Using AP Credit?

[skyhigh678]

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I've seen that a lot of medical schools allow you to substitute advanced coursework in a science subject if you choose to get out of the general courses using AP credit. I'm currently having a dilemma on whether or not I should use my AP Biology credit. On one hand, if I don't take the credit, I would retake general bio 1/2 and probably make a good grade (it's not a weed-out at my school). However, if I retake it, I believe I would have to list it as a "repeat" on AMCAS, which I'm afraid might look kind of bad (like "grade grubbing").

On the other hand, if I use my AP biology credit, I could take more interesting upper level courses like ecology, cell biology, anatomy, and microbiology etc, but then there's a risk of it not counting towards the medical school prerequisite requirements for biology since they all seem to have ambiguous requirements in terms of what counts and what doesn't. Also, if I substitute advanced coursework for the general biology courses, would they need to come with lab as well?

If anyone has any experience with using or not using their AP credit for biology, I'd really appreciate it since I need to make a decision soon. Thanks!

 

[deleted927529]

You would not have to mark Gen Bio as repeated coursework. If you don't claim credit for your AP exam, then it doesn't appear on your transcript.

I tend to think that it's best to take hard science courses in college despite AP credit so that you can adjust to college while in a subject you have already done well in. I only claimed AP credit in courses required by my university but not by my major (history, music, gov)