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AP Chemistry + AP Physics I or AP Biology + AP Physics I
Scientist101
58 replies12 threads Junior Member
Hello there! I am currently a sophomore in HIgh School. I am taking Algebra II H, Geometry H, Biology H, and Chemistry H this year. I am doing exceptionally well. I have 98, 97, 96 and 97 in all the classes as of now. My junior year scheduling has begun. I plan and have been recommended to take the following courses for math and science (I'm not listing electives/history/foreign language for simplicity, but I have them in my schedule, some are online, I am only listing my AP's):
Junior Year:
AP Language & Composition
AP Calculus AB
AP Biology
AP Physics I (I have no plans for further physics, no AP Physics II nor AP Physics C)
AP Computer Science
Senior Year:
AP Literature & Composition
AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
AP Chemistry
AP Psychology (self-study)
However, I have a few questions. That course load is hard, and I have come to accept it. I am ready to work hard, very hard. But, I have a mixed opinions from my teachers. Some teachers tell me to take AP Chemistry instead of AP Biology and save AP Biology for senior year. However, the AP Chemistry teacher is notoriously hard, unlike the AP Biology teacher who is relaxed and "easy" according to kids who took the class. Some say that AP Chemistry provides a good foundation for the chemistry used in AP Biology. What should I really do?
18 replies Junior Year:
AP Language & Composition
AP Calculus AB
AP Biology
AP Physics I (I have no plans for further physics, no AP Physics II nor AP Physics C)
AP Computer Science
Senior Year:
AP Literature & Composition
AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
AP Chemistry
AP Psychology (self-study)
However, I have a few questions. That course load is hard, and I have come to accept it. I am ready to work hard, very hard. But, I have a mixed opinions from my teachers. Some teachers tell me to take AP Chemistry instead of AP Biology and save AP Biology for senior year. However, the AP Chemistry teacher is notoriously hard, unlike the AP Biology teacher who is relaxed and "easy" according to kids who took the class. Some say that AP Chemistry provides a good foundation for the chemistry used in AP Biology. What should I really do?
Replies to: AP Chemistry + AP Physics I or AP Biology + AP Physics I
Your senior year looks pretty rough. I would drop AP Stats for a foreign language.
Unless you have had an exceptional Algebra II and Geometry class, pre-calc is in no way just "a review." You must have a solid understanding of all the concepts and be able to easily apply them in order to succeed in calculus. It takes time to digest all of this information and memorize all that you need to. A summer course, in my opinion, will be too short to give you the confidence with material you'll need.
Also, you may want to consider that at the end of the year, you will have to study for and do well on all five tests within the two week testing window. It is possible to have back to back AP tests on one day and/or on consecutive days. Lastly, some of the APs you have chosen have notoriously low percentages for scoring a 5: Lang (9.9%), Bio (7.1%) and Physics I (6.2%).
I see that the 5 rates are low (quite low in fact), but I am not fixed on scoring a 5 on every single AP exam I take. I would love to score a 5 and will aim to do so, but I know it's unlikely and I understand that exam time is going to be stressful. But aren't 5 rates based also on the people taking the class? For example, AP Calculus AB has a rate of 19.2% while AP Calculus BC has 43.0%. Doesn't it depend more on the seriousness of the kids taking the class? This is just a genuine question.
Further, for senior year, I have to agree with @Groundwork2022. It does seem over the top, I will drop AP Statistics and take AP Psychology in school instead.
Thanks for all the help!
Also, I agree that you're probably better off skipping Calc AB rather than Pre Calculus, since AP Calc is supposed to build heavily on Pre Calc, so it's not a verygood idea to rush the course into 8 weeks.
Either way, I've heard it's better to skip AP Calculus AB rather than Pre Calculus, since it's important to have a good understanding of Pre Calculus to learn Calc.
If you want to start chemistry with AP Chemistry instead of Honors Chem, then just do that. Take Physics Junior year and AP Bio Senior year.
Usually, these are two names for the same thing. If both are offered at your high school, ask your high school what the difference is. But usually, "math analysis" is just a different name that some high schools use for the precalculus course.
Yes, BC has a higher rate of 5 scores than AB does because stronger-in-math students self-select themselves into BC versus AB.
At high schools where BC starts from the beginning of calculus (i.e. it includes the AB material), rather than at the end of the AB material, going from precalculus to BC is certainly doable. However, it looks like your high school starts BC at the end of the AB material, so you need to take AB first.