I was wondering whether using my APs as university credits would actually harm me than help me. I hear ppl saying that to get into some of the more competetive programs from enginnering second year they use your GPA multiplied by the credit units that you have. Would that mean that if i cashed in a AP credit they wouldn't count it as part of the credits that i take first year harming my chances of getting into my desired stream of engineering? If the university were to accept some of my ap credits can i poissibly fill in the empty slots in my first year time table with electives? And if this were possible and i did do this would those marks count toward my GPA and therefor count as part of the total units i take that year?

First: What's an AP?

Second: any credit obtained outside of McMaster with a grade of 60% or more is credited to your degree but the mark is not taken into account.

As for it damaging your chances, it depends on how well you would expect to be doing in the courses you would used your AP credits.

I would say use them and concentrate on your other classes.

An Ap is an advanced placement course...thank you....was the part about taking the amount of units and multiplying it by your GPA, then using that score to see whether or not you get into your selected stream of enginnering accurate?

I took 3 AP exams in high school (Bio, Chem and French) but I didn't use any of them. I learned at May @ Mac that when AP courses first became popular in Canada, Mac was giving first year credits to people who had them. Most of these people then failed 2nd year bio/chem/etc. because the stuff covered in AP wasn't enough.

Just something to think about if you plan on continuing in the subject areas you took AP courses in.

bluewolf_mt, about the multiplying your CA by the number of units you took is true for some of the second year programs. I'm not sure which ones they are but I do know that last year they did do that for some.

I have an AP credit in English.

In my first year, I asked Sally Williams if I could use it for my elective. She told me that the university would give me the English credit, but it would make it more difficult for me to get into my 2nd year program of choice.

Basically, you can take the AP credit, but you'll be at a disadvantage because electives are designed to help you raise your mark. On top of that, I'd advise you NOT to take free passes for essential courses like Math or Physics even if you get them, because even AP courses are no replacement for the practice you'll get from those courses.

It's a tight balance. In my case, I held on to the English credit and I'm planning to use it for my 4th year elective. So just keep in mind that you can hold on to those credits for future use.

I could've got upto 6 IB credits from giving my IB exams(similar to AP) but I didn't opt to because:
- Electives help you maximize the number of units you achieve.
For example: Admission to Civil Eng is set by the engineering people to a gpa of 8*37units(full time courseload) = 296 units , say.

So if you don't take electives, you wont get 12(highest gpa)*3 units= 36 points!!! So if you take AP transfer credits you are at a loss because you will need a higher overall gpa:
So say you dont take a 3 unit course:

296/34 units= 8.71

So you will have to work harder and acquire an 8.71 instead of 8 if you want to get into civil or something.

Good luck.