For many high school students, using Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credits to skip 100-level college courses and move straight to the heart of major-specific studies is a no-brainer. After all, why take a class in college that you have already passed in high school, spending time and other valuable resources for no reason?
However, college is about more than simply checking off a list of prerequisites. Some students may lose out on meaningful learning opportunities by rushing through their college experience in the name of efficiency.
[Learn when to enroll in college courses instead of AP, IB classes.]
In addition to acquiring a degree, college students can expect to grow via interaction with their peers. They can also expect courses that are taught at potentially higher levels than their corresponding AP or IB classes, as well as networking opportunities with instructors.
As such, it is important to weigh what you might lose against the potential benefits of spending less money and graduating sooner. Here are three scenarios when you may be better off not testing out of an AP or IB course.
1. Your potential undergraduate program uses cohorts: The role of peers in your academic trajectory is one key consideration.
Certain majors, such as business and nursing, attempt to augment students’ experiences through cohort programs. For instance, the Haas School of Business at University of California–Berkeley divides undergraduate business students into groups of roughly 60 individuals.
These programs are in part developed in recognition of the fact that most people learn better in groups. Cohort programs can enhance student engagement through interactions with and support from peers. In other words, students can rely on one another for academic and social aid.
With schools increasingly recognizing the power of peer support, should this be one aspect you weigh when deciding whether to test out of an Advanced Placement course? Consider how you best learn.
If group learning is easiest for you, avoiding the full cohort experience could be detrimental. For self-sufficient and self-motivated students, the increased contact of a cohort program could be overwhelming or distracting. Assess the difficulty of each academic program alongside your needs and wants to find an optimal solution.
[Discover four answers for parents about college-level classes in high school.]
2. Your foundational knowledge is weak: Think twice before testing out of introductory courses within your major.
A high school class may not be able to offer as much depth of knowledge as a college course. Colleges and universities may also have stronger resources, including well-equipped science labs. It is likewise critical for you to be realistic about your overall readiness for the academic pacing of higher-level college classes.
However, you should consider class size when deciding whether to enroll in 100-level courses. If you learned in a high school class of 30 or fewer students, you may feel lost in a lecture hall with several hundred students. So prepare accordingly for that difference in the experience.
[Read more about how AP and IB high school diploma programs challenge students.]
3. You want to network: It is important to enter college mindful of the fact that you should develop meaningful connections with at least two or three professors. These professors can help you open doors to career or graduate school opportunities in the future.
Don’t wait until you need a recommendation letter for a job or graduate school to think about which professors you know and value their work. Instead, you should plan to identify professors with similar interests and then use opportunities like office hours to develop meaningful connections.
When considering whether to place out of a 100-level college course through AP or IB scores, pay attention to the person who may be teaching the course. Some first-year classes are taught by graduate teaching assistants who may finish their programs and leave campus before you need a recommendation.
However, if a prominent person within that field is teaching a 100-level course, such a class could be a powerful orientation toward collegiate expectations and skills that will build the foundation for long-term success, as well as a meaningful rapport and an impressive recommendation letter.
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College-Bound Students Shouldn’t Always Test Out of Classes originally appeared on usnews.com
