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Physics B Exam: Change current transfer policy
Kurt Skowron
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Opinion
I am writing in regards to UW-La Crosse's current transfer credit policy for the Physics B Exam. The main goal for many students that take this course is to receive the General Education science requirement for college. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse must know this AP course is tough because of the eight elective credits it gives to students, but it doesn't give General Education laboratory science credit.
UW-La Crosse does not award General Education laboratory science credits for this AP course because the university wants proof that students have advanced lab experience. The university may want this proof because some high schools may not pay enough attention to labs in their AP physics class, and students in these high schools may still pass the exam. On the other hand, other high schools, like my high school, do frequent labs with strict guidelines and require thorough lab reports. In these high schools, students do have proof of their advanced lab experience and can show their lab reports to the university.
The university also does not award General Education laboratory science credit because they believe their physics course is more challenging, and therefore, students will suffer in the higher level physics classes if they don't begin with the lowest physics class the University offers. With La Crosse's reputation for a fine education and high standards, this may be true. However, this thought process is only logical for students who intend to further their studies in physics. UW-La Crosse overlooks the students who take this challenging AP course to simply fulfill the science requirement.
The University of Wisconsin La Crosse does a great job in emphasizing excellence in their educational programs and teaching, but I believe UW-La Crosse needs to be more lenient with its current policy on the Physics B Exam. UW-La Crosse could adjust the policy by requiring proof of labs completed with lab reports, recording Physics B credit as Physics 000, and classifying this credit as a General Education laboratory science course.
This adjusted policy will make sure students receiving the General Education laboratory science credit have advanced knowledge on laboratory work, while still requiring those who intend to further their studies in physics to take the beginning physics course. With this put into action, UW-La Crosse will keep their distinguished physics courses unchanged, while still allowing students that deserve the science credit to receive it.
Kurt Skowron
UW-L Student
UW-La Crosse does not award General Education laboratory science credits for this AP course because the university wants proof that students have advanced lab experience. The university may want this proof because some high schools may not pay enough attention to labs in their AP physics class, and students in these high schools may still pass the exam. On the other hand, other high schools, like my high school, do frequent labs with strict guidelines and require thorough lab reports. In these high schools, students do have proof of their advanced lab experience and can show their lab reports to the university.
The university also does not award General Education laboratory science credit because they believe their physics course is more challenging, and therefore, students will suffer in the higher level physics classes if they don't begin with the lowest physics class the University offers. With La Crosse's reputation for a fine education and high standards, this may be true. However, this thought process is only logical for students who intend to further their studies in physics. UW-La Crosse overlooks the students who take this challenging AP course to simply fulfill the science requirement.
The University of Wisconsin La Crosse does a great job in emphasizing excellence in their educational programs and teaching, but I believe UW-La Crosse needs to be more lenient with its current policy on the Physics B Exam. UW-La Crosse could adjust the policy by requiring proof of labs completed with lab reports, recording Physics B credit as Physics 000, and classifying this credit as a General Education laboratory science course.
This adjusted policy will make sure students receiving the General Education laboratory science credit have advanced knowledge on laboratory work, while still requiring those who intend to further their studies in physics to take the beginning physics course. With this put into action, UW-La Crosse will keep their distinguished physics courses unchanged, while still allowing students that deserve the science credit to receive it.
Kurt Skowron
UW-L Student
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