Validating classes

J

jipsyjips

5-Year Member
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Jul 7, 2016
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so I’m planning on *trying* to validate English and Calc and whatnot but it’s really not going to happen since I did not put enough effort or thought into preparing consciously for the exams.

How many classes will I take a day if I don’t validate them vs if i do? Also, what are some major advantages if I do validate stuff??

I am very regretful of not realizing USAFA will let me validate stuff. Idiot!!!!

Thank you!
 
During basic you will have the opportunity to take exams that will help place you in classes. There is no right or wrong answer. My DD took AP Calc as a junior and college Calc course her Sr. year. She still had to take the exams in basic and was placed in Calc 3 which was very challenging. Doing some retreading and taking courses that you are familiar with actually has advantages as USAFA courses are hard and you will may have a lot of adjustments to make in other areas. Either way most cadets take either 5 or 6 classes their first semester and a similar number the second semester.
 
You will not have "more classes" per day, per se. More than likely, you will still have 5 courses 1st semester of 4* year and 6 courses 2nd semester.

Where validating comes in handy is typically later on in your cadet career. Validating X number of classes means you can take X number less during some future semester (not less than 4 per semester, though). Alternatively, you may be able to replace the X classes you validated with X classes toward a foreign language or other minor. Essentially, validating helps free up your schedule to add more classes or have a lighter workload later on.

However, it is also a double-edged sword. If you "accidentally" validate a class which you are not truly proficient in, it may very well come back to bite you, especially if it is a subject intimately related to your major. For example, "accidentally" validating Calc 1 may seem like a boon, but if you then declare an engineering major with a heavy math emphasis, you will probably wish you had retaken Calc 1 instead of skipping it.

Keep in mind that not validating is not a bad thing. When I first came here, there were at least 1-2 classes I could probably have validated and yet consciously chose not to. They were very technical classes closely related to my major, and I ended up not regretting my choice. Plus, being familiar with the subject material will pay dividends when the homework piles up and everyone else is taking twice as long to do the same problems...

So in summary--do your best on the tests, but be careful about trying to skip majors-related classes you aren't proficient in. And don't stress about it. I would venture to say that most people don't validate much (if at all), and yet they typically do just fine. Yes, they're busy, but your schedule will be busy whether or not you validate...

Good luck!
 
Our DS validated 28 hours (English, Calc 1&2, Physics, Chem 1&2, Micro-Econ). He never regretted it. You do start with more challenging classes (organic chemistry and Calc 3 as a Plebe 1st Semester) but it opened huge opportunity for him down the road by freeing classes because you finish core classes earlier. You can do research, 2nd major, or even start a masters. Oddly enough, on parents weekend we actually sat in church with the head of the math and science. He said ALWAYS validate. Kids who try to slide by with material they already know hoping for an easy A always regret it because it’s much harder as a core class.
 
MAC_Daddy said:
Our DS validated 28 hours (English, Calc 1&2, Physics, Chem 1&2, Micro-Econ). He never regretted it. You do start with more challenging classes (organic chemistry and Calc 3 as a Plebe 1st Semester) but it opened huge opportunity for him down the road by freeing classes because you finish core classes earlier. You can do research, 2nd major, or even start a masters. Oddly enough, on parents weekend we actually sat in church with the head of the math and science. He said ALWAYS validate. Kids who try to slide by with material they already know hoping for an easy A always regret it because it’s much harder as a core class.
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That’s another major thing I’ve heard because I am looking into the intelligence community but in order to be more competitive I need to minor in a language and travel abroad? And apparently the only way to do that is validate stuff earlier. Does anyone know any way to take summer classes to advance (I know, very high-school) or is there another way I can study abroad?
 
jipsyjips said:
MAC_Daddy said:
Our DS validated 28 hours (English, Calc 1&2, Physics, Chem 1&2, Micro-Econ). He never regretted it. You do start with more challenging classes (organic chemistry and Calc 3 as a Plebe 1st Semester) but it opened huge opportunity for him down the road by freeing classes because you finish core classes earlier. You can do research, 2nd major, or even start a masters. Oddly enough, on parents weekend we actually sat in church with the head of the math and science. He said ALWAYS validate. Kids who try to slide by with material they already know hoping for an easy A always regret it because it’s much harder as a core class.
Click to expand...
That’s another major thing I’ve heard because I am looking into the intelligence community but in order to be more competitive I need to minor in a language and travel abroad? And apparently the only way to do that is validate stuff earlier. Does anyone know any way to take summer classes to advance (I know, very high-school) or is there another way I can study abroad?
Click to expand...
You don't need to do either of those things to get Intel. There are management majors and physics majors who get Intel. However, you also do not need to validate classes or study abroad. As long as you stay on top of your stuff, you should be fine to minor, even if it means taking an extra class for a few semesters. If you want to study abroad it's all about being an outstanding cadet in ALL areas.
 
Twin sons: one validates and goes into (IIRC) Calc 3. The other is on the cusp of validation and is given the option of Calc 2 or Calc 3. He chose Calc 2, as a refresher, and he thought it would improve his GPA. Got an A so he was right. I think the one who validated got an A-, but it was a much harder go for him.

Essentially, YOU do not choose what you validate based on previous classes, college level or high school. USAFA will decide for you (as you'll find, is true about a lot of things, since the needs of the Air Force come before your needs, once you sign on that line).
 
The key is validate what you want and can. Validating or not, does not dictate your success or path. It just may provide more opportunities down the road.
 
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