Validation?

AVT

USAFA 2015
10-Year Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2009
Messages
372
Hi, is one able to validate a class without taking the AP Exam in Calculus for example?
 
Hi, is one able to validate a class without taking the AP Exam in Calculus for example?
heres how validation goes, and anyone out there who knows better, feel free to jump in:

To validate Calculus I at the academy the requirements are that you score a 4 or 5 on the AB Calc exam AND you get a satisfactory score on the math placement test. You need BOTH to validate Calc I as well as consent from the Math Dept. teachers.

To validate Calculus I and Calculus II the requirements are that you score a 4 or 5 on the BC Calc exam and then the rest is the same as the requirements for Calc I.

Thats for math. I think its the same process for validating other courses, like Chem or Physics.... get 4 or 5 on the AP exam, pass the placement test, and the combination gets you out of the class.

Hope this answered your question.... good luck and see you in June!
 
What if you are in college, got a 5 on both exams, and have already taken Calc III and Differential Equations/Matrix Methods in college?
 
They still make you take the placement exams. I know a guy in my basic, who was a junior in college before coming here (former ROTC...then left during basic) who had already taken Calc 3 and Diff Eq, and was still placed in Calc 2.
 
What if you are in college, got a 5 on both exams, and have already taken Calc III and Differential Equations/Matrix Methods in college?
just submit proof of the exams and a college transcript showing the grades you got in those classes... the case with those who have prior college experience is slightly different but everyone still takes the placement tests no matter what. Instead of using the AP scores (in the case of high schoolers coming in), they would in your case "transfer credits"..
The only difference for anyone who tries to validate is that they will just place into a higher level class and free up room for other courses in later years. Strike Eagle, you would probably get to pass out of a lot of the freshman classes, and clear up schedule space for future semesters..

Hope this answered your question.... good luck.
 
Has the requirement changed this year? All my years the placement test(s) was/were the only requirement, the AP test really didn't matter.
 
the bit about the ap exam was what i read for the latest incoming class so i guess yes... it has changed
 
the bit about the ap exam was what i read for the latest incoming class so i guess yes... it has changed

The AP part was also in there back when I entered, but they based their decision on the exams during BCT. If your reading from the admissions site only, then I suspect nothing has changed then. I'd say take the AP tests so if you do marginally on the placement exams they will help favor validation.
 
I think that for Math and Chem, the main factor will be the placement tests. My DS did a high school program in a university, took Calc I, II and III but did poorly in the Calc II portion of the test so was put into the Math 152 class. He did well on the Chem test and validated one year of Chem. He validated some more courses (without the placement exams) thru the 'A's that he got on those courses.

The credits will help in alleviating course loads later on. DS is planning a tech major with language minor and the academic plan he has shows he can still underload by one course each during all his 2deg and 1deg semesters.
 
I placed out of physics (110) and biology with AP scores (4 and 5, respectively). Then the BCT math placement test placed me into Calc II and the pre-BCT Spanish test got me out of three semesters of Spanish.

AP helps on some tests, placement tests on others.
 
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