<p>Hello everyone,</p>
<p>I was just talking to my counselor today since they finally figured out master schedules for next year (roughly). My schedule had no conflicts except for my science courses. Basically, here's my problem: AP Physics 2 is currently offered 1st period, and my advanced choir (that I am NOT dropping) is offered 3rd period. AP Chem is only offered during 1st and 3rd period, and so I'm forced to reconsider my registration. I REALLY don't want to drop AP Physics, since I plan to do either Mechanical Engineering or Physics in college. However, I feel that AP Chem would be more beneficial than AP Bio in preparing me for college. Will it look bad to take AP Physics 2 and Bio in the same year, instead of Physics and Chem? By the way, AP Bio is offered 4th period, which is the period that is open right now (works out nicely).</p>
<p>In addition, because of all the schedule conflicts, I was forced to drop my programming class I signed up for, so now I have a free semester to take across from my astronomy course. Any suggestions on what I should fill it with? I'll list my senior year schedule how it will be after all of the changes:</p>
<p>AP Physics 2
Astronomy/Elective
Madrigals/Chamber Singers
AP Biology
AP Spanish IV
Percussion Ensemble/Marching Band
AP Statistics
AP English Lit</p>
<p>Would it be wise to just take a study hall? I thought that I could take the study hall and possibly sign up for an online course and the local community college (assuming we have the money) and just to the library every day and work on it. Could that be an option as well? I'm pretty much stuck right now, since I wasn't expecting so many conflicts to occur. Thank you! </p>
<p>Take Physics and Bio if you think you can take the workload of two AP classes.
If you’re aiming for top tier schools you really shouldn’t take a study hall period since you have so many more “rigorous” options available to you. </p>
<p>Even with an intense workload, and if I explained that I used the study hall to work on an online class?</p>
<p>Lol please saif… theres no problem taking a study hall if youre taking two AP sciences in one year. theres a difference between rigor and suicide</p>
<p>Physics and Bio together is fine. Your schedule is pretty rigorous even with a study hall.</p>
<p>Don’t take AP Physics 2. It’s algebra based and a waste of time. Take chem.</p>
<p>I definitely disagree that AP Physics 2 is a waste of time. First of all, it is better than nothing, especially since I plan to do something in the STEM area for college. Second of all, I will learn even more from it than I have in my Physics course this year. So I am keeping AP Physics 2, even if it is just Algebra based.</p>
<p>AP Spanish IV, WHAT?</p>
<p>Sorry, I should clarify. That’s the name they give it at my school because it’s the 4th level of Spanish. It’s basically AP Spanish Language.</p>
<p>so you skip spanish 4 and go directly to AP?</p>
<p>Took an open this year, still got into MIT</p>
<p>Don’t overload your senior year, you’ll get burnt out and there is a danger of senioritis carrying into college. If you’re just taking as many “hard” classes as you can to get into college, I’d urge you to reconsider. There’s plenty of time to take college-level science classes in college. However, if you don’t have much going on after school and you really have the time/drive to stay dedicated to these classes even AFTER you’ve committed to schools (harder than it sounds) go for it!</p>
<p>@apandia no, I’m not skipping anything. Basically it goes Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, and AP Spanish IV. They just make the highest level the AP class, taught to prepare us for the AP test.</p>
<p>@yayitsme123 I’m not concerned about that. I already decided a long time ago that I wanted all of those classes, but now I just have to change which AP sciences I’m taking. But I feel like AP Bio and AP Physics is a weird combination, and I’m not sure how much Bio will help me since I plan to go into engineering or physics. I also am not sure what semester class to take, since I have a free period now. I’m thinking of a study hall, either to reduce the load I have to do at home, or to maybe take an online course through the local CC as a replacement.</p>
<p>@rkepp12 What kind of engineering do you want to do? :)</p>
<p>For me, taking AP Bio would have actually been a really good idea, because a 5 would get me credit for Introductory Biology and I wouldn’t have to take a general science class to satisfy the requirement (this depends on what school you go to as well). I’d say take Bio and a study hall for a semester, I took a study hall for a semester and it was a great idea. If you can, I’d take it first semester, because I used my study hall for college applications/running back and forth to the guidance office. </p>
<p>An online course sounds like a great idea, I’m taking AP CS online right now and colleges love it.</p>
<p>@yayitsme123 I plan on going into Mechanical Engineering. My ultimate goal would be to learn how to develop robots or even nanotechnology, and I figure that’s a good place to start!</p>
<p>I’ve thought of actually take a programming class at my local CC. My school doesn’t offer AP CS (I signed up for the closest thing we have, which is Programming I, but unfortunately it conflicted so I had to drop it. That’s why I’m trying to find a semester class to fill). I thought if I took it through the CC that I could transfer it eventually, but I’m worried that it won’t transfer since I’m looking at some selective private colleges, including Carnegie Mellon. </p>
<p>I’m not sure if first semester is an option, since it really depends on when my astronomy class is scheduled. I could take the study hall whichever semester astronomy isn’t, so I’m not sure yet…I figure if it’s second semester, it’s good time to study for AP tests.</p>
<p>@rkepp12 My school doesn’t offer any CS at all haha. Actually my online class just finished because the AP exam was last week. I’m doing either computer engineering or materials engineering next year! At Carnegie Mellon! They take AP CS credit but I’m not sure about transfer credit. But to be honest, the fundamentals of programming course is supposedly great so I’m taking it regardless of my AP score. At CMU, for mechanical engineering I think you need to take either Chem or Bio to satisfy a requirement and you can use AP credit for it, so AP Bio would be a fine choice for you.</p>
<p>That’s fair about the scheduling, and good point about studying for your AP exams, especially with the amount you’re taking. </p>
<p>@yayitsme123 Great to know, it’s great that you get to go there! From what it sounds like AP Bio may not be such a bad idea now. I figure that I’ll have to take a chem course anyway no matter what college I go to, so at least I can satisfy the bio requirement. Thanks so much for your help! </p>