As a senior, I have signed myself for AP Chemistry and we are only one class of 12 students. However, many of us who are now alarmed by the apparent brutality of the teacher and the course are switching out of AP Chemistry.
IF I DROP AP CHEMISTRY, IT WILL BE REPLACED BY AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A
The problem is that as a college student, I want to get a BS in Finance (at a business college of a university) AND TAKE PREMED, although I have been told that taking General Chemistry for a semester shouldn’t be an issue.
Here is my AP list for the SENIOR YEAR:
AP Chemistry (IF SWITCHED: AP Computer Science A)
AP Literature
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government & Politics
As stated, if I replace Chem with Comp Sci A, I will have NO SCIENCES FOR THE YEAR. IS THIS VIABLE?
Here is the list of AP credits I have obtained from JUNIOR YEAR:
AP Calculus BC (5)
AP Macroeconomics (5)
AP Microeconomics (5)
AP Physics 1: Algebra Based (4)
AP U.S. History (4)
WOULD LACKING A SCIENCE IN SENIOR YEAR HARM MY ADMISIONS?
Pre Med isn’t a major. You can major in anything and apply to med school, but the typical path is biology or other related subjects. So… in my opinion, if you want to stick with finance, go ahead and switch to CSA. However, if you’re serious about biology and you have your eye on a competitive college, you should take science senior year. It doesn’t have to be AP Chemistry, though.
Would not taking AP Chemistry in High School make the PreMed course track (General Chemistry 1YR and Organic Chemistry 1YR) more difficult?
Because if I do get out of the Intro courses for Chemistry and go to Organic, wouldn’t it be more difficult since the course would expect me to be more experienced?
I’m not sure I understand. You don’t have to skip the introductory classes just because you’ve got a great AP score and the school will let you. Many students retake the introductory classes in college, just to have an easier time adjusting. You’ll know what’s right for you by the time you register for your college classes.
If you switch now from AP Chemistry to a college/dual enrollment class, yes, you may or may not find it more difficult. However, you might get a more skilled teacher who makes it seem easier or more interesting. Also, once on campus, college classes usually only meet a couple days each week, so there’s time in between to get help with concepts you have trouble understanding.
It is very common for premeds to retake general chem in college even if they get a 5 on the AP exam. Most med schools do not accept science AP scores as meeting the prereqs.
If you are thinking a HS chem class is “brutal”, you may want rethink going to med school. College chem, then biochemistry is a walk in the park compared to med school. It is often described as drinking water from a fire hose. Suck it up and take the course if you are serious about medicine, you will need the foundation going forward.
The problem isn’t the material of the class or my performance(I have a 96 average so far), it’s that I have so many conflicting extracurriculars and AP Courses that make time management unforgiving and difficult.
While things may be going good as of now since Chemistry is the only AP that’s gone into gear so far, it may harm my grade and GPA as other AP’s accelerate into the year. I am concerned because colleges only see MP1 or Semester 1 of my senior year.
From another thread, you asked for chances to schools like Princeton, Chicago, and Penn. With that in mind, the issue is not not having a science course. The issue is being afraid to challenge yourself with 4 APs (2 of which are not exactly the most strenuous courses) because the college might see a grade <96.
I’d really suggest to take a step back to have a reality check. The vast majority of applicants to these schools will have “many conflicting extracurriculars and AP Courses.” We all have to manage our time effectively. If time management is truly a struggle, then that is what you need to focus on managing - not tweaking your schedule. Good luck.
I am not saying my time managing skills themselves are lacking (I never procrastinate work), it’s just that keeping up with everything may harm the overall efficiency of my performance in senior year or my ability to finish all college applications.
You seem to keep making excuses, but there are students who do all you do and more. Senior year, my daughter had full IB plus 3 AP classes, a sport that was 20 hours a week as well as responsibilities in her other ECs. She managed everything and got into her ED school. Don’t make excuses, just do it.
Would running a BS in Finance while taking PreMed make my preparation for the MCAT weak? I am only doing the BS in Finance since I come from a Business and Finance Magnet High School and I am heavily strong in that field. But I also do not want to close the opportunity to become a doctor and want to have Finance as a backup plan.