General Information on Advanced Placement Credit
Where Credit is Due
Many students begin their careers at Cornell having already completed advanced placement courses in high school or having taken courses at an accredited college that are similar to courses offered here. Students who think they are already competent in the subject matter of a course offered at the introductory level can demonstrate their proficiency and receive credit for the course without actually taking it.
There is a difference between advanced placement (AP) credit and transfer credit. AP credit is awarded when students show their competence in a particular subject by doing well on an approved exam. Transfer credit, on the other hand, is awarded for courses that have been satisfactorily completed at another college and have not been used to meet high school graduation requirements.
The only courses for which students may obtain AP or transfer credit are those that fit degree requirements in the undergraduate engineering program. The College of Engineering decides whether credit should be awarded for particular courses, and in all cases this decision is final.
- AP credit will not be offered in any subject area without a documented examination.
- All AP examinations are normally taken and scored before fall-term classes begin. Students who take CEEB AP tests in high school should have an official report of their scores sent directly to Cornell as soon as possible. Students who have completed either GCE A-level or IB Higher Level examinations must present the original or a certified copy of their examination certificate to Engineering Advising, 167 Olin Hall. Those who wish to take departmental examinations must do so during Orientation Week; permission to take these tests after the start of fall-term classes must be requested in a written petition to the college’s committee on Academic Standards, Petitions, and Credit (ASPAC).
How to Use AP Credit
AP or transfer credit can be used in at least three ways.
- enrolling immediately in a more advanced course in the same subject area, for example, second-term mathematics in the first term.
- substituting elective course work during the first year or subsequent year. However, students must meet the criteria for good academic standing.
- enrolling in fewer courses, using the credit to fulfill basic requirements. (Students must enroll for a minimum of 12 credits each semester to be considered in good academic standing.)
