AP Results

Whatisnext2017

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Are senior AP test results used for any reason DS has a little senioritis going into his APs tests. Any advice?
 
AP scores are used in the process to "validate" a plebe course - but he can also take tests during Beast to help in the process, so unless he strongly wants to skip ahead or take an advanced level of a class, I wouldn't worry too much about not reporting AP scores on tests that don't go as well as you'd want.
 
AP scores are used in the process to "validate" a plebe course - but he can also take tests during Beast to help in the process, so unless he strongly wants to skip ahead or take an advanced level of a class, I wouldn't worry too much about not reporting AP scores on tests that don't go as well as you'd want.

True. But keep in mind validating a course frees up room for something else. But you're correct that it's 'no mas' either way.
 
As Kinnem said, validating will free up room for courses later on, but additionally it can help with some of the Plebe killers like Chemistry. After his overnight in March and talking to the current plebes, my DS came back determined to score well on the APs so he can validate at least two or three classes including hoping to validate Chemistry and Physics.
 
As Kinnem said, validating will free up room for courses later on, but additionally it can help with some of the Plebe killers like Chemistry. After his overnight in March and talking to the current plebes, my DS came back determined to score well on the APs so he can validate at least two or three classes including hoping to validate Chemistry and Physics.

By validating your physics and chemistry classes, wouldn't that mean you will have to take tougher classes, in there place.
 
Validating moves you ahead in the general requirements so you can get to classes in your major. I have heard cadets say it really helps in later years to fit in electives that interest you. Since plebes all take tests for plebe classes at the same time, it can also get you a free hour or two.

Hopefully you are not thinking that not validating will make academics easier. I've heard that they have a way of identifying if you don't need a class and giving an academic year "promotion" mid-stream.
 
To date, validating Chem just means you take advanced Chem. Some like it, some do not.

As indicated, for certain other classes validation means you move to the next one in sequence.

But you will have a full load as a plebe. As others have indicated, the benefit surfaces as an upperclass cadet. More flexibility in scheduling, double major options, and as cows or firsties supposedly you can see lighter schedules.

If you have high AP scores, you'll want to bring hardcopy or electronic to have on hand. Useful even as a Yearling, DS validated Econ or something like that by producing his AP scores.

And yes, many classes "resection" mid-semester. You will be moved to similar ability section if you are an outlier on scoring. I've mostly seen it move cadets to harder sections when they are making A+, etc.
 
To date, validating Chem just means you take advanced Chem. Some like it, some do not.

Incorrect. It is possible to fully validate both chemistry and physics; I know from personal experience with chem.

Validating chem allowed me to start my language as a plebe
validating history allowed me to knock out AP as a plebe
validating English allowed me to knock out philosophy as a plebe

pretty much everything except math opens up doors to more freedom down the road; math just puts you in a much harder plebe year course.
 
Advanced courses are just an "advanced section" which means you learn the same thing but, supposedly, the students are smarter so the discussions are better or the lectures don't have to take as long. For example, in advanced chem, you do some enrichment trips (I don't think regular chem gets to do it) and classes generally don't last as long. However, you have to complete a few problem sets and lab reports that regular chem doesn't have to (they do a different system). I highly recommend advanced chem.
 
Incorrect. It is possible to fully validate both chemistry and physics; I know from personal experience with chem.

Congrats, you are the first I've heard of to completely validate chemistry.

Just goes to show that many quoted "policies" can have exceptions, can vary from year to year, etc. What was true 2 years ago, likely has changed this year, and may change more for the upcoming class.

The old USMA site had more info, and I believe covered the standard/advanced chemistry policy. The current site just has this:
http://www.usma.edu/academics/SitePages/Advanced%20Placement.aspx

I can't find the dept validation pages that used to exist.

But that's great it's an option. For what it's worth, DS had an AP 4 in chem, and did not validate. But it is used to stack the classes by capability.


Validating chem allowed me to start my language as a plebe
validating history allowed me to knock out AP as a plebe
validating English allowed me to knock out philosophy as a plebe

pretty much everything except math opens up doors to more freedom down the road; math just puts you in a much harder plebe year course.

You might have misunderstood my post, I'm very much advocating taking AP if you can do 4-5's. And bring the paperwork to USMA or have your scores sent. DS validated 3 or 4 plebe courses, and another as a yearling.

Enough that he is now double major, and taking some 400 level courses as a yearling. I'm sure several others on the board are doing similar
 
So, what classes can I validate, you think? I know that it is all speculation, but from experience and general knowledge:

If I have a 5 in US & World History, do I get out of the general History class?
If I have a 5 in US Politics and Government, do I get out of the government class?

If I have a 3 & 5 in English Composition and Literature, respectively, can I get out of both philosophy and plebe English?

I am taking my AP Chem tomorrow and my AP Calc Wednesday... but I am not a hard science guy, so I doubt I will score high enough to validate.

Also, do they take your SAT scores in consideration, for example reading/writing scores?

Also what about already earned college credit. I am in high school, but took Chem 105 though Indiana University and got a B on the semester grade, should I be sure to submit this information to Admissions? For that matter, do college credit previously earned weigh more than AP Scores? Because I have a decent amount of credit hours and actual semester grades.

Thanks!
 
This is the Dean's realm, they take both the college and AP scores into account but not so much your SAT. There needs to be a solid link, so while good on your English composition/literature scores, I don't think that is strong enough on its own for Philosophy unless in Beast you can adequately show you know the difference b/w Jus en Bellum and Jus ad Bellum, and many of the other theoretical underpinnings of warfare.
 
So, what classes can I validate, you think? I know that it is all speculation, but from experience and general knowledge:

If I have a 5 in US & World History, do I get out of the general History class?
If I have a 5 in US Politics and Government, do I get out of the government class?

If I have a 3 & 5 in English Composition and Literature, respectively, can I get out of both philosophy and plebe English?

I am taking my AP Chem tomorrow and my AP Calc Wednesday... but I am not a hard science guy, so I doubt I will score high enough to validate.

Thanks!

-You will probably validate plebe history
-You will have to contact the SOSH department when you get here. They normally do not look at yuk classes for validation because it doesn't apply to most plebes
-No. You will take a English validation test during Beast. They then bump the top performers into EN 102 (while your classmates take EN 101). You cannot validate philosophy
-Calc and chem are primarily based on your performance on the validation tests you take during Beast
 
So, how did you validate philosophy?

Thanks for the info!
 
I did not validate philosophy. Normally, you take EN 101 as a 1st semester plebe, EN 102 as a second semester plebe, and Philosophy as a Yuk. I validated EN 101, so I took EN 102 1st semester plebe year. I then was able to take Philosophy as a second semester plebe.
 
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