I took AP chemistry in 2004 (my senior year in high school) and its credits got accepted for my college which I started in 2004. I graduated in 2009 and now I am applying for med schools next year. I know some med schools have 5-year (shortest) time limit for pre-requisites. My AP chemistry counted as my general chemistry and general chemistry lab. I took physical chemistry (lecture), biochemistry and biochemistry lab.
Someone told me my AP chemistry course credit got expired in 2009 for medical schools with 5-year limit pre-requisites. I thought the 5-year rule starts from my college graduation (2009) because the AP course got accepted by my college during my freshman year.
What is AP course time limit? does it start from “when” I received AP score / AP score accept date in my undergraduate institution? or is it same as other college courses med school pre-req (5-year since graduation)?
Currently I am taking Biology classes as my undergraduate major was not very strong with Biology… My basic chemistry and physics background is really strong. I just think it is waste of time and money to re-take general chemistry and its lab.
Anyone know about this issue? I would greatly appreciate if you guys provide med school lists or links. Thanks!!!
How medical schools handle AP credits varies from school to school. Most of them don’t accept AP for the core pre-reqs (English, Math, Chemistry, Physics, Biology), others will only accept them if you passed with a certain score. The local medical school here for example only accepts AP Chemistry, only if you got a 4 or higher, and even then it only counts as one semester of general chemistry (of the two required for admission).
The MSAR and the schools’ websites are the best way to see what each school’s policy is in that regard.
" It’s all rather confusing, really!"
(from 1950-60s British radio comedy, the Goon Show)
It is tough enough to figure out which courses will be considered by each school as there is NO set standard though it appears to be anywhere from 5 to 10 years (sounds like a prison sentence).
The issue of AP credits is thoroughly confusing depending on the school.
Some wont accept them all
some will if they are on a college transcript some wont count towards fulfilling prerequisites
some will count it but require additional course
and so…
you may be best served by retaking the course. However, without knowing the rest of the your transcript, your current coursework, MCAT prep, etc, it would be tough to suggest a specific path