 lower div classes and 3 upper div classes in that area, assuming that you ace the freshman-level class because a.) it's easy and b.) you took the AP test.

I know that I have the same amount of B's as a friend, but his GPA is higher simply because he spent 4 years in college instead of my 2.5. Curse you, AP classes!

 

[riverjib]

If time isn't of concern, I'd retake the easy freshman-level classes. Having only 2 lower div classes and 3 upper div classes in an area means that a B in an upper div class will lower your GPA more, absolutely, than a B in an upper div class when you have 3 lower div classes and 3 upper div classes in that area, assuming that you ace the freshman-level class because a.) it's easy and b.) you took the AP test.

I know that I have the same amount of B's as a friend, but his GPA is higher simply because he spent 4 years in college instead of my 2.5. Curse you, AP classes!

Bad advice. If you're really qualified to take upper division classes, it shouldn't be too hard to ace them if you work hard enough. If you struggle enough that you get B's, then maybe my high school teachers weren't off base when they recommended taking entry-level classes.

Really, if you're putting in the effort to excel, there's really no excuse for getting less than an A- in a course you were adequately prepared to take, unless you had an unusually tough professor or difficult personal circumstances that semester.

It doesn't matter whether you apply after 2.5 or 4 (or more) semesters. Med schools don't pay special attention to those who graduate early. They only care about how you did in the long run. If your GPA isn't highly competitive, you're better off taking an extra year to improve it before applying. Better to take an extra year to get your bachelor's degree than to have to do a Master's program that (generally) costs more. I don't understand those who believe that early graduation with a 3.3 will be looked upon more favorably than timely graduation with a 3.7.

 

[Morsetlis]

You're not accounting for statistical fluctuations. Chances are, a person will get a small amount of B's in their college career. Now apply that to what I just said.

Assuming you don't have a perfect 4.0, retaking classes since high school will turn that <4.0 closer to 4.0, regardless of whether or not your grade in Super Advanced Upper Div Biochemistry is an A or not.

If your GPA isn't highly competitive, you're better off taking an extra year to improve it before applying.

This is the gist of my post, genius.

I don't understand those who believe that early graduation with a 3.3 will be looked upon more favorably than timely graduation with a 3.7.

...is in direct opposition with:

If you're really qualified to take upper division classes, it shouldn't be too hard to ace them if you work hard enough.

...wherein taking upper div classes right away results in an early graduation.

 

[phoenixsuns]

You're thinking too hard about this. In my experience, med schools couldn't care what classes you took, just how you did in them. It's not like high school where taking hard classes makes you look better. An A in English 1A always looks better than an A- in English 150. Also, I don't think there is much correlation in what you learned in AP English and what you learn in college level English classes. My recommendation is retake all of your AP Science classes, regardless of what they were, and retake any of the non science classes that you have to take/ want to take. Don't forget that upper level humanities classes are generally taken by humanities majors and everything is graded on a curve. Just because you took AP English doesn't mean you can compete with English majors who took a lot of English classes at your school already

 

[Narmerguy]

I would retake some of them if you don't think you're prepared to excel at the next level.

 

[deleted482591]

"as long as you explain that you did so to ensure that you could apply broadly."

How do you explain this medical schools? Like when would you even talk about this?

 

[jsf0120]

I also had a significant amount of AP credits coming into college. I think that overall it hurt my GPA, bc I never got the As in history or English that would have boosted my "all other" GPA. On the other hand, my schedule was free to take more upper level electives that weren't part of my major, like nutrition or pharmacology. I had a letter writer address this, and will address it in my secondary.

 

[trickydick]

Wow, this thread is from 6 years ago, still relevant to me though.

Also note, not only would all the courses need to be listed on AMCAS, both AP and the actual class, the will be noted as a repeated course on AMCAS

I have been curious about this for a while. I'm considering either doing an SMP or a DIY postbacc in which I would take all the science classes I had AP credit for(2 semesters of chem, bio, physics each). Do you think the DIY postbacc be an acceptable way to improve my grades because I already have a biochem degree and would be "retaking" those classes? Also, would it look bad to do it at a CC since my local university/undergrad won't let me take classes I have AP credit for a grade or credit? Just would like to avoid dishing out for an SMP if there is an alternate path I could take.

 

[trickydick]

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