AP credit?

cajost

5-Year Member
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Nov 4, 2013
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My daughter has several AP credit courses she has taken since her junior year in HS. Is she able to get credit for these at USNA?
 
credit

When we visited the academy they told us they do not give credit for the courses. However, the students have the option of testing out of certain classes.
 
My next question is - do I have to pay for the course or is just taking the course enough?
 
cajost - Maybe I missed something in your question - what 'course' are you referring to?
 
Sorry I should have added more information.

Victoria's AP classes are the 1-8-1-8 courses offered by Saint Louis University. These are meant to be transferable credits. Since USNA doesn't accept the credit transfer, does she just have to take the class but not pay for it to be a transferable credit since USNA requires a test out?
 
USNA does validation tests but also uses some AP test scores to determine class placement. An Admissions officer gave me a sheet detailing the process but I do not have it with me right now. I will try to post this weekend when I have time.
 
Sounds like BDHuff09 has good info.

DS had the good fortune to sit down with a current firstie over Thanksgiving break. One good piece of information from him was that validation tests are given in first two weeks of Plebe summer. He also suggested reviewing for these tests over the summer especially if an incoming Plebe hasn't had a course recently (e.g., took AP chem/phys etc. in junior year but not senior year). The firstie is a double engineering major with language minor - just missed validating chemistry which he had taken as AP in junior year. Obviously a smart guy.
 
I called, I know I have no shame...

The registrar is a very nice man Named Chris Davis - in case you want to know.

Anyway, AP tests are the primary way to "test out" of a class. All the Plebes take a math placement test the second week of plebe summer (because you know they aren't stressed enough - his sarcastic words not mine :) He said for math it might be a good idea to do AP tests incase you don't do as well as you normally do on math tests.

I think I understand, but not fully. Victoria said she spoke with admissions and they told her they do accept credits from other schools.

:confused:
 
DS is a current Plebe. Between him and his shipmates, a lot of classes were skipped either by AP scores or validations tests. DS chose to validate classes and start ahead but the other camp is not to validate even if you are able.

The link provided by JShawShank documents the policy, but as I recall, here is some info from DS and others for a few of the classes:

AP = 5 in AP Eng or AP Lit validates the first English; a test is given to validate the second English class and I believe the pass rate is not very high - < 1%.

AP = 5 in US Govt validates government.

Test administered for Chem 1 and 2. No AP validation.

Test administered for Physics 1 and 2. No AP validation.

AP >= 4 validates Calc 1 and Calc 2; test administered for placement as well. I suppose you can validate either way.

I think AP >= 4 in AP Psych validates an elective.

I think DS took an online math placement test as well. I suppose by scoring well, you are able to sit for the Calc 1 and possibly Calc 2 validation test.

I believe this information is correct from USNA '17. Please feel free to add/update.

bandad
 
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DS is a current Plebe. Between him and his shipmates, a lot of classes were skipped either by AP scores or validations tests. DS chose to validate classes and start ahead but the other camp is not to validate even if you are able.

AP >= 4 validates Calc 1 and Calc 2; test administered for placement as well. I suppose you can validate either way.

I think DS took an online math placement test as well. I suppose by scoring well, you are able to sit for the Calc 1 and possibly Calc 2 validation test.

I believe this information is correct from USNA '17. Please feel free to add/update.

bandad

AP test scores of 5 for Calc will not validate--plebes will have to pass the placement tests. If Calc 1 is validated, Calc 2 is administered, and if that is passed, Calc 3, etc. They appear to be pickier about STEM class validation through AP testing than the humanities.
 
http://www.usna.edu/Academics/Candidate-Information/Course-Validation-Policy.php

For some reason people seem to think that USNA doesn't take very many AP credits for validation. That is not true.

Pretty much every AP Test I can think of, aside from Art, Music Theory, Chem, Physics, and Enviro validate for something.

If you received a 4 or 5 on the AP Chem/AP Physics C tests, you will crush the Chem/Physics validation tests. Don't forget your calculator.

Even though it is not listed, most people who received a 4 or a 5 on the AP Comp Sci test will validate IC211 (Object Oriented Programming) after challenging the course.
 
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AP test scores of 5 for Calc will not validate--plebes will have to pass the placement tests. If Calc 1 is validated, Calc 2 is administered, and if that is passed, Calc 3, etc. They appear to be pickier about STEM class validation through AP testing than the humanities.

So to validate Calc 1 and/or Calc 2, you must have an AP >= 4 (as stated in the policy) AND pass the validation test? Maybe that's the answer but I don't personally know for sure. I guess I am not clear on how AP scores impact Calc validation. If the Calc AP scores don't matter, and validation is only based on the validation test, it seems to me they would have left off Calc AP scores from the policy as is the case for Chem and Physics validation.
 
So to validate Calc 1 and/or Calc 2, you must have an AP >= 4 (as stated in the policy) AND pass the validation test? Maybe that's the answer but I don't personally know for sure. I guess I am not clear on how AP scores impact Calc validation. If the Calc AP scores don't matter, and validation is only based on the validation test, it seems to me they would have left off Calc AP scores from the policy as is the case for Chem and Physics validation.

DS had a score of 5 on his AP exam for BC calc. He still took the online math test pre-Plebe summer and was required to take the Calc validation tests in the first week or 2 of plebe summer--validated Calc 1 and 2. FYI, scored a 4 on AP Chem, didn't validate chem (but had an easy time with the class).
 
Everyone is required to take validation exams, regardless of AP test scores. They will not bother to separate AP students from the group; the entire 4/C regiment is corralled into Dahlgren at once for each exam. But if you have a 5 in AP English and sleep through the English validation exam or make a smiley face with your scantron, you will still validate English I, as long as your scores made it to the Academy.
 
OK, so from the web site and what I am reading here, this is what I think is the real deal:

1. All plebes take tests in basic subjects (Cal, English, chemistry, etc.)
2. These tests are used to place students at the appropriate level in subjects
3. In subjects like English, if you have taken the AP exam and scored 4/5 you will automatically be placed in the next level even though you are still required to take the placement test.

What I still don't know is if the academy accepts transfer credits that my daughter has with Saint Louis University.
 
What I still don't know is if the academy accepts transfer credits that my daughter has with Saint Louis University.

My understanding is no -- transfer credits don't count. Say a student comes in with 0.5-3.5 yrs of college credit, he/she would still start over on a 4-yr BS degree. The difference if he/she could validate some classes early (through testing and/or AP credit) and move into more advanced classes earlier, thereby freeing up time in years 2-4 for other classes.
 
Everyone is required to take validation exams, regardless of AP test scores. They will not bother to separate AP students from the group; the entire 4/C regiment is corralled into Dahlgren at once for each exam. But if you have a 5 in AP English and sleep through the English validation exam or make a smiley face with your scantron, you will still validate English I, as long as your scores made it to the Academy.

My (now) 1/C reported that as a plebe she was pulled aside with about 40 other "high validators" for special advising.
 
http://www.usna.edu/Academics/Candidate-Information/Course-Validation-Policy.php

For some reason people seem to think that USNA doesn't take very many AP credits for validation. That is not true.

Pretty much every AP Test I can think of, aside from Art, Music Theory, Chem, Physics, and Enviro validate for something.

If you received a 4 or 5 on the AP Chem/AP Physics C tests, you will crush the Chem/Physics validation tests. Don't forget your calculator.

Even though it is not listed, most people who received a 4 or a 5 on the AP Comp Sci test will validate IC211 (Object Oriented Programming) after challenging the course.

The sheet I have is basically a paper version of this link so I'm not going to type all of it out unless someone really needs it.
 
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