I plan to be a chem. Engineering major want to take AP chemistry, but it’s only offered at a time when I can’t make it, so my alternative is to take Chem 1A at my local community college.
Now, I can make room for AP Chem, but, it would require me to drop jazz band which isn’t really helping me at all for college, but in which I’m kind of depended on.
So my question is, is there a difference between how colleges will view the classes, and is it worth it to drop jazz band for AP Chem when I can take chem 1A at CC?
For the colleges you are considering, you can check whether the CC course and AP score are accepted for your major. For California CCs and public universities, you can use http://www.assist.org to check the CC courses.
If you can handle the workload, and the CC course is one equivalent to the universities’ introductory chemistry courses, the CC course with the jazz band that you are interested in seems like an obvious choice over AP chemistry without jazz band. Additionally, the CC course will be an actual college course, where you can get practice in self-scheduling your work for the course with less hand-holding than in high school (including AP) courses. That can help you transition to college better.
I agree with all of the above.
Jazz will set you apart, and being dependable and responsible are actual categories your teachers can check on the recommendation grid, so taking the class at the CC will be triple-y beneficial.
I agree with the above. Additionally, AP Chem is more difficult than CC Chem 1, since it covers what most colleges consider Chem 1 & Chem 2. Some colleges will still make you take a one semester accelerated Chem course, even with an AP score of 5.
However, AP chemistry is commonly a year long course. In this case, it would not be covering material at a faster pace than a semester long CC Chemistry 1A course. Presumably, a student who finishes the CC Chemistry 1A course in the fall can take the CC Chemistry 1B course in the spring.
Do the jazz and the CC Chemistry. Traditionally, one semester of a college course equals a one year high school course so you’ll be covering Chemistry at a faster pace and level with the CC course.
^Actually, no, AP Chem only covers Chem1, stretched over 1 year (college class = 4 months, 3h/week => AP = same material, stretched over 9 months, 5 periods a week.) AP classes have the depth of content but at a slower pace. Exceptions to this are Calculus BC and Physics C.
In my D’s case, it is equivalent to the General Chemistry to be taken during the first semester of the first college year. There is no General Chemistry requirement in the second semester and sophomore suppose to take Org Chem 1 and 2.
Nope, “general chemistry course usually taken during the first college year” means 1 semester taken in the Fall or the Spring, not a 2-course sequence. Students of course could take AP Chem junior year, and Chem2 at a CC in their senior year, or do the entire sequence college-paced at a CC.
The only APs that cover 1 year of college classes are AP Calculus BC and AP Physics C. All other APs have college-level depth of content, but high school pace (ie., 5 periods a week over 9-10 months, vs. 3 periods a week over 4 months). Of course, HS students typically take 6 to 8 classes per day, whereas college students take 4 to 5, making each class 1/3 in class, 2/3 autonomous learning.
I will again disagree. Some schools use the credit for TWO semesters (some only if you get a “5”.) Examples include Florida state universities, Rice, Wesleyan, Vandy. CHECK IT OUT!
@billcsho: I have never encountered a one semester general chemistry pre-req for Organic chem. How can 50 classroom hours cover all of inorganic chemistry?
You don’t need to agree. I just tell you the case for my D’s school (UMich CoE). There is only one General Chemistry for the first semester (plus lab) required if she did not have AP Chem. She received 5 credit from AP Chem with 3 credits for that CHEM130 and 2 credits for Lab. If it can be cover in one year at high school level, it can be covered in one semester in college. http://www.engin.umich.edu/che/undergraduate/program/reqs/SampleSchedule2014.pdf
@billcsho: So she already go credit for half of General Chemistry from AP - that makes more sense. I interpretted “no General Chemistry requirement in the second semester” to mean only one semester is required for everyone…that would be crazy!
@NotForEveryone No. The AP Chem credits cover for General Chem (Chem130) which is a one semester course. She took Org Chem 1 (Chem210/211) in the first semester and now Org Chem 2 (Chem215/216) in the second semester of freshmen year. If she has no AP Chem, then she needs to take Chem130 in the first semester and then Org Chem 1/2 in sophomore.
Chemistry, like Biology, is one of those courses that AP credit varies wildly. For Chemistry, Princeton gives 2 semester’s credit, Stanford gives one term credit. So IMO, both @billcsho and @MYOS1634 are correct, and we can move on to focus on the original topic.