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Monique
Student
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Did you take advanced placement classes in the field of your choice?
#Veternarian
#freshman
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6 answers
Kelcie Pittaluga
Technical Recruiter
8
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Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Kelcie’s Answer
Hi Monique! I just wanted to jump in here with an quick anecdote that I hope might be helpful, if you either have trouble finding the AP classes of your choice, or don't end up getting the score you're hoping for on the exam.
I took a few AP classes in high school, and unfortunately I performed quite poorly in the course I took in my chosen field (Economics) - I ended up getting a 1 out of 5 in my AP exam, and immediately felt discouraged. Fortunately, in my experience, this had no real bearing on my ability to excel in college Econ courses, and I ended up majoring in International Economics and graduating with a 3.9 GPA! All of this to say - while AP courses can be a great way to save a bit of time and money on classes while in high school, they're by no means a proxy for how you'll perform in your chosen field. If you're able to pick up a few credits along the way - that's great! But if for some reason it doesn't work out like you hoped, don't let that discourage you!
Best of luck, and happy holidays!
I took a few AP classes in high school, and unfortunately I performed quite poorly in the course I took in my chosen field (Economics) - I ended up getting a 1 out of 5 in my AP exam, and immediately felt discouraged. Fortunately, in my experience, this had no real bearing on my ability to excel in college Econ courses, and I ended up majoring in International Economics and graduating with a 3.9 GPA! All of this to say - while AP courses can be a great way to save a bit of time and money on classes while in high school, they're by no means a proxy for how you'll perform in your chosen field. If you're able to pick up a few credits along the way - that's great! But if for some reason it doesn't work out like you hoped, don't let that discourage you!
Best of luck, and happy holidays!
Ying Wang
10
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Ying’s Answer
Yes, I would highly recommend taking advanced class when you think you're ready as this will expand your scope of knowledge and give you more options to pick direction/major later on.
Danny Dreibrodt
Controller
2
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Round Rock, Texas
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Danny’s Answer
Hi Monique, Yes, I would try to take them in your choice field. It is always good to take advanced placement courses it is good for college preparation.
Danny
Danny
Brad Schmitt
Principal Solutions Architect
4
Answers
Kansas City, Missouri
Updated
Brad’s Answer
Hey Monique! I took some advanced Math classes but nothing specific to the field that I was interested in at the time. If the opportunity presents itself for you though, I would definitely encourage it. It's always good to get as much experience and expertise as early as possible in your career journey.
Advanced Placement classes are certainly helpful to getting a jump start on college but there are other ways to get ahead too! I gained valuable experience by getting a job while in high school related to the field that I was interested in (Computers/Tech/Information Technology). I would go to school during the day and then in the evenings, I would go to work for a few hours and soak up as much knowledge as I could. It was a tough schedule but it was worth it.
You should see if your local Veterinarian has any intern or volunteer opportunities that you could take advantage of as you progress through school. By the time you graduate, you'll have the best of both worlds. A college degree AND experience in your field of choice.
Best of luck to you!
Advanced Placement classes are certainly helpful to getting a jump start on college but there are other ways to get ahead too! I gained valuable experience by getting a job while in high school related to the field that I was interested in (Computers/Tech/Information Technology). I would go to school during the day and then in the evenings, I would go to work for a few hours and soak up as much knowledge as I could. It was a tough schedule but it was worth it.
You should see if your local Veterinarian has any intern or volunteer opportunities that you could take advantage of as you progress through school. By the time you graduate, you'll have the best of both worlds. A college degree AND experience in your field of choice.
Best of luck to you!
Emilio Garcia
Software Engineer
2
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Emilio’s Answer
In general, it's a good idea to take an AP course if you are interested in the topic and you can handle the workload. They cover advanced topics in more depth than most high school level classes, and are sometimes equivalent to taking a college course. Taking AP classes doesn't just improve your knowledge of a subject, it also has the potential to increase your weighted GPA and indicate to college admissions offices that you are capable of handling the rigor of college, making you a more appealing candidate. One thing to be aware of is that some colleges will not honor AP credits for courses they consider critical to your major, because they want to make sure that you have a strong grasp of the fundamentals they consider important. So if you are getting a chemistry degree, you may not be able to claim an AP exam as course credit, even if you scored a perfect 5. Don't let this discourage you from taking the course, but do check the admissions website for your favorite colleges and consider this when thinking about registering for the AP exam because you have to pay for them.
Victoria LeCompte, CPA, CFE
Investigations and Forensics Senior Associate
10
Answers
Alexandria, Virginia
Updated
Victoria’s Answer
Hi Monique!
I did not take AP classes in the field that I wound up studying/having a career in (none were available at my high school). However, I took plenty of AP classes in other areas and wound up receiving 21 college credits for them. As a result, I did not have to take plenty of the first/second year courses that are required as part of many college curriculums, and as a result I was able to start taking classes related to my college major earlier on in college, so this put me ahead in the field I wound up going into.
I did not take AP classes in the field that I wound up studying/having a career in (none were available at my high school). However, I took plenty of AP classes in other areas and wound up receiving 21 college credits for them. As a result, I did not have to take plenty of the first/second year courses that are required as part of many college curriculums, and as a result I was able to start taking classes related to my college major earlier on in college, so this put me ahead in the field I wound up going into.