validation exams

flyboy

flyboy

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hey everyone, i am asking this question on another thread, but i decided to make a special one for it so i can get as much information from everybody, and it is concerning validation exams.

i do plan to "validate" as many classes as i can. i see the benefits and really truly want to do everything i can do go into higher classes and skip lower ones. however, how do i go about doing that? i have never taken AP classes, so i guess my only way would be to pass these "validation" tests, right? [/B]where can i learn more about them?[/B] how should i start studying for them? where can i take them? like i said, i really want to reap the benefits of taking higher classes and skipping lower ones, but since i don't have AP, what should i do? thanks :)


on a side note, i have registered for the orientation- 14 and 15 :)
 
when you get your appointee instructions packet, there is a section in the book about placement exams. The book says that they happen during the first week of basic, giving exams in chemistry, mathematics, and foreign language. There is also physics, biology, and english. For the foreign languages, they give a list of languages offered at the Academy, but if your second language is Spanish or German, they give a website for you to take the exam before you get to the Academy. For me personally, I plan on taking my Spanish exam either on the day I have my finals, or the day after...that way I'll be completely studied up!
 
is this the offer of appointment packet or the appointment kit?
 
Yes it is. It's the second packet you will receive. I also found a letter the Dept. of Math sent me about the exams as well. They gave a website that has a practice math test of questions that will be on the exam. take 90 min. for the practice test and no calculator. They also give the answers, so make sure that you know how to do each question. They say many cadets every year pass the calc. part, but fail the algebra, making them take remedial classes to improve their skills, then start at the beginning of calc. all over again. the website is http://www.usafa.edu/df/dfms/

Hope that's helpful!
 
Now, I can answer every question on that exam. I missed two because I missed two sign changes, but I also did it in about 40 minutes instead of 90. Honestly, I would have corrected the errors had I taken all 90 minutes to finish, but what is passing? I made a 5 on my Calculus BC exam. How hard is the Calc exam?
 
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The first exam has calc 1 on it, but if someone hasn't taken that, they can leave it blank. There is a second exam just on calc 2. It's optional and only 50 min. without a calculator. It says " If you've taken an AP Calculus test, you'll still need to take our placement exams since high AP scores alonewill not earn you validation credit." That is the end of that section about the calc 2 exam. So beyond that, I have no idea how hard they will be. I guess we will find out this summer!
 
thanks for the math exam info, but what about chemistry, physics and foreign language?
 
I plan on majoring in mathematics so I'm going to do everything I can to ensure that I validate Cal I and II. I believe that I knew it far better than everyone in my class and would hate to endure all of that again...
 
okay, well maybe i will have to wait until orientation or until i get my appointment kit before i will know the whole scoop on validation exams. but i am definitely willing to devote my last few months of high school studying my eyes out if it means i get to take advanced classes at one of the best science/math institutions in the world!!! along with skipping some lesser courses and having more time for extra-curriculars (aviation stuff!!!!)
 
The only other real info they give on the exams is for Chemistry. For physics it just says which AP classes to validate and which new classes you'd be in. The foreign language give a list of languages offeed at USAFA and how many prospective classes you may need at USAFA for certain majors. Then there is the websites for taking the German and Spanish exams. For Chemistry, it tells you to know about atomic theory and structure, stoichiometry and equations, chemical bonding, and states of matter. No matter how well we do on this exam, we are still expected to have a solid foundation in all of this for the first day of class. It's sort of a pain for me because chemistry isn't offered at my school, so I bought a textbook and am now reading it like the bible.:rolleyes:
 
as I wrote before:

hornetguy said:
You will take validation tests here in Basic or early in the academic year. Don't worry, you will be able to take them. Try to find practice tests of some kind for chemistry, physics, calculus (1 and 2), and a language if you know one.
Click to expand...
 
What about the placement tests that the Air Force gives when you arrive to the academy? Can anyone give me any insight on the importance of those tests. At one point do they administer those?
 
What placement tests are you talking about? The only non-academic test is the DoD language test that everyone takes (in BCT)...
 
I think that is what my friend was talking about. He mentioned some sort of test, but he made the mistake of making it sound like a reasoning test. Thanks though.
 
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