What I don't understand about IB/AP

[hellokeke]

Hi

 

1. My university transferred IB credits for me (i.e. for higher level biology)

2. But, I had to take general biology course anyways (it's a second year, 2000 level course at my university called "intro to molecular biology") for my major

 

 

As you might infer, I didn't do as well in general biology in my university course, so to fulfill prerequisites

 

1) Can I select my transferred IB credits to fulfill the prereq's or do I have to use my university general biology grade?

2) My friend elected NOT to transfer IB credits but otherwise is in the same situation as me--can he select his non-transferred IB credits to fulfill prereq's or does he also have to use his university grade?

3) In general, could someone please clarify when/when (i.e. whether your IB grade was transferred by your undergraduate school, whether you took the general course anyways) you can choose your IB credits to fulfill prereq's?

4) And whether this rule is true for UBC or all other Canadian universities?

 

Thanks!!!

(I also posted this in the UBC section cause it's crunchtime and I'm finishing my app...)

[nonstop]

I wanna know the answers to all your questions as well.

 

Afaik, if your friend didn't take the transfer credit then that IB credit is forever gone (unless he didn't do that course in uni yet, in which case there may be a chance). If he took the transfer credit and yet repeated the course in university then that university course didn't count on his transcript.

 

Basically, he can't like take an IB transfer + do the repeated course and choose which one shows on transcripts, because only one of them ever will.

[Intrepid86]

1) Transfer credits from IB are generally used for purposes of progression only, not for fulfilling pre reqs for professional programs (which typically require grades from prerequisite courses done while at university).

 

2) If your friend did a required course during undergrad, then that should be the grade used, not the transfer credit.

 

I did IB prior to starting university, and was also given the option to use transfer credits. However, I didn't take any of them, and did all the introductory courses like everyone else. It just makes things a lot more simple later on come application time.

[Leon]

Transfer credits are usually accepted when the transcript explicitly states what course the credit fulfils. I have 5.0 Advanced Level transfer credits for all standard first year courses (Bio/Chem/Calc/Phy). For ex. my transcripts says "BIOA01H3 Transfer Credit" so Canadian schools are fine with that.

 

American schools are not as lenient. Several of them rejected those credits and insisted that I take "upper level courses" in the disciplines. Upper level physics? LOL. I dropped those schools since taking second year physics to satisfy the prerequisite requirements of select schools is beyond insane.

 

Your friend cannot use IB credits since he technically doesn't have them. Only what's on your university transcript may be used.

 

Lastly, most schools don't care about the mark obtained for prerequs - they only want to be sure you actually completed the course. This doesn't apply for every school though (I can't remember the exceptions).