<p>I'm entering my senior year of high school and I'm trying to decide between physics and AP Bio. Honestly I would rather take AP Bio but everyone tells me not taking all three of the core sciences (bio, chem, and physics) would be a disaster. Any help on this subject would be appreciated!</p>
<p>It’s not a disaster, but colleges (e.g. William & Mary) have explicitly stated that they like like candidates who have had the Big Three in some form through HS. They especially like students who have taken AP Physics C, as that is the pinnacle of regular HS science coursework, you’ll need to generally take a college class to go higher.</p>
<p>Taking AP Bio is not a bad option, but unless the physics is a really low level course, you’re better off taking some form of physics, particularly if you’re going into a science, any science. If you aren’t going the science route, then it’s not as big a deal, but it still helps to show you’ve taken all three.</p>
<p>And for what it’s worth, please don’t be that kid who says “What do I need physics and chemistry for? I’m going to be a doctor.”</p>
<p>lol @ mom on your last sentence.
But I agreed. If you’re planning to major in science, take as many sciences classes as you can. In fact, take all 3. My D took AP Biology & AP Chemistry during her junior year, and this year, Honors Anatomy & Physiology, and Advanced Physics for science classes.
My D said AP Chemistry is straight forward, and AP Biology is really technical, and on so many levels. AP Bio is not an easy class but it will definitely prepare you for those college level Biology classes.
Is the Physics class algebra or calculus based? Don’t sign up for calculus-based Physics if you have not had calculus.
In conclusion, if you want to challenge yourself and you don’t mind the hard work, go for it. If your Chemistry and Physics classes are not AP, then take all 3 classes. But if all 3 are AP classes, and if you’re not the type of person who stays up late to study (daily), then listen to your friends.</p>
<p>I don’t know how all these students manage to double or triple up on so many science classes all the time. At our school - AP Bio and AP chem are double periods and there are only 7 class periods in a day. So basically if you take 1 math, 1 science (2 periods), 1 social studies, 1 English, 1 foreign language and 1 other class (honors band for my kid) you are all full. That means taking required health online and required PE as independent study. Our students are encourage to do 4 years of each math, science, English, social studies and foreign language. Senior year my son will have 1 extra period to play with (as AP Physics is only 1 period) but that is pretty much it in terms of choices.</p>
<p>Very few students actually take all three AP core sciences. My daughter did, but she’s the only one out of 300+ students in her class, and on very rare occasion, you’ll have someone take both Physics C classes for a total of four. Taking two AP science cores plus a non-AP for the third core is much more common, as is only one AP science core.</p>
<p>At our school there are plenty of kids who take AP Bio (sophomore), AP Chem (junior) and AP Physics (senior) as there aren’t pre-requisites for any of the AP courses – there are probably 30 kids (out of class of 400 or so) who take all three AP sciences. I just couldn’t understand how posters seem to be advocating taking multiple of these AP science classes in one year – don’t see how there is room in a schedule for that.</p>
<p>i agree! don’t take physics C unless you are comfortable with calculus. I’m sure there are some kids who have done it here on CC but none have done well in my personal experience</p>
<p>If you are not interested in Physics, don’t take Physics, you will probably be miserable. If you are more interested in BIO, do that. </p>