College credits

This is supplementary to the 'Question to AFA Cadet' thread about validating courses.

When an incoming cadet has taken college courses (with university or community college), can they get outright credits for it or do they still need to take validation exams ? Will rules be different for major courses (math, science) or minor ones (economics, history, etc..) ?

This is what I have gathered. College in the Schools (CIS) credits they think are a joke. The credits need to be from a normal 4 year university. You need to have an A. Each department determines how one validates, so I'm guessing in some cases the A is enough and others may still want you to test. I heard from a recent graduate that for English you need an A and at least 700 SAT Verbal (ACT equivalent also works?).

As Roman said, it depends on what the classes are, and the department determining whether you have to validate it or not. And don't confuse the word "Credits"; as in transferring credits. You could have a Bachelors degree in nuclear fission and you're still going to take 4 years of classes at the academy. You might be able to validate certain mandatory core classes, but you're still going to take the full 4 years. Even if you finished 4 years in college.

I believe that for all classes that you wish to validate, the test will need to be taken during beast. After that it's more of a case-by-case basis where you need to go and talk to the departments personally about being placed in a higher class. Like Christcorp said, you can't transfer credits.

Sometimes before the semester starts, the course director will send out an e-mail describing the criteria needed for validation. In my case, for BehSci 110, I needed to get a B or better in an Intro to Psych. course at an accredited college. I showed them an unofficial transcript and the course syllabus and it was taken out of my schedule.

So it is possible to get credits without taking any validation exams, depending on the course department, university attended and course grade. Are there any catalog, websites or documentation on this ?

Thanks.

1st; stop referring to them as "CREDITS". That can be very confusing. As if you are walking into the academy with "College Credits" in hand. You do not get college credits towards your academy degree. What they ALLOW you to do, is to skip certain prerequisite or mandatory core classes that are/might be required. You will take OTHER classes instead.

Simplest way is to understand this is to go to the extreme. If you walked in with a B.S. degree in Biology from UCLA, you are STILL going to be going to school at the academy for 4 years. Now; does that mean you have to take all the same classes over again if you've done them before? No, not necessarily. That depends on the grades of the classes and/or if they require you to take a test. No, not all validations require a physical test. As Downfall mentioned, a college transcript, high school transcript showing AP or IB test score, etc... could be all that's required. But as also said, it depends on your classes and schedule.

I found the following information on the USAFA Catalog.

Can cadets transfer credits or validate courses?

When you enter the Academy, you’ll take several validation tests offered by the various academic departments. Successful completion of a test will enable you to be placed in an accelerated or advanced course or perhaps to receive validation credit and substitute another course. Representatives from each department review transcripts of new cadets who have prior college
credit. Credit may be awarded for any college course satisfactorily completed that is equivalent to a course in the Academy curriculum. A cadet who passes a validation examination or who makes an acceptable score on a College Board Advanced Placement examination may also earn validation credit. Departments certify this credit to the Office of Registrar, Customer Service.

That is correct. Credit: As in, "You have been given credit for completing such and such a course; you don't have to take that course. You can advance to the next course if it was a prerequisite, or substitute that course for another".

NOT Credit: As in, "You've satisfied the requirements for "X" amount of classes, and will receive "12" credits" or "12 Credit Hours" towards your degree.

I am not saying that this is how you were looking at it. It doesn't sound that way at all. You were asking very valid questions. But there have been many people in the past; and undoubtedly in the future; who think if they received "Credit" for college classes taken; AP scores; IB diploma; etc... that those "CREDITS" go towards their degree at the academy. Many even ask if they have to take the full 4 years of college at the academy if they already have college "credit" from a university. Just wanted to clarify.

I validated English 111 and Economics by taking dual credit courses through my high school. Got an A in both.

It doesn't give you credits, just makes it so you don't have to take the class.

Packermatt7, did you take another English / Economics subjects in place of the ones you validated ? Or did you just have one subject less for the semester in which you were supposed to take them ?