Prepping for the plebe killer classes

airbornedaddy

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Mar 12, 2019
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Looking at getting my DS with someone to help him bone up on chem, calc, and physics before I day.

What are some major topics and good to knows covered in these courses?
 
The biggest academic obstacle the first year is Calculus and learning time management with all the headaches of the Regiment.

I had horrible writing skills, but my English grades greatly improved once grammar checker arrived in the late 90s.

Prioritize in this order, Academics, then compliance with Regiment (to get by until graduation).

Sports is merely a time filler or method to release stress by distraction. Unless misconduct, people are not kicked out for poor sports performance. Just because you are "recruited" for a sport does not mean you have to do it once at the school.
 
My son never had Calculus in high school nor an AP math course and did just fine in USMMA Calculus.

The trick is time management and focusing in on what is important (grades) and what is less important (regiment life).

We had the same worries and did not let him join any sports until the end of the 1st trimester to gauge how well he was doing.
 
Google 'USMMA Plebes Study Guides'
I found some study guides on the USMMA Southern States Parents website- are these tailored to the USMMA curriculum or simply general course overviews of Calc, Chem, Physics, and Stat? Are there other study guides that I am not seeing available that are geared specifically to KP?
 
My son never had Calculus in high school nor an AP math course and did just fine in USMMA Calculus.

The trick is time management and focusing in on what is important (grades) and what is less important (regiment life).

We had the same worries and did not let him join any sports until the end of the 1st trimester to gauge how well he was doing.
I didn't take calculus in high school either. I actually did very well in the subject until the fifth quarter of calc. Still passed, but really struggled, but that wasn't plebe year, anyway. I certainly agree that time management is key. I still played sports, though. My parents really didn't have a say. . .
 
DS will be a college transfer---has had Calc 1 & 2, Stats, Chem 1 & 2, Org Chem 1 & 2, and some English classes---does USMMA accept these or does he re-take?
 
He will not get credits for his college work, but he will be tested during INDOC and can place higher based on his performance.
 
DS will be a college transfer---has had Calc 1 & 2, Stats, Chem 1 & 2, Org Chem 1 & 2, and some English classes---does USMMA accept these or does he re-take?
My DS is in similar situation. He gets his associate's degree next month and then his high school diploma. We were told non of his classes would transfer for credit. As KPMom2013 says there is a test of some sort they take during indoc.
 
Nothing transfers but this is what the course catalog says...

"Coursework Taken at Another Institution

The Academy does not award transfer credits for courses taken elsewhere. However, a student who has completed equivalent coursework may apply for exemption from courses at the Academy. No student may exempt from more than 12 credits.
Courses may be evaluated and may be deemed as an appropriate substitute for an existing course. The Midshipman may be required to substitute an appropriate course to complete the number of credits required for a term. All decisions made by the appropriate academic department are final.
Midshipmen should apply for exemption at the start of an academic year, or after a leave of absence. All petitions for course exemption require an official transcript and a course description provided to the Registrar and appropriate department heads for evaluation."
 
Nothing transfers but this is what the course catalog says...

"Coursework Taken at Another Institution

The Academy does not award transfer credits for courses taken elsewhere. However, a student who has completed equivalent coursework may apply for exemption from courses at the Academy. No student may exempt from more than 12 credits.
Courses may be evaluated and may be deemed as an appropriate substitute for an existing course. The Midshipman may be required to substitute an appropriate course to complete the number of credits required for a term. All decisions made by the appropriate academic department are final.
Midshipmen should apply for exemption at the start of an academic year, or after a leave of absence. All petitions for course exemption require an official transcript and a course description provided to the Registrar and appropriate department heads for evaluation."
Yes, I’m really interested to understand how this works. My son has two APs and probably four or so college classes. If he can use some of these to exempt from certain courses and have a lighter load either in terms of taking fewer credits or taking easier credits, I’d like him to do that. But if this only forces him into higher level, more challenging classes, I’m not interested. Looking forward to getting an accurate answer on this as I’ve heard conflicting info.

On the off chance that someone knows exactly what can be exempted, I’m including the courses he has:
AP World History
AP Physics C
College Calculus 1 (Albany)
College Economics (Syracuse)
College Public Policy (Syracuse)
College US History 1 (Syracuse)
College US History 2 (Syracuse)
 
My son had about 17 AP credits and only 3 credits were able to transfer -- English Composition I think.
 
Yes, I’m really interested to understand how this works. My son has two APs and probably four or so college classes. If he can use some of these to exempt from certain courses and have a lighter load either in terms of taking fewer credits or taking easier credits, I’d like him to do that. But if this only forces him into higher level, more challenging classes, I’m not interested. Looking forward to getting an accurate answer on this as I’ve heard conflicting info.

On the off chance that someone knows exactly what can be exempted, I’m including the courses he has:
AP World History
AP Physics C
College Calculus 1 (Albany)
College Economics (Syracuse)
College Public Policy (Syracuse)
College US History 1 (Syracuse)
College US History 2 (Syracuse)
I would like to know as well. My son will have receive his associates degree next month. We were told nothing would transfer. He has had
English 1 & 2
Physics 1 & 2
Calc 1, 2 and has an A in Calc 3
 

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I would like to know as well. My son will have receive his associates degree next month. We were told nothing would transfer. He has had
English 1 & 2
Physics 1 & 2
Calc 1, 2 and has an A in Calc 3
The associate's degree doesn't have any value at KP. He can probably exempt one English class. Getting B's on Calc and Physics at the community college level isn't a good look either.
Yes, I’m really interested to understand how this works. My son has two APs and probably four or so college classes. If he can use some of these to exempt from certain courses and have a lighter load either in terms of taking fewer credits or taking easier credits, I’d like him to do that. But if this only forces him into higher level, more challenging classes, I’m not interested. Looking forward to getting an accurate answer on this as I’ve heard conflicting info.

On the off chance that someone knows exactly what can be exempted, I’m including the courses he has:
AP World History
AP Physics C
College Calculus 1 (Albany)
College Economics (Syracuse)
College Public Policy (Syracuse)
College US History 1 (Syracuse)
College US History 2 (Syracuse)
He can exempt World History with an AP score of 4 or 5, Economics, physics is a possibility with a AP score of 5 but probably not. A lot of decisions are made by the department heads for Math & Science. I remember they usually allowed exemptions for students with a AP score of 5. Humanities usually can exempt with a 4 or 5.
 
If your plebes test out of lower level classes, they will have to be in higher level classes. It will not lighten their credit load. The transition to academics at USMMA will be harder than you think. Their peers will also all be coming there as academic superstars and most will also have AP/IB/dual college credits. The time crunch of a heavy credit load combined with sleep deprivation, regimental duties, and Plebe knowledge demands will be much harder than you think. You might want to consider the plus side of retaking a class you already have had. It will likely take some pressure off and give your GPA a boost.
 
If your plebes test out of lower level classes, they will have to be in higher level classes. It will not lighten their credit load. The transition to academics at USMMA will be harder than you think. Their peers will also all be coming there as academic superstars and most will also have AP/IB/dual college credits. The time crunch of a heavy credit load combined with sleep deprivation, regimental duties, and Plebe knowledge demands will be much harder than you think. You might want to consider the plus side of retaking a class you already have had. It will likely take some pressure off and give your GPA a boost.
My sentiments exactly. Not looking for an easy out, but wanted to know what the possibilities were.
 
The associate's degree doesn't have any value at KP. He can probably exempt one English class. Getting B's on Calc and Physics at the community college level isn't a good look either.

He can exempt World History with an AP score of 4 or 5, Economics, physics is a possibility with a AP score of 5 but probably not. A lot of decisions are made by the department heads for Math & Science. I remember they usually allowed exemptions for students with a AP score of 5. Humanities usually can exempt with a 4 or 5.
Thank you, my son must have seen that somewhere as he mentioned that he thought he could exempt for World History with the 4 he got.

But if @kpmom2013 is correct, that doing so doesn’t allow him to take fewer credits or an “easy” course of his choosing, I guess there’s not much point trying to exempt.

I’m just confused because when my son visited, his host and others they spent time with had free periods. How do you get free periods? I assumed it may have been by exempting out of some classes.
 
If your plebes test out of lower level classes, they will have to be in higher level classes. It will not lighten their credit load. The transition to academics at USMMA will be harder than you think. Their peers will also all be coming there as academic superstars and most will also have AP/IB/dual college credits. The time crunch of a heavy credit load combined with sleep deprivation, regimental duties, and Plebe knowledge demands will be much harder than you think. You might want to consider the plus side of retaking a class you already have had. It will likely take some pressure off and give your GPA a boost.
I didn’t at all mean to imply that I think the academics are going to be easy (quite the opposite) and my son isn’t an academic superstar. It’s for that reason that I wanted to know if it was possible to take fewer credits through exemptions or to select an “easy” elective in place of an academic class through exemptions. I believe you are saying no. I definitely do not want him to go higher level than he has to.

So, assuming he forgets all about the credits he has coming in, what about this testing you mention? If they test the students to properly level them, is it to his detriment (if he doesn’t want higher level) to test well?
 
They will take math and English placement tests during INDOC. The results will place them in the appropriate level for their ability. For example, some calculus sections meet only three days per week and some meet four days per week for those who need a bit more instruction. Likewise for English. Have your DS make a reasonable effort on the placement tests. There is no point in spending an extra hour per week in class if you don't need it.
 
They will take math and English placement tests during INDOC. The results will place them in the appropriate level for their ability. For example, some calculus sections meet only three days per week and some meet four days per week for those who need a bit more instruction. Likewise for English. Have your DS make a reasonable effort on the placement tests. There is no point in spending an extra hour per week in class if you don't need it.
Got it, thank you.
 
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