College Courses and AP Credit - Page 2

Not flattering at all, just simple math. Any student with 2 years of solid performance in AP classes may use those against a year of college that will accept them. Taking an extra course or so a semester could further accelerate graduation. however, I would imagine that most students who can do this don't, and for good reason. The point is not to graduate early, but to learn stuff and have a good college experience. But if your goal was to graduate early, and you racked up years of APs, it's not that big of a deal.

As for treating everyone as equal, I'm not sure what you mean by that. Any student with a boatload of AP credits is equally entitled to accelerate graduation in colleges that honor them. That's just the system, and has nothing to do with how anyone treats anyone else.

Personally, I don't care whether someone has a million AP credits or works in McDonalds. I take each post as it comes and from whatever source. And of course they're not equal. Everyone is different and every post is different. That someone happens to be swimming in AP credits or, for that matter, is a cat, should have no bearing on what they have to say. All that matters is what posters actually post, and that's I respond to:

No pig more equal than any other, but each post judged on its own merits.


Those are two reasons for community colleges, but those are not the only two. There are many other as well.

I know...this is probably not the forum for this but, I just bought the new 24" iMac on the weekend. The problem is that I need to wipe out the hard drive on my existing PC, running XP.
On old systems, you could format the C drive, but, I can't find out how to do that with XP.
Does anyone have an idea?
Thanks for help.

Yeah, not the right forum. Boot from the Windows install CD. When prompted to repair the Windows installation select install, not repair. When prompted to select the target partition you will have the option to repartition the drive (delete the current partition and create a new one). Repartition, reformat the newly created partition. Then cancel the installation.

If you don't get an answer that works, take the HDD out and replace it with a new one. Depending on whether you're going to sell the PC or not, you can find some very inexpensive HDD's out there. Are you aware that even with deleting and overriding, someone who REALLY wants to access the HDD can? If you have financial info, passwords, pin numbers, etc., better be safe than sorry. I've heard of crackers buying used computers online just to get the HDD and dig down for financial info. A legitimate buyer might be happier with a new HDD anyway. If your PC is quite a few years old, it probably hasn't got a large HDD. One the same size now would be cheaper.

Next, read the replies to this post. They'll give you many reasons that my advice is wrong. Take your pick.
Gentlemen, start your (flaming) engines.

This isn't accurate. Writing over the data once (with zeros, ones or something random, it doesn't matter) is enough.

There is no documented evidence of people retrieving any significant amount of data from an HDD that has been overwritten. It may be theoretically possible, but it would require fantastically expensive equipment (we're talking millions of dollars) and an enormous amount of time. No one is going to do that to steal some random joe's bank details.

That being said, if you just delete but do not write over, files are easily recoverable. I believe if you use the Windows install disc and choose to do a "full" format rather than a quick one, the drive will be completely over-written.

I recall reading that a Mac can overwrite a HDD many times. Why the overkill if the HDD is so difficult to access?

Because some people/organisations are extremely paranoid. I guess the thinking goes that just because no-one's done it yet, doesn't mean someone determined can't do it in the future. Some organisations stipulate that data must be overwritten a minimum of 7 times, some have policies that state that media containing the most sensitive information should be physically destroyed!

For the normal consumer, over-writing once is enough.

Just thought I should provide some evidence that I haven't pulled the content of the last couple of posts straight out of my bottom:

Is overwritten data recoverable?

You're right. Prior to reading your last post, I googled the following info:

Many of the articles you would find say to destroy your hard drive with a hammer because there is no safe way to completely erase the information stored on it. This myth is absolutely false.
How Many Overwrites Do I Need?

So how many overwrite passes do you need? One. Data is so incredibly difficult to recover after being overwritten that even people with electron microscopes, advanced statistical tools, and specialized programming skills are not going to be able to recover data from your drive. It just isn't going to happen. You can search the Internet for examples where overwritten data were recovered and you will not find even one event where a person recovered more than a couple of bits of a byte.

So the paranoid can rest easy. They can follow the Department of Defense standards to help them sleep better at night, but one overwrite is enough to protect your data from being recovered.

Can you safely donate or sell an old computer without the risk of having your data stolen? The answer is yes, if you use WipeDrive to completely erase the computer before you let it leave your possession.
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I'm always telling correspondents to check Snopes.com before believing some 'urban myth' and I find out I've been believing one for years.
The above article is apparently pushing a product called WipeDrive; however, there are most likely many other methods.

So Macwannabee, try Shadow's method.

You're overdoing it here.

It seems as though neither of you fully understands what is happening.

It takes 7 passes to ensure a total randomizing of the date.

There is residual magnetism left after several erasures. Erasure occurs mostly at the surface of the magnetic emulsion. further down, there is still signal from older data. This is because the coercivity of the magnetic particles is high enough so that the erasure from a single pass doesn't have enough energy to totally randomize them.

Continued erasure, or re-recording will eventually do so.

It does take special equipment to read through the higher layers, and special software to make sure that what is being read is data and not noise. It also take experienced people to make sense of what comes up, as there can be some detective and cryptographic work needed.

That's certainly interesting, but not current, or entirely accurate.

As far as audio tape goes, I have recovered information from erased tapes. It couldn't be done in the '60's, but has been done since the late '80's. Unfortunately, tape demagnetizes itself over time, which is a well known phenomena. Any erased tapes from the '60's would have been impossible to recover 10 or more years later, well before the more sensitive processes appeared.

Evidence please.

Don't forget that what was written to the disc before the file you are overwriting has just as much of an effect of randomising the magnetic poles as the data you use to overwrite the file.

I do not believe that it would be possible to recover significant amounts of data (i.e. more than a few bits) using the methods you describe without previous knowledge of what was on the disc.

i.e., I wouldn't be surprised if someone has written "data pattern A" to a disc, then "data pattern B", and then had a look to see if they can then detect any remnant of "data pattern A" and found that they could. However, that is very different from being given an HDD you've never seen before, that's had e.g. "data pattern C", "data pattern D", "data pattern E", "data pattern F", and then overwritten with all zeros, and being able to extract "data pattern F" from the drive. You seem to be suggesting that "data pattern C" will be on some kind of "bottom layer", with subsequent data patterns on top, so with enough resolution you'll be able to detect whichever pattern you like. It doesn't work like that. each previous data pattern will leave the odd remnant here or there, but these will all interfere with each other.

It is complex, and I admit that right now, at least, I can't give you a program, or possibly something commercial that can do this, but it can be done.

even modern disks have a magnetic layer that is several particles thick. The way magnetization works on most devices, is that the bottommost particles are rarely erased with one pass.

On tape, for instance, something I'm very familiar with, you need a bulk eraser to hope to totally erase what's on the tape completely. This is well known, and I'm surprised the article you linked to didn't have a clue about it. I have several of these devices here, though I don't do that anymore.

Even bulk erasers need more than one pass with high coercivity tapes, such as metal, and some others.

The magnetic fields from these erasers are far more powerful than the ones the drives, or tape decks themselves have.

Anyway, it's not likely we will be able to recover this info anytime soon ourselves.

My opinion is that you do need to zero out the bits at least, for most others who might try to get your info.

But, if you truly want to get rid of it, a security erase is better.

My arguments are at least as valid as yours are. Making that comment doesn't make your points any more correct.

What's happening is that we are looking at this from different perspectives. Do you have a child in HS now? I do. I do work in the school system here in NYC, though not as a paid position. I work on the technical and computer plans, and do work in my daughters school, which is a "special" HS within the system. Doing that, I sit on several committees, one of which is called the School Leadership Team (SLT).

There, we make decisions that affect the performance of the school in various ways, such as hiring department heads, assistant principals, and, if needed, the principal.

I've been doing this work since my daughter was in kindergarden. She is now a junior.

One thing we do, is work with our college admissions office. In the slightly over two years I've been at this HS, I've spoken with a fair number of admissions personnel from various universities. We've also discussed this in our meetings.

As I've been saying, these personnel have been stating that they do not consider AP courses, even with good grades in the tests, to be more than an indicator of what the student is capable of. A few will consider giving credit for a specific course if they feel that their own course offers no more than the AP course. But, many don't.

The schools, particularly the better ones, are very jealous of their own admissions policies and requirements. Many are concerned that allowing a HS course, even if it is an AP course of known superior quality, will damage their own reputations.

Say what you will about that, but this is a problem for those hoping to not have to take that course at the university level.

As far as the HS average goes, AP courses have, in most schools, been given a rating of 110%. So that if one achieved a 90% in AP, they would receive a 99% as a grade, which would then be averaged in as any other grade, thus bringing the overall point average up. Again, many, if not most schools, are now disallowing that as well. They strip the 10% off, and average the remainder back into the average.

As far as the tests are concerned. We've also been told by a number of admissions officers, that they have a concern that those grades are not up to what they would expect their own students to achieve.

Again, we're being told that a fair number of AP students are not doing as well in a subject as those who take the course in the university itself.

One reason for this is apparently that they feel the teaching styles between the HS and the college level are too different. This affects the student taking more advanced courses with this more sparse teaching style, without getting used to being more on their own in a more preparatory course.

Another reason given, is that it is felt that the student is more reliant on the parents at the HS level, and so the AP course doesn't reflect the activity the student would actually be having at their institution. This is particularly true for those who will have their students dorm, rather than live at home.

There is more, but just how much you want to read, I don't know. But, this should give a good idea of what I'm saying.

Look, if we will continue to disagree, then there will be no point. But, I'm going through these issues now, so I see them right in front of me. It's not theoretical.

As far as the discussion over Community Colleges go, it's how you want to look at it. I think that we agree more than we disagree, but are having semantic issues that are keeping us apart.

A third reason is that some of the courses (like Physics and Calculus/math) go in sequence in colleges (ex: Berkeley), one needing the other, and AP courses can put a student "out of sequence." Example -- a 5 quarter physics series 5a-e generally needs a five part math sequence (calculus classes and differential equations and whatever that last one is that I forget). AP used to opt students out of 5a & 5c of the physics sequence which got the student behind in math... which led to problems.

Yes, that's another good point.

Has anyone seen a teardown of the 24" Al iMac posted? I've only seen 20".

Then you have been advising your daughter to not take AP classes and go to a second tier HS?

Which is actually my intended strategy. Go to the 3rd ranking school in the district and not have my kids attend AP or "hard" classes but 2nd tier classes for easy A's. Try to do REALLY well in the PSATs. Game the system to try to get them into HYP. Okay Stanford and MIT are okay too...and Cambridge and Oxford.

If not one of these seven then advise them to find the biggest party school and join a frat/sorority.

You are not too bright, are you?

Since you're only goal in life seems to be bothering me, you obviously have little else to do.

Were you fired?

SLT: School Lipservice Team.


As a matter of policy, many do. That's what he was saying. Accepting AP credits isn't at the discretion of an admissions officer, it's at the policy of a university. Whether it's a good or bad policy is another issue. As for admissions officers, I agree that naturally their interest in APs would be as an indicator of what the student is capable of. That's the prism through which they see the world. It's their job: everything as an indicator of what the student is capable of.

I don't think this is correct. I don't know of any college that is worried that a high school class will effect its own reputation, or how that's even possible. College reputations are not based on classes taken by students prior to matriculation.

An interesting article the other day pointed out genuine jealousy that exists between the lower-level college teachers and the high school AP teachers in that the college teachers fear for their jobs if students bypass their courses.

I don't follow. Are you saying that AP students who skip out of introductory-level college classes do not do as well in those subjects over time compared to students who do not skip out of introductory-level college classes? (which, if that's what you're saying, makes sense given the uneven quality of AP classes, although obviously not universally true).


Are you saying that AP courses are a crock? If so, some may be, but some are superior to the equivalent course at some universities. In general, I don't think you can generalize. But I wouldn't be surprised if many high schools were increasing AP classes to remain competitive, but at questionable quality. I also wouldn't be surprised if many high schools were increasing AP classes just to offer more intensive high quality classes.


I don't see this as semantic. You said they exist for low grades and unambitious careers. In fact, they exist for many other reasons as well. Financial hardship, for example, would be another reason. And there are oodles of other reasons as well.

Eh? I've responded twice to you the whole week.

What you just wrote says that to optimize the chance that your child gets into a top uni means going not to the top High School because they wont take more than the top X students from any school and not attending AP classes so as to not risk a B vs an A in an easier version of that class since universities count a A in an easy class as the same as an A in a AP class with respect to GPA.

If you still want to take AP exams without taking AP courses you might still be able to in order to show higher levels of understanding. Homeschooled kids can do so. Note that Harvard accepts AP credit for scores of 5. As does Yale and Princeton.

Here is Princeton's AP scale:

http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/ap/table.htm

The top three schools in the US evidently disagrees with your interpretation of the percieved value of AP testing scores.

A good PSAT score is often as useful if not more as a good SAT score if it makes you a National Merit Scholar.

Heck, I'm not even disagreeing with you and you get bent out of shape. Since when are we allowed to call each other names and make direct attacks anyway? If so I have some rather choice ones for you.

Vinea

Since you've attacked me so many times before, it's hard to know just what you will say. You've called me four letter words and other not worth mentioning phrases many times, as you well know.

You're assumption that I won't do the best is always something you try to put forth. You did that again in your last post here.

If you READ that Princeton advisory, you will see that only some courses are accepted, and many times, even for those, full credit isn't allowed.

I haven't said that NO school is accepting ANY AP courses for credit, ot substitution.

What I did say, several times, is that fewer schools each year are accepting all of the credits, or allowing substitution.

That is true.

Calling a course college level is one thing, but that doesn't mean that is is necessarily a college course in all, or even any institutions.

Princeton shows that well, as many AP courses have no Princeton equivalent. Therefore, they can't be substituted for.

It is interesting that as we discuss and debate the top schools in the country, we do so while using language that is not necessarily AP level and we also do so while ignoring the topic of the thread. I believe that the lively debate found here (regardless of how pointless I think it is) could benefit from a title better than "Apple unveils new line of 20- and 24 inch iMacs", but not quite as much as a thread of that title could benefit from a discussion of iMacs.

I dunno, but I don't see the relationship between new iMacs, AP classes and Ivy League schools. iMacs are fantastic, AP classes can be good and bad, and the Ivy league is not all it is claimed to be. It doesn't take an AP class or an expensive education to notice that we are way, way off topic here.

Can we either get back on topic or close the thread? It is officially derailed.

A quote rather than a baseless accusation would be nice. If I called you a four letter word you should report it. But since I haven't your accusation is simply another personal attack.


This sentence makes zero sense. I'm guessing that once again you are attempting to take me to task for actually criticizing what you actually write rather than what you would like us to think you wrote.


What you WROTE was:


One would think that if there was a significant trend against AP credit were only few "consider" giving credit and "many" do not then one of the top three most prestigious schools would simply not allow it at all as well. However, given that the top 3 schools in the US DO accept AP credit the burden of proof is on you to show that major universities have a policy of not accepting AP testing as valid representation of understanding in a subject area.

There is NO indication here that what high school you come from (ie how good their AP program is reputed to be) is a determinant whether or not AP credit is given but that the TEST score is the threshold for consideration.


That is an unsupported assertion. A more reasonable unsupported assertion than "most" do not and only a "few" do. One that if had written THAT way likely would have garnered no comment.


Yes, not all AP exams will have equivalents in all universities. So? HYP still accepts AP testing as a valid and important metric of student proficiency that they allow students to skip freshman and sophmore (100 and 200 level) courses with a sufficient score.

And these are HARD subjects like Chemisty, Physics, Calculus.

What a high school wants to call a course is immaterial. What is relevant is the test score.

In any case...you sidestepped the whole issue of if you believe what you wrote then the logical conclusion is that since AP classes are not considered very positively by admissions anyway and since you risk a lower grade from a harder course then in general you should advise folks, including your daughter, not to take them.

I'm not kidding when I wrote that my intended strategy is to seek the 3rd best HS in my district over the top 2. Getting your kids into HYP sets them up as well as you can for the rest of their lives.

Looks like your wish came true

I'll put in one last scrape, lest anyone doubt the topic has been belabored to death.

At my college, I would say that most students enter with AP credits in most subjects, and the credits are used primarily for placement. Freshman classes and special programs are offered at various levels, and AP credits in a subject don't neccessarily place you out of something as much as into something.

While AP credits from high schools that offer them are all but a requirement for admission, the system erases their formal effect after a semester or two. Students who want to be part of accellerated programs, double majors, or nonexistent social lives, are able to do that. And students who are happy to spend 4 relatively normal years in college are also able to do that.

Perhaps there might be an air of competition freshman year in terms of who gets into what level of what class, but by sophmore year, no one cares. In the end, everyone has more than enough opportunity to flourish or flounder.

It was just out of curiosity. Don't get upset.


This is what I said.


I partly agree. Going state to state, and school to school, acceptance is spotty. There is no universal agreement on this. I doubt if greed is much of a factor, though there might be some.


The scoring is the same all over, as far as I know. Colleges seem to be unsure how much more difficult an AP course is, relative to an honors course in the same school. Often, honors courses are given because there is no equivalent AP course. Therefore, how does one rate an honors course, which could also be much harder than the standard course? One way is to de-rate the AP course in the average.

Otherwise,, one would have to up-rate the honors course, which would also lessen the affect of the AP course on the average.

We've been told by several recruiters that they consider AP courses in many schoolss to be about the same as the honors courses, though there are no countrywide tests. They rely on what they know of the school, as all better colleges keep records on that.


Yes, but the honors programs in my daughters school is handled the same as the AP program.


That's not the point as I understand it. In fact, that's the opposite to what they are concerned about. They are concerned about the large number of students that dorm away from home, and therefore have no parental support in the areas that would affect their performance. This is often in the mundane areas such as having their clothes washed, meals prepared, given curfews, etc. Often, it's found, having suddenly to do this on their own is upsetting enough that settlement into the routine of study takes a term or two. Apparently, they believe that taking these courses from the beginning gives the student more time to settle in before beginning with something more complex. It's just another part of the overall explanation given.


I really don't know what you are, or are not, in regard to these issues. I'm familiar with them because I have a daughter in HS now. What more can I say about that? It's simply my way of giving you disclosure as to why I do have knowledge about it.


The many other reasons are mostly adult education, though many 4 year schools provide that as well.


I agree. I never said that that wasn't true. What I'm saying is that, from what I'm learning about this, fewer schools are accepting them, though more are allowing (requiring) testing to get out of taking a course they have taken in AP.

[quote
Fair enough. I'm done.[/QUOTE]

Again, agreed!