Entering students may be granted credits and/or advanced course placement for the successful completion of the Advanced Placement (AP) examination given by the Educational Testing Service of the College Entrance Examination Board, the International Baccalaureate, the Swiss Matura, or the completion of coursework at an accredited college or university.
For the Class of 2024 (entering Fall 2020) and beyond, the following policies are in effect for all advanced credits:
- Students may bring in a maximum of 16 credits (equivalent to one full semester) of advanced credit, which includes credits earned from AP/IB/French Bacc/Swiss Maturité and coursework taken at other colleges or universities.
- Students may bring in no more than 8 total credits from AP/IB/French Bacc/Swiss Maturité in the Intermediate Liberal Arts portion of the curriculum, specifically from the Culture and Values (CSP), History and Society (HSS), and Literature and Visual Arts (LTA) categories.
- Credit for AP, IB, French Baccalaureate, and Swiss Maturité will only be awarded if there is an equivalent course in the Babson curriculum.
For students who matriculate as new transfer students in Fall 2020 and beyond, the above policies apply with respect to all AP, IB, French Baccalaureate, and Swiss Maturité credit. Transfer credit from coursework taken at prior institutions is not restricted to the 16 credit maximum.
Types of Advanced Credits
Advanced Placement Credit
AP credit and/or advanced course placement is awarded for AP exam scores of 4 or 5.
International Baccalaureate Credit (IB Credit)
IB credit and/or advanced course placement is awarded for scores of 5 or better in Higher Level IB courses.
French Baccalaureate Credit
French Baccalaureate credit and/or advanced course placement is awarded for a coefficient of 5 or higher with a score of 14 or above. Credit will be given for Economics, History and Geography, Mathematics, Philosophy, Language and Literature. An Official Transcript is required to receive credit for French Baccalaureate.
Swiss Maturité Credit
Swiss Maturité credit and/or advanced course placement is awarded for scores of 4 or better.
College Courses
College coursework completed while in high school will be considered for credit if the course(s) was offered by an accredited college or university, taught by a college professor at the institution of higher learning which can include online courses, and the credits for the course(s) were not counted toward the student’s high school diploma and do not appear on the high school transcript.
Coursework Taken Elsewhere after Enrollment
Once students enroll at Babson (by the May 1 Candidate’s Reply Date) they must take all of their coursework on campus with limited exceptions such as: cross-enrollment programs or approved Babson Education Abroad programs. Students may take a maximum of 12 credits off campus (not including official cross-enrollment or approved education abroad programs). Students who wish to take courses in the summer between their high school graduation and the start of their first year at Babson may do so, but these courses will officially count towards the 12-credit limit for off-campus courses. These credits are limited to courses not offered at Babson. Once the credits are complete students must submit the official transcript of the institution attended. Students who wish to take more courses than this limit allows may do so for enrichment purposes only; a maximum of 12 credits will be awarded to a student’s degree. To take advantage of these summer courses and to ensure that credit will be awarded, students must obtain prior approval for any course they plan to take from the Department of Student Advising & Success. Two weeks’ notice is required for all off campus approval requests to ensure adequate time for review.
Please note: Babson College does not accept any A Level Exam results. Babson College reserves the right to change these policies at any time, and without notice.