AP (Advanced Placement) Credit
Acknowledgement: Karla Leybold-Taylor
ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS - HOW WELLS AWARDS CREDIT
In accordance with the Wells College policy on granting credit for AP examinations, each student who receives a score of 4 or 5 on an AP placement exam is awarded credit in accordance with the AP Guidelines booklet and corresponding to the amount of credit of the beginning Wells course in the discipline. You must have an official AP score report sent to the Wells Registrar.
The number of semester hours awarded corresponds to that for an entry-level course in the discipline as offered at Wells. For example, a student who receives a 4 or 5 on the AP exam in the following disciplines will receive 3 semester hours' credit: U.S. history, English literature/composition, European history, U.S. government/politics. A student who receives a 4 or 5 on the AP exam in the following disciplines will receive 4 semester hours/credit: biology, calculus AB, environmental science, foreign language.
AP credit does not necessarily mean that students skip entry-level courses in a major. For example, for the BCS major, AP credit in biology does not mean exemption from BIOL 151L or 152L, and AP credit in chemistry does not mean exemption from CHEM 107L or 108L – please see faculty about what courses a student should take. AP credit in English still means that an English major should take ENGL 104 and 105. For foreign languages, students should see faculty in the language; taking a placement exam might be in order.
If, per student request, majors elect to award credit for a score of 3 on the exam in a discipline offered at Wells, the Registrar should be notified in writing.
Students who are granted credit through the AP examinations have noted on their transcripts general credit in relevant disciplines. For example, credit for U.S. history appears as
HIST 000 - History AP - 3.00 Cr.
This transcript entry awards credit but carries no grade points, so does not affect the student's eventual grade point average.
In determining academic standing after the first semester AP credit does not count toward the minimum of 12 semester hours required at the end of the first semester; students must complete 12 semester hours here at Wells.
The Registrar's Office has a copy of the AP Guidelines booklet and representative test questions for faculty to consult if they wish.
Contact the Registrar's Office with any questions, x3215.
This page (AP/Advanced Placement Credit) is maintained by Diane Koester, Associate Dean for Academic and Learning Resources and Director of Academic Advising, who is solely responsible for its content. Please see our Statement of Responsibility. Last updated June 5, 2006.
Return to Advising at Wells College (top-level page on advising).