My son, a sophomore, is interested in pursuing Chemistry, and has already studied a lot of chemistry topics on his own. However, his high school only allows Chemistry Hons in junior year, and Chemistry AP in Senior year. Will you recommend that he takes AP exams on his own in his junior year, or do the classes through the school? He intends to participate in Chemistry Olympiad and do internships in chemistry labs next year as well.
Take the AP class senior year. There is nothing to be gained by just taking the AP test.
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He may love chem but make sure he studies bio and another science too - physics preferred or APES, etc.
Stick with the school plan. Chem majors will still take a wide breadth of classes.
The school plan is right, even for a chem major.
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He absolutely needs to take AP Chem if he is going to major in Chem in college. A self-studied test will hold no weight when your school offers AP chem.
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I agree he should take those HS Chem classes and the Chem AP test after the class.
He would also be well-advised to take whatever Physics they have, assuming it fits his schedule overall, meaning without sacrificing other core areas unduly.
Beyond that, I think the purpose of self-study is really for interest sake, and possibly also better preparation for college classes. Doing it for credit is likely going to be covered by the AP class and test. Any sort of documentation beyond that probably won’t have any credit benefit. I note the Chem department may also have its own placement test, in which case placement will be a matter of what he actually knows.
And I think the same is largely true for admissions as well. Like, it will be fine if he communicates an interest in self-studying Chemistry in his application in one or more ways. If that naturally leads him to things like olympiads and internships, great.
Admissions will then not need to see that interest also reflected in things like self-study AP tests. So, no need to get ahead of the standard AP process for that sort of purpose.
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If your son is serious about preparing for Chemistry Olympiad, then yes he needs to get the knowledge of “AP Chemistry” this year despite not being allowed to take the course at his school yet. How he does that is up to your family (online, tutors, asking for an exception at school…). Most successful USNCO participants do not wait until senior year to take AP Chemistry.
That said, the actual AP exam this year is not necessary, unless you think it will motivate your son to really learn the stuff.
It would be ideal for your son to be working with the AP Chemistry teacher at his school, and further ideal if this teacher shares your idea that your son is very advanced in chemistry. That person can also advise on the best path forward.
In fact my guess is if this kid continues to have this interest, they will be getting well beyond/outside the scope of AP Chem’s content, and well before college.
Which would be fine. It just means the AP class and test would only play a certain limited, well-defined role in his overall Chemistry journey. It would still be worth doing, though.
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My kid found that the two most “in demand” skills in a chem lab were statistics and math, and programming (the common statistical packages, plus experience working with large datasets).
Advancing in chemistry is fine- agree with everyone else that self study isn’t nearly as helpful as folks think it is. But labs are not handing over the keys to a HS kid. If he’s going to be useful in a lab setting it will be about the math and the programming.
And then practical stuff- which one would assume would be obvious but actually not- closed toe shoes in the lab (no Birkenstocks). No eating anywhere near the lab. No visitors to the lab unless approved in advance. Nobody walks in without safety glasses. Hair tied back (hence all those “man buns” you see on university campuses- not just a fashion statement). Etc.
Advancing in chemistry on your own without the practical knowledge he’ll get in his HS chem labs (how to write a lab report; how to behave in a lab; what are safety procedures) doesn’t seem worth the trouble.
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Agree that it is better to do chemistry in school, at least to check and confirm interest (it is not ideal that the high school will not let students take chemistry in 10th grade, however).
Also agree that a prospective chemistry major should also take physics and biology, as well as math to whatever level they can.