Question About AP Scores

2012Cadet

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I was just wondering if USNA accepted AP test scores for classes taken your senior year since you will already be in Plebe Summer by the time the scores come? Also, would the answer be the same for USAFA and USMA?
 
AP

When we were at the CVW a few weeks ago they said you can use a lot of the AP test to "validate" some of the classes and be ahead of the game.
 
I was just wondering if USNA accepted AP test scores for classes taken your senior year since you will already be in Plebe Summer by the time the scores come? Also, would the answer be the same for USAFA and USMA?

Yes!

In fact, one of my twins validated Calc I & II.

He had to take the Calc validation exam only because they did not have his AP score yet. The validation exams start immediately; as soon as the day after I-Day. Once they received his AP score - they upgraded his validation. Up to that point, they were only going to validate Calc I. Once they discovered he got a 5 on the AP exam - they validated him on Calc II.

He was specifically told that he validated Calc II because of the results of his Calc AP score.

If you score a 5 - you'll probably be put in Calc III your first semester Plebe Year. They make it an all-Plebe class.
 
Yes!


If you score a 5 - you'll probably be put in Calc III your first semester Plebe Year. They make it an all-Plebe class.

Just to clarify, your son took the BC test right? Most people take AB and which puts them in Calc 2...which has harder material than Calc 3
 
Yes!

In fact, one of my twins validated Calc I & II.

He had to take the Calc validation exam only because they did not have his AP score yet. The validation exams start immediately; as soon as the day after I-Day. Once they received his AP score - they upgraded his validation. Up to that point, they were only going to validate Calc I. Once they discovered he got a 5 on the AP exam - they validated him on Calc II.

He was specifically told that he validated Calc II because of the results of his Calc AP score.

If you score a 5 - you'll probably be put in Calc III your first semester Plebe Year. They make it an all-Plebe class.


So you still have to take the validation exam even though you already take the AP test (I plan on taking BC next year, so scores for math won't be problem)?

Also, can you validate Calc 3, and if not, do you get to chose if you take C3 w/Vector Fields or Optimization?

So, AP doesn't validate Chem or Physics...what a bummer. What's the deal now with validating Comp Sci (it's required right?). Is it saying AP >or =4 on AB test validates?

Also, if you get a 4 on a AP foreign language exam, you don't have to take one, right?

Finally, one last question...does anyone have a list of required classes at USNA and USAFA for any major?

Thanks...
 
-You should be able to find the majors.
-You still have to take the foreign language exams.
-I don't know about AP Chem, but the test isn't too difficult and the "Modern Chem" class they put the validators in is easier to get a good grade in than regular Chem (no OWLs) and its only one semester.
-You can choose between Optimization and Vector Fields, but there only vector fields has the plebe only option and your advisor might not let you take Optimization because you have so much potential to do well in a technical major most of which require vector fields.
-I haven't heard of anything with Comp Sci. I got a 4 on the test in high school but there was no test offered this summer and they didn't give me AP credit.
 
So you still have to take the validation exam even though you already take the AP test (I plan on taking BC next year, so scores for math won't be problem)?

Also, can you validate Calc 3, and if not, do you get to chose if you take C3 w/Vector Fields or Optimization?

So, AP doesn't validate Chem or Physics...what a bummer. What's the deal now with validating Comp Sci (it's required right?). Is it saying AP >or =4 on AB test validates?

Also, if you get a 4 on a AP foreign language exam, you don't have to take one, right?

Finally, one last question...does anyone have a list of required classes at USNA and USAFA for any major?

Thanks...

-You should be able to find the majors.
-You still have to take the foreign language exams.
-I don't know about AP Chem, but the test isn't too difficult and the "Modern Chem" class they put the validators in is easier to get a good grade in than regular Chem (no OWLs) and its only one semester.
-You can choose between Optimization and Vector Fields, but there only vector fields has the plebe only option and your advisor might not let you take Optimization because you have so much potential to do well in a technical major most of which require vector fields.
-I haven't heard of anything with Comp Sci. I got a 4 on the test in high school but there was no test offered this summer and they didn't give me AP credit.

For the first question, I meant what are their required courses as far as no matter what major you choose?

For the second question, I meant you don't have to take the class?

What are OWLs?

Can you validate Calc 3?
 
You can validate Calc 3 but I haven't met anyone here who has done it who didn't go to college first. I know a few who tested for it but failed miserably.
Correct, you do not have to take the class you validated.
OWLs are the worst thing about Plebe year. Its a bunch of computer assignments for Chemistry that take forever to do and have some weird code that you have to put in for every answer and count for a large chunk of your chem grade and the profs assign way too many for the amount of time you actually have or even need to understand the subject matter. Luckily I got out of them but watching my classmates do them makes me hate the chemistry department.

http://www.usna.edu/acdean/majors/majors.html

look at this. Add Western Civ, Calc 3, leadership classes, nav classes, capstone seminar, JO practicum, physics, EE, weapons, boats maybe?, any engineering add statics, most group 2 or all of group 1 add diff eq's, any group 3 add the 4 semesters of a language...I think that is most if not all of it.
 
Just to clarify, your son took the BC test right? Most people take AB and which puts them in Calc 2...which has harder material than Calc 3

I don't the answer to that. All I know is that he's taking Calc III his first semester in an all-Plebe class.
 
-You should be able to find the majors.
-You still have to take the foreign language exams.
-I don't know about AP Chem, but the test isn't too difficult and the "Modern Chem" class they put the validators in is easier to get a good grade in than regular Chem (no OWLs) and its only one semester.
-You can choose between Optimization and Vector Fields, but there only vector fields has the plebe only option and your advisor might not let you take Optimization because you have so much potential to do well in a technical major most of which require vector fields.
-I haven't heard of anything with Comp Sci. I got a 4 on the test in high school but there was no test offered this summer and they didn't give me AP credit.

So, you have to take a Chem class even if you validate Chem:frown:?
Does AP Psychology validate any un-major related required course?
Does anyone have list un-major related required courses for USAFA?
 
Wow, does anybody know why Computer Science says the AP test had to have been taken before 2004? I took Comp Sci AB last year and got a 5.
 
Before 2004, C++ was the language of choice for AP Comp Sci, and now I believe it is Java.

Presumably, the AP Credit is used to place out of a C++ class, and thus the AP credit earned with Java is not accepted.
 
So, you have to take a Chem class even if you validate Chem:frown:?

Most likely. Very few actually validate all of Chemistry. I only know of one who has done it and he took IB HL not AP. Even people who have taken some in college and the priors who went to Nuke school are still in Chem.
 
Thanks for clearing that up. Shame they don't have a test for it then, though, because C++ isn't too hard.
 
Is a computer class(es) required at USNA or USAFA? I know it is at USMA and was just wondering
 
Do they have something like this for USAFA? Admissions Site is hard to navigate.

I'd be interested too. My son received the catalog from AF this year with all the course offerings. For each major, it shows all the required classes - AFTER the first year. I can't find anywhere in it what a standard fourth class cadet would take.
 
You can validate Calc 3 but I haven't met anyone here who has done it who didn't go to college first. I know a few who tested for it but failed miserably.

I know for the Class of 2010 there were 82 students who validated Clac 1 and Calc 2. Of all of my son's friends who validated Calc 2 none had attended college prior to arriving at USNA. All had taken Calc BC. (In our area that is the normal AP class for Seniors in HS)

If you go to the Academic Dean's page at USNA.edu and choose "Talks" you can see the talk given to the Class of 2013 on Academics. (also 2011 is available on that page)

On page 62 of this pdf you can see the number of validations achieved by the Class of 2013 On this brief it does not give the breakdown between Clac 1 and 2, but I would suspect that it is about the same. Back for the Class of 2010 there was a pre calc test given online. Then the first week of PS they sat for Clac 1 - invited to sit for Clac 2 (AP scores came in right about that time. As I remember back then you needed a 4 on the AP AB for Calc 1 and 5 on the AP BC or pass the validation test.)

You will be amazed what you can find if you search the USNA web site for academic information, briefs, advising, majors etc I was able to also find the Brief given to the class of 2012 if you want to look at historical data.

http://www.usna.edu/AcDean/talks/talks.html
http://www.usna.edu/AcDean/talks/2013acprgrmbrf.pdf
 
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