Exam and Early College Credit

John Carroll reviews and awards credit for early college courses and national exams, such as the Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College Level Examination Program (CLEP). The criteria for how credit is awarded for courses taken through early college programs and for specific exams can be found in the links below.

Students are responsible for sending in official transcripts from the institutions where they took college courses (high school transcripts indicating early college credit are not sufficient), as well as official test scores. Transcripts and test scores must be received by the Registrar’s Office at John Carroll by the last day of classes of the second semester of enrollment (the last Friday prior to finals week). Timely receipt of transcripts and test scores helps to avoid the duplication or loss of transfer credit, and eliminates potential registration issues if a student is transferring in a prerequisite course. Students should request their transcripts and/or test scores be sent at least one month in advance of the deadline to ensure transcripts are received prior to the deadline. Credit will not be awarded from transcripts received after the deadline has passed.

Applicants who have not taken the Advanced Placement Tests but have attained a superior level of academic performance in high school will be permitted, on nationally normed examinations selected by the University, to demonstrate competence in English composition, languages at the intermediate level, and mathematics.

Degree credit is not given on the basis of such tests, but certain basic course requirements may be waived for students demonstrating high achievement. These students will be eligible to enroll in more advanced courses.

Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)/College in High School (CIHS)

John Carroll University grants credit for college-level classes that a student completes while in high school. Credit will be accepted from CHEA-recognized institutions of higher education or another institution accredited by one of the organizations in the following list as long as students achieve a grade of “C” or better:

• Higher Learning Commission

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education

• New England Commission of Higher Education

• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

• Western Association of Schools and Colleges

• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

• Senior College and University Commission

Official determination of credit transferability occurs only after the student has committed to John Carroll and submitted his or her enrollment deposit. At that time, students should contact the registrar’s office of the college or university at which the classes were taken and request that an official transcript be sent directly to the Office of Admission at John Carroll University. Once the official transcript arrives, the JCU Registrar’s Office will evaluate the courses and will send the student a Transfer Credit Evaluation. This will include the courses taken and John Carroll’s equivalencies for those courses. Quality points and grades are not transferred, only credit hours.

Generally speaking, if a college course taken during high school does not map directly to a course at John Carroll, credits will be accepted as general electives. However, students will not receive credit for courses in orientation, applied arts, athletics, or technical training.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) courses, administered by the College Board, are college-level classes in six academic areas that students can take while in high school. Those who opt to take the year-end AP Examinations can also potentially receive college credit*. Information about these examinations may be obtained through the high school or the College Board website www.collegeboard.com.

*There are no changes to score requirements for students who took spring 2020 AP exams at home.

Once students commit to John Carroll and submit their enrollment deposit, they should request that their Advanced Placement test scores be sent directly from the College Board to John Carroll for an official credit evaluation. The tables below show current departmental practice for AP tests.

Courses that satisfy the Integrative Core Curriculum are denoted as such:

HUM = Satisfies the Humanities distribution requirement.

CAPA = Satisfies the Creative and Performing Arts requirement.

SOC = Satisfies the Social Science distribution requirement.

SCI = Satisfies the Natural Science distribution requirement.

QA = Satisfies the Quantitative Analysis (foundational competencies) requirement.

+ = Satisfies the Written Expression (foundational competencies) requirement.

++ = Satisfies the Language requirement.

AP Capstone

* To be considered for more specific designations, the student must provide a syllabus from his or her high school for this course, along with a transient petition form.

Arts

English

History and Social Science

Math and Computer Science

*Students receiving credit for CS 1290 may be excused from taking CS 1280.

Sciences

*Students who earn a 5 on the AP Biology exam may receive 4 credits for BL1500/1505 (Principles of Biology I); students who receive this score are encouraged to take BL1700/1705 (Principles of Biology III) during their first fall semester, and then will take BL1600/1605 (Principles of Biology II) during their first spring semester.

** Students who have a score of 5 on both the AP Physics and Physics II exams, and who have the equivalent of MT 1360 (Calculus and Analytic Geometry II), may receive a total of 8 credit hours for PH 1510, 1511, 1520, and 1521 (Physics I and II and their accompanying labs). If students do not have the MT 1360 equivalent, they will be awarded credit for PH 1250, 1251, 1260, and 1261 (General Physics I and II and their accompanying labs).

*** Students who have a score of 5 on the AP Physics B exam, and who have the equivalent of MT 1360 (Calculus and Analytic Geometry II), may receive credit for PH 1510, 1511, 1520, and 1521 (Physics I and II and their accompanying labs). If students do not have the MT 1360 equivalent, they will be awarded credit for PH 1250, 1251, 1260, and 1261 (General Physics I and II and their accompanying labs).

World Languages and Cultures

* Students who earn a 3 or higher on both the Spanish Language/Culture and Spanish Literature/Cultures will only receive credit for one exam, for a total of 6 credits. 

International Baccalaureate (IB)

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) prepares high school students for success at the university level. The academically challenging, internationally focused curriculum includes courses in six subject areas. Students taking year-end IB examinations can also potentially receive college credit*.

*John Carroll will continue to accept IB credit for students graduating from IB programs in the spring 2020 in accordance with the score requirements below. 

Once students commit to John Carroll and submit their enrollment deposit, they should request that a transcript from International Baccalaureate North America (IBNA) be sent directly to John Carroll for an official credit evaluation. The tables below show current departmental practice for IB exams.

For courses not listed below, the student must also provide a syllabus from his or her high school for each course being considered for transfer credit. A copy of the syllabus will be sent to the department chair at John Carroll for input on what credit may be given before the official credit evaluation is sent to the student.

Courses that satisfy the Integrative Core Curriculum are denoted as such:

CAPA = Satisfies the Creative and Performing Arts requirement.

HUM = Satisfies the Humanities distribution requirement.

SOC = Satisfies the Social Science distribution requirement.

SCI = Satisfies the Natural Science distribution requirement.

+ = Satisfies the Written Expression (foundational competencies) requirement.

++ = Satisfies the Language requirement.

John Carroll accepts Higher Level (HL) course work only, except where Standard Level (SL) is noted below.

Studies in Language and Literature

Language Acquisition*

**For language courses not listed, the student must also provide a syllabus from his or her high school for each course being considered for credit.

Individuals and Societies

* Credit awarded for History is dependent on the student’s course. To be considered, the student must provide a syllabus from his or her high school for this course, along with a transient petition form.

** Not currently accepted for credit. To be considered, the student must provide a syllabus from his or her high school for this course, along with a transient petition form.

Sciences

Mathematics

The Arts

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The College Level Examination Placement (CLEP) is designed to assist students who through personal study and effort may have developed the knowledge, understanding, and skills normally associated with certain college-level courses. The amount of credit granted will depend on the tests taken, the scores achieved, the degree program to be pursued, and the major field. Earned CLEP credits do not convert to letter grades and do not apply towards graduation honors. CLEP scores must be submitted at the point of matriculation. Students planning to take CLEP exams should consult the Office of Admission for a list of exams accepted and scores needed for the award of credit.

The University awards transfer credits for various international exams on a case-by-case basis. The most common type is the General Certificate of Education- A-level, but other exams will also be considered. Students who have made an enrollment deposit at John Carroll, and who wish to submit their exam scores for award of credit, should present official documentation of those scores to the Office of the Registrar.