Chapter II - Freshman Placement and Acceleration
Yale recognizes that freshmen enter college with different degrees of preparation and proficiency in various subjects. A substantial number of freshmen have completed advanced or honors work either on their own, or under the auspices of the Advanced Placement program of the College Board, or by enrollment in college courses before coming to Yale. The University strongly supports superior attainments like these, and offers placement in advanced courses to all freshmen who have successfully undertaken such work.
Eligibility for placement in advanced courses may be demonstrated in several ways: by excellent scores on the Advanced Placement or SAT II Subject tests of the College Board, by superior performance on a departmental placement examination, or through consultation with the appropriate director of undergraduate studies or placement officer.
In addition, Yale offers students the opportunity to accelerate, that is, to earn the bachelor's degree in fewer than eight terms of regular enrollment. Acceleration may occur either by the early accumulation of thirty-six course credits or by the employment of acceleration credits. Acceleration credits are awarded at matriculation to freshmen on the basis of Advanced Placement tests (or equivalent international tests) or may be earned by completing a designated advanced course during freshman year. Freshmen with superior preparation in biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, English, foreign languages (ancient and modern), history, history of art, mathematics, music, or physics have the opportunity of acquiring credits that may be used for acceleration.
